The Trout Fry Went to Colville. East Stevens Anglers Paid for Them.
County commissioners stocked western streams with hatchery trout, leaving fishermen on the east side of Stevens County to raise their own money—and resent the license fees they already paid.
The trout fry recently purchased by the county commissioners have been distributed. As was expected, the fish have been placed in the streams in the western portion of the county. The streams where the Colville sports fish themselves on a summer day's outing received the benefit of the money. The disciples of Walton on this side of the county pay their license fee for fishing in order that the payroll crowd at Colville may have the benefit of a few days' fishing. The only chance the fishermen of this side of the county have is to dig down deep in their pockets and pull out the coin to pay for spawn to stock the streams of this side of the county. A meeting will be called in the near future, and an effort will be made to raise a sum of money to purchase fry for the streams of East Stevens county.
“The disciples of Walton on this side of the county pay their license fee for fishing in order that the payroll crowd at Colville may have the benefit of a few days' fishing.”
Public money for hatcheries, roads and rural services is still allocated by county and state officials, and rural residents still watch where the benefits land. The Newport fishermen's complaint could be voiced at a modern county-budget hearing.
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