Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-03-27
Fishery Rights in the Potomac.

AN OPINION OF ATTORNEY RIDDLE, WHICH PUTS THE
DISPUTED POINTS IN NEW LIGHT
letter from Mr.. Allen Dodge, relative to GER
tain rights OF fishermen to 1Sh by drag nets on
his premises on the south side OF Long bridge.
having been referred by the District Commission
ers to Attorney Riddle, he sends them the follow.
Ing opinion: "YOu may remember that case in
volvng the respective rights of fishery in the Po-
tomac, by the people OF the two shores, was few
days ago brought to your notice. The same gen.
eral question, in another form, was called to my
attention yesterday, which led to the discovery OF
| an error, in which our court shares, as to the
water boundary OF Virginia. deem 1t of impor-
tance enough to be placed before you. The error
was gross. We never had occasion to examine 1t
before. The Supreme Court OF the District decided
that the river boundary OF Virginia was high
water mark. fThe Alexandria Canal, r. r. and
Bridge Company agt the District OF Columbia.)
The question OF state boundary was submitted
by Maryland and Virginia to the arbitrament OF
J: s: Black, OF Pennsylvania; Senator Beck, OF
Kentucky, and Charles j.. jenkins, OF Georgia,
who awarded IOw-water mark on the Virginia
shore, the line to be right line from the low-water
follow the indentations OF the shore. A material
matter. The award was accepted by the states
ST. 1ssao 81 stats page M The river to pe peman maTca
common highway. The right OF fishery to con-
tinue as by the compact of l7S5. This secured the
mutual rights OF fishing, In common, to the whole
river to the two states.
While upon THIS, as germane matter: l may
state that the liver boundary OF the city does not
| ,,the waters Of the Eastern branch, Potomac and
Rock creek" See Kelty's Stats, "a VOL, chap. 5,
passed Dec 10, 1891 The charter OF May, 1890.
amended and continued by various acts till June
I, 1871, conferred on the corporation OF Washing
ton power to regulate the navigation OF the rivers;
also over wharveS: SO that the outer line OF the
wharves, where there are any. is the river bound
ary OF the city, and the limit OF the ordinances O.
the city, except such as regulate navigation.
The cesson OF Maryland to the United States
made the southern and western boundary COIN
eide with the Virginia line See act Md. last
fnd a pf 0f Innn A
i Rev. Stat, D. G, and acts cited in the margin.
The District is made police district all under The
jurisdiction OF the m metropolitan police. Rev.
District as lies outside or the city between its
water boundary and the Virginia line Is under the
ordinances OF the Levy Court This includes the
bridgea
TO render this more comperdIous may ada that
the English statutes, In force In Maryland on the
4th July, l776, and ali the acts OF Maryland, colo
nal and state. In force at the cesston OF the Dis
trict TO the United States. the laws OF the Dis
trfct, though they may have been repealed or
modified In England or Maryland nearly century
ago, except as changed by acts OF Congress tRey.
Stats d. C., 91l While over the ancient limits OF
Georgetown her ordinances sttll remain law, under
the same limitationRn
IND10TnfR19Fa NJ FHR an ANN JupY The 0T.nA