Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1883-02-22

~~@~N~@f~ - y NpaAatAfJ 4 1909.
Messrs. Editors :---ln recent Issue Of The
BGAcOS there was an aeconuto Of skirmish
between the iOngsmen and che dredgers. On
the 9Th. there was another. The drcdgers
were driven cut from between sheephead Bar,
BlakisiOne's Island and tie mainland, but
without much hurt 10 either party. ~
Nov, am opposed 10 strikes aud IawIcss.
ness Of oil kinds, bat there are sometimes cir
cnmsiances which seem 70 palIiaie the brrach
These poor iOngsnsn have no other oecupa-
ton, and take this way, they must steal or
siarve. They argue that ifthe State Of Ma
ryland will not protect them in a right that
she has sold them, they must and viii protect
themselves. They say that ihe police boat Is
Uf no more benefit than IL she were searching
for the North Pole notoFiuusIy dar-
ing drcdger Was heard to say, year or
more ago, that kr $40 he could make them
rs blind rs n lat. ] am not disposed 70 lay
The whole blame on tie police force. blame
the Courts aud the hair-splitting lawyers
The Legislature made a law which ought r.,
llasebeen sufficient for the protection Of the
t'nEsmen. But when dredger Is broughi
np under an arrest under the law, the LAWYERS
argue, and the judges conenr, tIlat Maryland
c'nnot make valid law rrspeclig the oys-
ter beds Of the Potomac This idea they get
from a compact nlade nearly century ago
between Maryland and virv inia in relation t.
the fisheries at The Potomac. a hat was meant
and inirnded by fisheries Of the Potomac was
the shad and herring fishery, and only related
10 fisheries shave lower Cedar Point, for up
TO snme year between 1880 and 1910, there
Was not n shad or herring fisher, below that
point, aud the contracting parties though,
about as much Of including offers. muskrats
and IolRiers rs fisheries IS they did Of the oys
ter beds this side the usain channel OF the 70.
tomae. Abai the above yeala mentioned
and prior To the act taking awpy ~ right 70
take up as vacant land natural oysssr heds.
swo lien, Mason and Bowling, got Qua hand
warrant and took up Cob bar rs a hrfsine
and shad fishery. A few yeats later. a Cent.
Thompson took np under the sumo Las. llerus
Island. These p.rIies each built a house ii
his grant. rerUllegs both PLACES w~raar,ed
~ fisheries, hut. proving n'pruht,l,lc. were
abandoned Now. IL MARYLAND had the richi
lllvn 10 grant (selil t:oh liar and Heron Il.
] nh-claim llnd'spnlrd-l;hcR lllias Z. Saint
CAlherine's and RlakistoIe ~ ss. a y ould
he a curiosity 81 u line from Z S ~ isoiut "a
aud by these pliers nhirh W6pld not give
sAarxland iuris lrIisn ever avate& l,rfls q hen
the drRdgtrs dFetlse with imnmrg8rs a. Me-
Williams pays Z xrs ON Iaklsstn q island
" u in The State az MaryIaasdg For tnxeS Il
/ snt Maryland has no jurisdiction h. s,o,,
dred GERS from dredging Leive IL aud The
am iaud. ] snpTo piece OF Il q bottom,
has dropped osIl. ! once hid schyolInate
moi very remarkable for iniellcc', who said he
would like 10 live neither Ia the United STATES
nOr oat ct the Cniitd States, hut ON an Island
ont 10 itself u he were alive nov. and
would change his wish TO emiwsnte from !,
negative Eish 10 settle IL che Uuited Stats ~
BeiihrF In Mar I'D nor out ~ MARYLAND /
would suggest % him Biakistone's Island
The tongssntn saw The catching Of o. ster.
On the shoals where the water i noe tl,9;e e.,
deep al low wafer aud where they cnald ess;-
y tong them. is not the enly eri.raDce and
injury the! suffer. They SAY thar there are =,
many dredgrrs that when al 3 rsfer hnver
- met in, enough srbooners, sl00lls aud hug
gses close IN on her % perfectly exclude ,l,ef,
from the ebiiiy 70 deliver oysters. even II thsv
hsye any. bear u hinied that the ionrsmen
will Daad tlReiher and REFUGE 10 pay license
Isaen willarlssanotlser legal hair. or may say
EqsHAler, % oesl and quarts u iftleState
e Maryland has no jurisdiction TO pass valid
L gislatise acts, has she heTight 70 impose ali
cease SENKx.