Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-02-21
raG RICHMOND DspArcH-sUNpAY FEBRUARY 81 1886.

good wages for helping mo aud good
wages to your neighbors for opening
and packing ihem?- "No." says the
oystermen. "You may produce too
many oysters and lower the price. |
don't want that ground to be disturbed.
In some way-I don't know exactly
how'll you once get to planting you
may injure me-" But, my friend,
on that principle, no one should be al
lowed to do any business in the State.
Industrious men are always every
where pushing aside idle men. Are
you not demanding state Of things
which is utterly inconsistent with en-
terprise, progress, and the best interests
Of all of the people Of the State?"
- don't know about that" says the
oysterman. 81 do know that | don't
want any change. Suppose the State
does get half million OF revenue out
OF the oyster-grounds, that don't help
me. You say it will, but prefer to
let things remain as they are"
Tidewater is controlled by traditions.
MOndern ways OF doing things are in
noyations. No doubt il the oyster in
terest is developed thriftless men will
60 to the rear. At the same time the
active men will come to the front.
The simple way to encourage men to
engage in the oyster business is to
make it certain that their rights are re-
spected.
HAMPTON, Va, February, 1886.
ANOTHER VIEW.
To The Editor of the Dispatch
Seeing a communication in your COL
umns of February Sd, signed by" Rea-
son." directing the attention Of our
legislators to the oyster question, !
also ask you that you will allow me,
as Tidewater man, as practical oys-
terman OF more than thirty years ex-
perience in the business, and also a
loyal citizen Of Virginia to express the
hope that our Legislature will not adj
journ until it shall have done some
thing TO take this industry out Of the
rut in which it has been for so many
years.
All practical oystermen believe and
contend that the beds Of bays, rivers,
and creeks are held by the Common
wealth in trust for the people, and that
all Of her citizens have the right to
take or catch oysters according to law
regardless Of what section Of the State
they may live in. Weinvite all to come
who will and join US in this business,
and above all we would like to see
treason" handle this question, not
with kid gloves, but with pair OF six
teen-feet handle-tongs on the Nanse
mond Ridge such day as many Of our
ovStermen are compelled to work.
We believe that the oyster-beds of
Virginia are inexhaustible, if they are
properly taken care Of by the State.
If any of the rocks Of the Common
wealth do not yield we'll let the Legis-
lature enact a law that said rocks
shall not be worked on for two years,
and at the expiration Of that time you
will find as many as ever before. In
proof Of this. take the years Of the
war, from 1851 to 1865, when one man
could catch from - to 100 bushels
each day on any Of the principal rocks
in James river, and on Hampton bar,
where "Reason &" complains that an
ordinary oysterman could catch ten
bushels a day and get fifty cents per
bushel.
There are acres Of oyster-beds in the
James river that have never been
worked on, because they were small
and not so profitable as some other
beds, and the water was deeper and the
oysters harder to catch. Every prac-
teal FISHERMAN knows that there are
plenty of oysters on the natural beds
TO last the present generation, and we
do not think it necessary for the Legis
lature to enact any laws in favor OF
capitalists to form companies and grant
them the exclusive right Of occupying
and planting oysters on natural beds, as
was done on Hampton bar.
Now we will take up Reasons
illustrations. He says the Legislature
Of 1882 passed an act opening portion
Of Hampton flats about l,s00 or
1900 acres TO planting purposes for
period Of twenty years, and that over
100000 bushels are planted on this
ground, and that it affords remuneratiye
employment to the oystermen in that
vicinity. But can Reason " tell how
much the planters receive Of the natu-
raj growth that would grow there in
two years that other oystermen are de-
barred from by that act OF the Legisla-
tuTe:
He also says that the State will receive
revenue this year Of $500, and that
this is equal to the tax on 1900 acres
Of arabic land.
] know OF parties who would gladly
pay the State revenue Of 1000 a
year for ten years and 81, 800 year for
ten years longer, knowing that the in
crease Of oysters on Hampton bar by
private management would be fortune
for them.
A few years before the Legislature
passed this act opening Hampton bar
to the present occupants, Capt. Rufus
King, a citizen of Virginia, planted
oysters on a part Of the same ground
and the courts of Elizabeth City county
declared he had no right to plant there,
as 1t was natural bed, and the result
was he lost all he put there, not even
giving him any time to take them up.
In conclusion We respectfully ask tho
Legislature not to pass any law in
favor of the capitalist to the detriment
Of the workingman. We are not op-
posed to any one occupying grounds or
fats where there is no natural growth
Of oysters. If the Legislature desires
to parcel out the public rocks, why not
grant to the poor Oysterman on appll-
cation as well as the capitalist:
The oystermen are willing to pay
fair tax to the Commonwealth to pro-
tect their interest, such tax as will
bring in a revenue satisfactory to every
citizen in the State.
We believe the present oyster laws
are onorous and unjust, and we would
like to see them repealed. We would
suooest IN the Ieoislatnre IN wine out