Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1888-01-14
LETTERS From The People.

letters From The People.
Mn. Eil1oR.-Uavinr l..mncd that
lapeti'ion. to be presented to our lie: RS
laiure is beng circulated for signatures
ITO stop fishing witllpound nets tykes,
&c.. in the Chesapeake and its trlOn'h-
ries. within the bounds of Accamac
and NORTHAMPTON. hrsr leave through
the columns IF the ENTERPRISE to
place Il few facts in connection with l'ie
business before The people believing That
Int few signatures can b. Obtained II
tic matter is thoroughly understood.
/. The business is great source ol
revenue to these two counties, ylrlillnG
each season from $4,000 to 800 OOO.
which is distributed among about SUI
men. the larger portion of it for labor,
the balance to our merchants for pro-
visions. &c.
.. A certain class of the men whore
engaged in the business aie almost and
IN many instances entirely dependent
upon it for support fnrthemsrlvrs and
their families, AMI another class nf men
have Il large am INIT IF money Invested
in boats, nets and other fixtures nncr>,
sary to the business. The injury, there
fore which would result to both clasSts
iG.ie law was repealed can be readily
seen. In this connection it should be
noted too. that the men thus employed
are wal ermen, who could not be III
tuced t., W orIl on the farm, and who
ifdeprived of this means of livelihood,
would seek other homes or make avery
poor living NJ best.
3. There has been u larger quantity
1T many kinds If fish III Tn" Chtsapeakr
hay in the last two years. tiiali IN the %
wears preceding them. despite the acc,
laratious made 10y some that thev would
he DESTROYED If the manner of catching
them in question WAS 10 continue. 1t
MIS- prnnleSle,l il few years ago Tor III
stance. that herring would Income eX-
tinct if the manner Of catching them rs
indicated above WAS permitted, but Oh
the colt,ary.th the quantity caught IN the
last two wears has made them OF 50 little
value that the fishermen frequently
turn them out after catching them and
tie same is equally true of ether Kind
of fish. the herring being mentioned. be-
cause there are so many used for Sailing
purposes, it is therefore, Il staple III tho
markets In this cSinctlon 1t should
I've noted that fish Of all kinds nearly are
migratory and in th'r passage up the
co;ist III tic spring, whether they enter
HE bay ol lot depends ilp'n the wind
and weather. so that to protect the fish
it woul te nrcf sslry to prevent fishing
from Maine to ..he Gulf of Mexico. AS
our Legislature cannot enact such ii law
ar prevent the fish from moving, WHY
deprive our people of the privilege Of
catching them? Again the flct Slorld
he taken into consideration that there
rcahout GO miles of the Chesapeake
bay in Virginia, the balance l3o mics
icing in Maryland. + 1t were possible
for the petitioners tothe Legislature t.
stand OH the line and say to the fish
thus far Shalt thou go and no farther,
then there might be some show of pro-
trction for The time being, bT prevent
ing fishing incur part of the bay. bat as
that is impoSsible-th fact being that
nearly all varieties of fish. laylorS mack
eleI. <llccpllt;ul. indeed. ali the hest va
rieties pass up til: hay into Maryland rs
far as the Patapsco, many us faras the
Susuuelarna. would not the repeal Of
The fish law in question he dl-crlm!iia-
ting against our citizens, III favor OF
the citizens u Maryland, ilasmuch as
fishing in the latter State IS permitted
dun in The entire sc;Lsop? Would no.
tile henyier calch. Which they would
therefore. make he q gross injustice to
our citizens?
/. The complaint male about the
of small fish by pounds
needs no rcfu,atiou, the fact being tn"
we'll klinwn TO be disputed, That the
sharks. bonlt0s and OTHER Worthless fish
caught in the pounds and killed, destroy
more small fish than twice the nuin'cr
of pounds now OH the bay could Ito.
5. Equally trlllnG is the charge that
the mode OF fishing i'll question INJURIES
the hook and line fishing. The t"stl-
molly of somq of the oldest inhabitants
i, 10 the effect that they never had 0st-
Ter lisling in that way than for the last
TWO wears, and ift'iat is not true, 1t can
Tot be- disputed that fish can now be
bought ut half the cost it would take tn
catch them. with hook aud line. Again.
Spanish inackerel are tic must prpllia-
bic fish caugl t iii the pounds, ami W.
would like 10 know how many OF tll'
citizens IF the Eastern shore evrI
heard of them being caught with hook
and ile. The writer know, of but one
aud that WAS caught III the wrong end:
Ii there is any difference III tho catch o1
fish with hook and line now than fornIer-
ly. it is due to the fact that the steam
els run some Of them daily into Tie
sllaiIow places and necessarily fright
enrl them so that they WON'T bite. ami
that being the case Why not petItlo! the
Legislature 10 stop tic steamers from
running? This no sane man Would DO
nor should they for tile sake OF the
amusement of hook and line fishing
even. if it were true, that The alnllsc-
mcnl WAS leing curtailrd 10y the pounds,
Sc be wiling 10 dispense with a rev
.euue which furnishes d;uly bread To So
many people.
Wiln these plain statement OF facts,
The matter is respectfully submitted to
The People Of tile Eastern shore ny
A SUB CIIBEH.
Mr.. EpIToR-The time is drawing
Hear when the Democratic party OF the
LIST district will DC called upon to select
i,s candidate for the National House OF
Representatives 1t is well to begin III
time, in order that we may find the best
and mos. available MIN. 1t scelns Il
foregone conclusion that the Republican
candidate will be MIR. Browne, the pres.
enl incumbent. Mr.. Browne has aeon
siderable personal following in Acco-