The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1890-01-23
Fredericksburg Star.

peake and along the Atlantic. Such as ASA
moke, Assateaque and Chingoteague Sounds
Cherrystone, Pungoteague, Smiths Island Shoals
Fachipengo Wachapreagqe and many other
i'll the finest oysters, much superior to the finest
raw box oysters These would yield as many as
any one OF the rivers named, ana on the EST,
about $22l2, COO, which, with S1,5OO tax on boats
added to the above, gives a grand total OF
$1.709, TO.
The above may seem to be an extraordinary
and extravaganza estimate, but anyone who has
given close observation and attention 10 TINS
matter must admit that | have rather under
estimated than overdrawn the picture
You perceive have not touched the income
which could be secured from the oyster plant
ing grounds, which comprise thousands OF
acres which might be sold or leased for a very
considerable sum, under proper legislative re-
StrictiOnS
l have said nothing yet about the great fish
traffic of these rivers and the bay. This interest
has a wider range than the oyster section, eX-
tending from the falls of the rivers to the bay.
Haulsenes, float nets, pound stake nets, purse
nets, traps, &c.. capture VAST numbers OF nsn OF
the Northern market. it il more difficult to es-
innate the amount realized from this source
than from oysters, tu5 49, have known one mar
fish alone, caught with trot 11es during the
winter, besides large number or white perch
and catfish.
suppose, however, that ten per cent. tax on
the export OF fish, and s. license on each boat,
would yield an income OF S30oOO0 to the State.
Taking the income from oysters and nSh, we
haye 81 900 GOO, which would be suff1c1ent TO pay
fund for it's final extinguishment and all of the
expenses of the State economically administered.
What a grand boom this would give to Viz
ginia can hardly be conceived. immigration
would pour into our borders and rapidly settle
up our waste places, and new era of prosperity
would dawn Upon us, the like Of which has never
been seen OF imagined. But there are other con-
sderatiOns besides the revenue to be derived
from this source to induce our law makers to
take action i'll this matter-it would drive OF the
most thriftless and place the business i'll the
hands of the enterpriSing.
The lands along the water course are assessed
higher and pay more tax in consideration OF the
supposed advantages they enjoy In being CON
venient to fish and oysters; but this, since the
freedom of the negro, has been the curse. The
farms have been abandoned and many OF the
finest lands are growing up in timber for the
lack of labor Nor has this enterprise resulted in
benefit to the parties engaged IN it,; it has, on the
other hand, proven nursery for Incidence and
crime. Their occupations keeps them employed
not more than half time, the balance is spent at
grOg- Shops placed at convenient distances to
catch the trade and during their idle time they
hang around these places, where they drink,
gamble and carOuSe, and when the season ends
they are without money and many rely upon
committed in all this section is traceable to this
class.
1t may be asked how can this tax be Collected?
1t seems to me the process would be very sim
pie one. In the first place all tax on the oyster
beds and boats should be collected by the treas
urer of the county where the beds and boats are
just as any other tax is collected
All oysters exported would have the tax levied
as license on the vessel upon her CARRYING ca
ceS to load and for violation of this law the
sci and cargo should be sub ect to confs cation
small police of two or three revenue cutters
would be sufficient to see that the law was not
evaded.
The question naturally arises, if there is such
a mine OF wealth in this industry, and such great
benefits would result to che State from a proper
tax, why is it that our Legislators have not seen
it and acted upon it?
Human nature is weak, Many of our dele
gates know as much, and some perhaps more,
than do about the oyster and fish question, but
it is not a popular measure, and they dare not
eSpouse the cause. The allurementS of public
life have such fascination and soon become so
to their taste that nothing, no matter
how mertorious. will induce them to espouse
cause that may weaken their prospects for con-
tinuance in Off e.
agitated in sections outside of Tidewater, but it
has always raised such Juror among the Tide
water delegates in the legislature who claimed
to know more about it than representatives
from other sections, that their appeals were
yielded to.
That Cicero of the Forum and brilliant genius
who had the dash always to be found in advance
of his party upon great political questions, the
La late G"yernor Wise, coming as ne did from the
familiar with this question from bOyhoOd, urged
i'll message to the Legislature the levying
proper tax upon oysters the fish interest was
not then of the magnitude it is now) Mr.. Wise's
proposition raised a perfect howl mong the
eastern members. They styled 1t Wise's oyster
fundum, and ridiculed the proposition out of
existence. Had Virginia adopted the recon-
of this far seeing, astute stateman,
she would have been for years reaping rich re-
ward from her water resources, and her fnan-
cial and social position would have been far diff
ferent from what it is to-day.
The time has come when this question should
demand immediate action from our representa-
tiyes. The needs of the Commonwealth demand
i. me honor and integrity OF our State de-
If the waters Of Virginia are the property of
the State surely the oysters and fish are, and
they have the right to dispose Of them as they
ga nf
being Wronged because the State sees fit to dis
pose OF her property in such way as seems
MOST fQin0tlve of her interests. Let our repre-
bury selfish consd erations and allow
patriotism to rule the hour, and in this time of
need lift the dear old State from the mire of deg
radiation in which she has been placed to that
OF fame which she once occupied and
their children will rise up and call them blessed.
since wiring the above friend has loaned
me the annual report to the Legislature OF 88,
containing the report of the Hon. Tohn Il.
superintendent of Virginia Els eres,
which SuStalnS me so well in my eStin ates that
reel constrained to quote some EXTRACTS from
his report
He states: statistics for the year 1888 will
show the total number of pound nets now set in
The waters OF Virginia to be $50 and the pro
1Hct, Including the manhadan fiaheries, about
pound netS.'
And there are many other modes of catching,
md as purse nets are chiefly. used in capturing
The manhaden by the factories, it is fair to con-
,lude that this does not embrace one-third of
Jhe CATCH
Inc HOHOfanle commissioner put the catch of
oysters at 6.S37 $40. This is about half of my
but as perceive he could have had no
accurate means of ascertaining what was
Taught in the bay, supposed this was omitted.
Even If this should not be the case, it will be
observed that have made no estimate for the
;riib fishing which added to the oyster interest
You'd bring my estimate UP to what claim as
lhe revenue Qbtainable.
The commissioner states of crabs; Mot less
interesting, and scarcely less remnnerative, is
ne shipping of hard and softshell crabs and
canned crab meat from Virginia waters to the
ocal and Northern markets. Statistics gath
red by our commission do not embrace all per-
invested but it is safe to say that nearly as many
PERSONS are engaged in the crab business as in
'ysterlng,and the net proceed from the labor and
aptal employed are CORRESPONDENCE greater.
! large market is found, even beyond the Mis-
issipp for this industry.
AUBREY III. JONES.