Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-11-26
ABOUT THE OYSTER.
no. al MAN AND Mr.. THOMAS s. hoo-
eoN,s PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
Tho Latter Describes What the fesp's OF
virginia Are Doing ana ""'
Maryland to DO the Same
nnitlmnrn Sun.l

Marxfau0 10 bO Aht
baltimore SUM-
pres;aent Daniel C. Gilman, OF the
Johns Hopkins University, in sPeaking
Yesterday OF the relations OF the uni
yersity 10 the Maryland oyster quesuon'
,o;3 Everybody connected with the
university, ] am certain, IS wiiling at : al
times TO assist in researches touchlpB
mon public matters, such as the oyster
onestion of Maryland. In this connec.
ton il has come to my notice that
tSe valuable and elaborate vol
ume of DR.. William X. Brooks,
associate professor OF biology AT
the university. which gave the results
of two years thorough research INTO 'he
ouestion. is now exhausted. Only four
or five copies remain in possession oil
the institution. The first thing to be
done with a view Of spreading sclentlic
knowledge OF oyster culture before tne
people. in order that they may OBJ
tain a broad comprehension OF IT,
is to persuade Dr. Brooks to reprint
in popular form, his report
with such omissions or additions
as he may think wise. The volumes
of the original edition were rather bulky
and unsuited for popular circulation II
the book. which contains the results OF
nearly two wears work, done with the
entire concurrence of the university GU
thoritles, is printed in cheap and com
pact form. everybody interested IN the
oyster question can have a copy. l have
already urged DR.. Brooks to do what l
have Suggested, and hope he will con
sent. Much OF our work IN reference 10
compiling scientific information upon
the subject is completed, and the result
of il can be taken advantage OF by tho
State"
A PIONEER oYsTER-MAS.
Mr.. Thomas S. Hodson, who IS
thoroughly posted on the oyster ques-
tion. said /: II read the views of Gene
raj Bradley T. Johnsonl in the Sun OF
Monday with a great deal OF interest
His idea is Just. ] had the same view IN
1884 as the one advanced by General
johnson az TO Johns Hopkins being a
pioneer in oyster culture. ! introduced
a bin setting apart one hundred acres IN
each tidewater county for an experiment
al oyster-raising farm. / saw Dr. BROOKS,
who had lately held his summer school
at Crisfield, and asked him If he would
take charge of the farm in Somerset
county. He said be was chiefly inter-
ested in the scientific, not the practical.
part of oyster culture, yet he appreciated
the great value the introduction OF me-
thods OF oyster culture would be to the
State and It's citizens, and, therefore, II
the Legislature would make suitable pro
vision for him he would undertake 1t. l
found, however, that few members OF
either house would take hold OF the mea-
sure and it was defeated. / do not re-
member now whether or not 1t passed
even the Senate.
1.-THE people of Virginia are now
making an intelligent and earnest effort
TO put oyster planting on popular and
conservative basis in that State. par
ticipated in a meeting at Hampton this
summer in which the oyster interests OF
the State were carefully represented and
brought their cause before a committee
of the Virginia Legislature in a very
forcible and plausible manner. The
convention adopted these resolutions
JUST WHAT MARYLAND WANTS.
Resolved Jy the Contention Of the
AAVed oyster Interests Of virginia,
That we respectfully ask the General
Assembly ut It's next session TO pass laws,
with details such as their wisdom may
suggest. to the following effect:
~. To grant to the people of Virginia
Who may aesire to engage in oyster
planting perpetual franchises for the
purpose of propagating or growing oys-
ters in lots of such size as the Assembly
nay deem proper, to prevent monopolles
and TO secure oyster fishing rights to the
whole people, and to be uniform through
out the State.
"2. That in making grants OF such
franchises the rights already secured
shall be held sacred, and persons actually
engaged in the industry shall have pre-
ference.
"3. That no interferencein riparian oil
property rights is necessary or should b(
attempted.
"a. That commission should be APP
| pointed by the County Court in eacf
county where any such question Is likel.
to arise to define the natural shoals
rocks. or beds by permanent marks o.
monuments. which beds shall be pre-
served inviolate. and only such land
shall be open to appropriation as arr
now barren or Improbable, which shall
also be surveyed and recorded as appro
priated.
90. That owing to the present deple
ton of the oyster supply and the compe
tition from other States, this body Dc
earnestly pray that any tax that may bt
imposed by the Legislature shall DO a
moderate as possible.
go. That no system OF protection t
cultivated ground by officers to b
chosen and paid 10y the State shall b,
inaueurated. We ask that the officer
to protect our beds, if necessary, ma,
10 appointed by the Governor, but shal
be chosen, instructed, paid, and dismiss
ed by the oyster planters themselves.
az. That no stream less than on
hundred yards wide shall be subject t
location under these laws"
alt seems to me, continued Mr.. Hod
son, "that these resolutions embod
about what We want in Maryland. |
we cannot get the actual unity suggest
ed by General johnson, we ought a
least to have substantial unanimity o.
the platform hid down at Hampton, an,
to join in pushing forward those princi
pies in both States.
The present oyster laws are dis
credit to the foresight both of the pee
pie and the Legislature. The oyster in
terests Of Maryland ought to be a sourc
of great wealth to Baltimore and th
tidewater counties. Asst is those en-
ployed in 1t make no none,
out OF it. Not more than 80,
900 people now make scant
, living ont of our oyster industry, direct