The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-08-24
Fects ABOUT the ovster Law,

Inc total area OF the natural oyster beds
in the waters of the state of Georgia is 1855
acres, while the extent Of ground fit for ar
tiflcial oyster culture is 80, 900 acres, and Of
that acreage only about 5000 has been
Leased
Under the operations Of the unamended
law, and contrary to It's intent, a large pro-
portion OF the most valuable public beds
has been taken up in the southern counties
as far north as Doboy by the now-existing
oyster companies. No new companies could
be started, with any prospect OF success.
unless they had access TO the public beds for
supply of seed oysters aud spawners, for
their only resource would be to purchase
them from some more fortunate pre-exist-
ing companies. A further encroachment
upon the natural beds would, therefore,
prevent the establishment of new euter-
prises, leaving about "a 900 acres of terri-
tory unoccupied and undeveloped, with a
loss to the school fund of $24,OO0 and
to the public of the return of "a, 900 acres
FOR taxation. which were valued by Ensign
Drake for that purpose at SlC0 per acre,
after they were to have been made product
i've. 1t would also have curtailed the local
supply, at least temporarily, by depriving
such dealers as Messrs. Ambos and Paf of
access TO the pubic bods near Doboy, to
hich they have been compelled to resort
for years in consequence of the exhaustion
of the beds in Chatham county. The only
remedy was a complete reservation of the
public BEDS as recommended by the oyster
commission, and the only means was the
adoption of brakes charts, which alone
definitely and distinctly located them. The
evident purpose of the amendment is,
therefore, TO reserve the yet valuable beds
for tho Oystermen and not ito shut them
out" or it would never have received the
nf sK,AA
Ambos and Paff. 1t is deemed better to
save the valuable beds of four counties
rather than only the worthless ones of
single county-unrecorded because exter-
minated.
Under the unamended law every oyster
planter would be ct the mercy of oyster
pirates, and failure to amend it will Ger
tainly be a source of delight to thieves and
buyers of stolen oysters The Oemler Oys-
ter Company has IS, 500 bushels of planted
oysters and 10000 bushels of shells, with
young oysters, deposited upon its leasehold
of 800 acres. Not a foot of public bed is
included in this area, and yet any thief
could ravage its beds with impunty by
falsely swearing he had procured oysters
from the ground in question years ago. The
avowal of such an Intention had been made
in advance. The Oemlsr Oyster Company
will have expended over $40 900 before it
a large part OF the money may be consid-
cred wasted without the protection Of the
amended law. The only remedy was the
distinct location Of what. under the law,
was to be considered a reserved
public bed, and again the adoption
of the United States oyster sur
vey by Ensign Drake was the only sde-
Quate means
After the retirement of Lieut.. Francis
Winslow to the SUPPLEMENTARY of the
Ocraooke ysterCompany in North Carolina
he became the only competent officer in the
United States service to accomplish the
survey, having assisted Lieut. sWiuslow in
his examinations of the grounds in Mary
land, Virginia and North Carolina. and
know him TO have been a most conscien-
tous gentleman. He did not indicate a
few of the natural beds Of Chatham county
because be considered them too nearly ex-
terminated 60 be recorded, and not because
he was Ignorant of their location. He knew
they had become worthless and might again
become valuable to the public when cult
waited. Soon after he commenced his sur
vey Messrs. Augustus Oemler and RAN
dolph Patf land perhaps others) indicated,
at his request, as an assistance, on a
chart, the location of the natural
beds In Chatham county. All those
IN Oyster creek, certainly, and all those near
Thunderbolr, probably. were thus pointed
out to him. OF the former, he reports as
follows: Very few oysters are now found
in this creek, but they are of fine quality.
There are few scattered oysters and dead
shells ever the upper half of the creek, but
they have not been considered thick enough
to be indicated on the Chart OF the latter
he says: "a few natural beds were found
in this river. principally between Thunder
bolt and Turner's Rocks. but they are of no
consequence, having been about extermin1
ated BY excessive fishing, being SO near the
oyster MARKET
That territory now "of no conseduencen
will again be made valuable by Messrs.
Arbos * Patf and others, and, il Oyster
creek is leased. it will be treated by the
Oemler Oyster Company as barren terri
tory. A sufficiency of oysters for breeding
purposes (which it now lacks and sc, 200
bushels Of shells will be deposited in the
spring, and three years hence the yield may
be l59,00O bushels of oysters, giving more
employment to labor than the FEW scatter
ing oysters at its upper half"
A synopsis of the bill was very properly
published by the MORNING News soon after
Its introduction, and copy was handed by
myself TO Mr.. F. Hill, with the request
that he show it to as many persons inter-
ested as possible, and it was subsequently
left for fortnight with Mr.. Henry Ambos
for that purpose A. ORMLER.