Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1891-01-03

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loing. Under those conditions.
With a fleet Of steamer vessels to
,xrcnte the law. some money was
collected and paid into the Treas
lry-about 100000 in six years.
Rnt the most of it was paid during
he first part of that period. The
asst year nothing was paid. Then
t was that the State sold the ovS-
-er navy at Il sacrifice after six
gears Of trial to get money from
,yster.heds. This was in the year
1874. In 1883 the Legislature put
IN another fleet to raise revenue
md protect'he oyster interest. We
AVE had. therefore, a second trial
If six years to obtain revenue from
he oyster fundum. The results are
hat no revenue has been collected.
Ii is doubtful, in facr. if the navy
has been selfsustaining, and the
,yster-bedS are depleted.
OUR SYSTEM.
To sum up. the State has had
twenty-five years experience rals-
ing revenue and protecting the oys-
ter-hedS of the State. and both
have been decided failure. What
IS the condition of affairs to-day?
The oyster interest has dwindled
in Virginia until it is almost worth
les. The people of the North.
principally on Long Island sound,
who bought All their seed-oy Sters
from ms twenty years ago, have
learned 70 grow and cultivate
them. until they have more oysters
than Virginia. And this state of
things is likely to continue and
grow worse for ms unless an infelli-
gent remedy is applied. What
shall it be? The progressive and
experienced oystermen have watch
ri the development of the oyster
grounds elsewhere; they know the
work is easily done
and they are anxious to do it..
Sow, what stops them9 The laws
nf the State. Nothing else. The
law allows a precarious title of bot
tom to any one who desire to plant
oysters by applying to an Inspector
and paying the tax on the same
He is allowed to hold the grounds
for the purpose of planting oysters
The lessee of these grounds, under
This the only title the State grants,
plants seed oysters 1T an expense
If from $50 TO 800 per acre. Moth
ne is said while all this is going
IN. The planter holds this title
rom the State-a right that has
becn duly assigned him By quail
fed officers of the State to whom
he PAID the price. All goes well
until the expenditure is made and
he crop grown.
THE OYSTER ANARCHIST.
Then the oyster anarchist in the
business claims that at one time
natural oyster-hed existed on The
ground so planted. Whether this be
rue or not the State renders all
lid in her power to deprive the
PLANTER of the right she granted
him and for which he paid his mon
~. Last week the third trial Of
of the Commonwealth against
Rowe occupied the Court in CLIQUE
ester county, with the legal talent
of that county and Mid6lesex en-
gagged in the case. Rowe had plant
ed about $4,000 bushels of oyster
shells to form a base for an oyster
he'd at An expense of 500, besides
the price charged by the State. He
has now to fight the State to hold
what she previously granted hln.
End afterrwo trials a hung jury
was the result-eleyen jurors for
Rove and one negro juror opposed.
lie may now hold his grounds
awhile longer, fightit through tue
courts and finally lose it, at Il great
er expense. and his outlay for it
will not pay to remove the shells.
Oyster culture is bF such means
practically forbidden in Virginia.
This will he a lesson for the next
oysterman who wants toplant, Gull
.ivatc, and grow them. Hence the
oyster industry is fast dwiDdling.
The natural beds me nearly eN-
hausted and the cultivation is for.
hidden by the laws Of the State.
Now for tile remedy. | suggest
give to the practical and intelligent
oystermen an opportunity TO grow
oysters. How? Mark of, stake
out, survey. and record the plats
of the natural oyster beds in the
respective cornties in. which they
are located here will be some
work for the oyster navy, th9n
grant to oystermen the bare grounds
lnder the water at the same price
and on tue same terms that all the
,ther lands of the Commonwealth
rave been granted.
THE .soYsTER CHAIRS.
The oyster interest cannot wait
md live until the subject is under
stood by the colleges. There is no
necessity, in my Judgment, for any