The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-02-21

'tA W avn NuAl MltU lut WlUU DlOht tliOAk
enong to sail the vessel.
The dredge Is so constructed that when
thrown overheard 1t scrapes the bottom and
gets All there - on It. whether shells, old or
young oysters, and all other debris which IL
strikes. AZ stated periods 1t IA hauled up by
a windlass and dumped on deck, and while
being again filed It's former contents are
sorted and the refuse thrown overheard.
The dragging Of a heavy scraper dreoge
over the young oysters more or less breaks
the tender shell. For this reason dredged
oysters do not Keep alive as long as oysters
taken with tongs. As there IS no separation
II the minute or small oyster which adj
here's TO the large marketable one they all 20
10 market together 10 make bulk' II hothlhg
more.
The inspection Of a shell pile in Baltimore.
phiadelphia. New York or Norfolk Will con-
vince the skeptic of the wanton waste that
dred0ers create. A judiclOus planter would
return these matured oysters TO the water
untl the young we're large enough to remove.
The crew of a dredge boat Is usually com
posod of foreigners Of every cline from
Siberia 10 the Cape of Good Hope. They are
obtained through shipping agencies IN the
cities. With the exception OF the captain and
mate. and sometimes the COOK. they all stay
in the fore peak, q narrow hole in the BOW Of
the vessel. without either bed or bunk. White
and colored eat and sleep in this one hole.
There IS q bench running around II called q
locker. on which this motley crew
spend their nights IN such rest as
they may find on the soft side Of a
hard plank. The dredger sells his oysters
70 other vessels making up cargoes or runs
them 10 a city market. The catch is small
after the first month OF six weeks work Of the
season. The crew at the end of the season,
satisfied with their past experience. dispeTse
10 the four quarters of the globe. and a fresh
crew is shipped next season. The state or It's
inhabitants derive little or no benefit from
their work. as they have little OF nothing 10
spend after the shipping agents fee IS de-
Quoted. Owing 10 sickness and desertion sew
erai crews are shipped on one vessel during
the season. and by this means the Baltimore
agent gets all the wages.
The captain of the dredger. when the sea-
son is ended. fishes for alewives, winch are
also sold in Baltimore ana manufactured into
oil sorts of fertilizer, mixed with Federal
Hill dirt. and here is where the Baltimorean
again gets his work IN on the unsuspectlng
Virginia farmer. When not fishing the cap
tain runs garden truck. grain or wood to
Baltimore. He leads o life of toll. and. unless
accompanied by prlvatlon and economy. he
ends life as he begun.
The only change IN the law that he favors
is the opening Of the rivers to his dredge.
tho golden egg The revenue the State de-
rives from the dredger would not pay for tho
hundredth part of the young oysters annually
destroyed by his dredge.
The substantial, full benefit from all this
labor of longing. planting and dredging oys-
ters in Virginia waters Is derived by the
dealers and Gamers located in the cities. OF
course they do not want the laws changed.
This business could and should De carried
on near the place where the oyster IS found.
Proper encouragement would induce capital
10 locate on the oyster shores OF Virginia,
Do H 81 be- Lna ArNm~
could and should be done. Az the business
is now carried on. Baltimore city gets all the
profit there is in it. That city EMPLOYS thou
sands of hands 70 open oysters. TO
make cans. boxes and barrels for ship
ping them. The lands of Virginia adjacent
to the oyster grounds have an abundance
of old field pine timber suitable only for COM
mon lumber such as the boxes and barrels
are made of. The tin cans could be manu-
featured more cheaply on the oyster shores
than in the cities. and would give employment
during the season when oysters were at rest.
IL would be a GOd-send TO our people 10 have
this work Of opening. canning and barrellng
oysters in winter and fruits IN umner- Inc
Ovsterman and farmer would both be Dene-
fted thereby. A glance at the map Of Viz
ginia will show the extent of her oyster terri
tory. extending from Capes Charles and
Henry in the Chesapeake bay 10 the mouth
of Potomac river. about siXty-five miles long
by an average width OF fifteen miles. ADD 10
this the oyster producing territory IN the
various streams running in to the Potomac,
such as the locomico. Great Wicomlco. also
the Rappahannock. Piankatank, York and
James rivers, and their several tributaries
iunumerabie, and the Iangler and POGO
moke sounds, and other smaller
waters on the Eastern Shore. A
vast ocean of waste waters sufficient to supply
the world with oysters. GOO Oystering
grounds are foundi in the Rappahannock river
for "a distance of fifty miles from Its mouth.
The York river is forty miles long. More than
half this territory produces the hnest OF oys-
ters. The James river for many miles from
its mout produces good. oysters. hundreds
of thousands of acres lying idle and waste In
this centennial year OF our Lord, loy2, as 1t
WAS in the year of Columbus. 1892.
The superior quality of this vast territory
for oyster culture Is due 10 the fact that its
waters arc not polluted by the DRAWINGS from
large manufacturing cities. 1t Is all IN a pure
state of nature. Norfolk Is the only city STU
ated on Virginia salt waters.
Our legislators from the mountains should
inform themselves upon the subject. They
could easily ascertain from q map OF the
United States coast survey the full extent of
Virginia's water possessions, and II they would
but exercise tho good, practical sense tor
which they are noted they would soon know
rs much about this industry as their fellow
members from Underwater. not one OF whom,
perhaps. ever tonged OF caught an oyster
from its peaceful bed.
The bills now before the Legislature are
framed by men no doubt honest IN their pur-
pose. but it would be well TO inquire what
thew personally know about the cultivation oil
oysters. This Is a pertinent question 10 pa
when il is a known fact that the oyster ques.
ton is always left for TIdewater men to settle,
An oyster in the house Of many of these Tide.
water SOlons would be as great a curiosity as
a lump of gold quartz. Place oyster tongs
in their hands and compel them 10 search toi
the luscious biyaiye is the quickest way OF dis
posing of this long line of SOlomons.
As a proof that all past laws have proved
deficient. it is only necessary TO visit the oys.
ter territory and witness the restitution that
prevails. where none thrive but lawyers, doc
tors and shopkeepers who sell vile whiskies.
Baltimore city controls IIdewater Virginia
The farmer, the FISHERMAN and fisherman
have 50 long shipped their raw products
there 10 exchange them for the manurac-
tured article that they now believe tlmpossi'
bic 10 improve their condition.
Additional revenue Is needed, and must be
had. else this vexed question of the State
debt viii not down. but will be doubly CON-
plcated should failure be made IN the pay
ments agreed upon and then Will arise
another political struggle such as shook and
rent our State from centre TO circumference