The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-02-11
THE OYSTER QUESTION.
Tn. Bill Now Before the LeGislnture-'no
MARYLAND Conference.

The Senate Committee on Fish and Game
Mr.. Little chairman. and the House I'm
mittee on Chesapeake and its lrlOu'"i'''
Mr.. Wilkinsl chairman. hold a JOINT se7 a','
IN the Senate chamber last evening 70 ,JaI
sider the oyster subject Mr. Little pIesluS a
and announced that the first matte ,be
taken up was the resolution passon 70 an
legislature of Maryland. asking lOl sn.'0i.ree
noutment of q Joint conference 'vi.a.es 10
sron the Legislatures OF the two states -
consider the adjustment OF the oySSeel lie
tion in regard 10 the Potomac ana
rivers. nan NJ the
On motion Of Mr. Tabb the chalrmen o. sn ny
two committees were requsted 20 h"'o 80
able resolutions passed in their TespsvV.s.
houses notifying the Maryland LeE.'d,, IN
that the General Assembly would Do IeAuy
confer with their committee at any con en''"'
time. J.. Senator
The Oyster bill. introduced py SEMI NJ
Washington in the upper liou-e ~ uas
Cbambers in the House f DELEGATES, III
- ,.ten mn Mr. Chambers set the Dhii
rolling by discussing the bill by sec..o., 80. -
provides III the first place the Appo.n - The
oyster inspectors. one for each c"-"ys snco
county court. except IN the County 10 an
mae where seven inspectors arc ~. ~ ,,sars
Do,uted The term of office IS Two 'e"io
Tl,e inspector has 10 report the NUMBER %
registered boats o acres OK oyster Deus o t
II Inc does not perform lie duty properly us
nenalty shall be 900. The law I'D re- ara 10
the one-half acre of oyster ground that
goes with each lot has n9t been
Changed. but the survey OF eacu
Iot has 70 be made by the surveyor oi
the county: the riparian right remains rs IL
was The bill requires that no assignment
shall exceed go acres III the several Hgel'
and bays except III cases OF previous
ments OF q larger number. IN OhesHpo"Ao
bav. however. u larger number or acres may
!. l.,
is the provision that the rent OK oyster iahus
shall be al the rate OF Z per year per acre tor
a period of twenty years. payable by rep,
tenber lst. There are SAID to be now rehleu
10000 acres of planting grounds -ut II tnes9
lands are rlsuryeyed 1t may turn OUT - 10
10000 acres.
glr. Chambers stated that the bill provides
that ans tongmau could get rece 'l I'D lI.t
Tor tho season If Le paid 50 10 advance I'D lAe
Inspector lie added that the tohIiH'H'
through their representatives, aHu "oo'1l
their willingness 20 pay as much A7 80 p-'
season. but he thought that ~ per sva2o
was al that could beu5Eed. lorlt lnf ol F1' .l'"e
tie party "a cred about uJ WORTH ol slei9
Der seas0u Another section O1 the pll.. " ll-cA
was added it the re- uest OF the sinah noi4ei7,
/ fOrbils 10 su1let oyster Deis % pIot1-.
the oyster beds coming into the hands OF o le,'.
The biz provides also for ee OF gu " ~ So
paid iOr each pair Of t0ngs eafh year INC
measure only provides for the renting OK oy7-
tiers bed O. residents of this state. oysters
of loss than two and one. half inches DO length
/ shall nos be taken from the natural oyster
beds for marketing purp ses bus t1ey chh .e
used for seed purp. scs when ia.sef ni,
vision was objected 20 by some or ire people
about Norfolk. who claim that DO TINT man
/ uer the natural beds would become depicted.
Mr. Chambers stated that these provisions
/ of his bill had been taken rom the Mary ana
! culiing law He made "a splendid explanation
t.f ID p .r 81 I Ha|I Ia
sure had been drawn up 10 g .od iaitl aA9
with the assistance OF the most talented anu
| abe lawyers The hlli Do properly carr iei ,'t-'
would give % net profit OF -aO.O.J during lAe
/ first year Ii had been said that there were
/ millions in the oyster industry. but they were
not there Professor BROOKS. OF the ulNeI-
/ sitv of Baltimore had demonstrated tlat dui-
/ in the past tfty-sX years au ile oy
/ beds m the several waters had yielded % the
| two States Maryland and Nirrina. only I'D All
/ 400 600 COZ oil bushels ot oysters which at h.ty
cents would make only lOOJJOJJ for inc
/ whole period of iitty-siX years.
Senator Stubs stated that he had intro
duced q bin prepared by the Oystcrmen
! Protective MON, which had been rc.errel o.
/ the Committee on Fish and Game after IL had
/ been printed and that several gentlemen
/ were present 90 be heard on the nnL
Sir. Nalet. of Norfolk. stated that he would
/ like 60 speak on two provisions ot the BOZ. 300
/ the interest of % n rioik delegation who was
present The bin provided that oysters shou
not be caught from April 18TH to September
| th The people OF Norfolk Wisue tic latter
/ date changed o. September lst. for the reason
thai i'm Maryland the season began Dn sep
TENDER ist Mr. Mallet also objected 20 the
clause which allows oysters less than
inches in length 90 be- taken from natural beds
for planting purposes. II the provision DID
question remained IN the bill DO would NOT
help the planter az all. but 10 would very seri-
-El. !. |.I f IIU D.
natural oyster hods Mr.. Mallet also offered
| the following Amendments
Provided. however that this act shall not
I be go construed as 10 auect the reporan
| rights OF any owner ot land on the i-uzt 'eth
| river or IT'S branches or tributaries lying
south of Sewells Point. or 90 ahect IN ans
way the present jurisdiction Of the Board ol
! Harb0r Commissioners Of the por, oi Is ,rt Us
| and Portsmouth
Mr.. e.. VI Jones. an oyster opener from
| Norfolk was introduced hy Mr. Cooke and
/ explained in detail the statements made 81
Mr. Mallet He was bitterly opposed % any
| change m the cullIng law. and fay req the
| massage Of culhng law similar % the one lh
existence in.Almyland.
ar. Nanamin of Hampton. WhO SAID that
| he represented q large share of the ~ ger ih-
duetrv stated that 10 was very ulInlu.l O.
torea upon q general oyster law agreeable 10
the different sections az tie IldeWater coun-
lies lie explained the oyster bill which had
been prepared by the Oystermen's Protective
Tni0a and introduced by senator Stubs.
II provides for one Inspector for each county,
which is 70 give bond for 5000 90 $4,000.
The oyster tux is b instead Of 81 as 10 tAe
present law. The bill imposes tile following
tax ON the beats If the tongmen. - for b ATS
of twenty % twenty-five feet. ,3 for boats OK
TWENTY-FIVE % thirty feet. for boats ot
thirty 20 thirty five feet and - Tor al boats
over thirty-ive feet
Nr Richardson. q representative OF the
toncmen IN Gloucester county was present
and real a set OF resolutions adopted by the
fonpnen. He stated. however that the Da.
introduced by Mr Chambers ID tho House Of
DELEGATES and 10y Colonel Washington 10 the
Senate came nearer o. satisfying AL interests
than any other similar measures introduced
heretofore.
on motion of BIr. Chambers IL was decided
% meet again this evening at clock.
Secretary Dadmun.
Mr.. Edmund y. Dadmun. the assistant
Ctate secretary Of the Young Mems Christian
Association. viii Oh tho 18th instant. the day