Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-03-13
LAW ABOUT OYSTERS.
FULL TEXT OF THE ACT RECENTLY
PASSED BY The LEGISLATURE.
Survey Of the Grounds "a he Mads-Tims
OF Catching, Term. and Conditions
Of Lease. &C.

Tho General Assembly at its recent scs-
sion passed two bills OF great interest 70
thc people engaged in the various branches
OF the oyster industry. i.
One provides for On accurate survey OF
the grounds, which will be made during
the coming summer with the assistance OF
an experienced engineer. which the Sec.
rotary OF the Navy has kindly consented
20 furnish, and the other embodies an en-
tirely new oyster law for Virginia, wnicn
IL Is confidently believed VIII result IN we
DEVELOPMENT Of this great industry ana
make A source of large revenue TO tho
The DISPATCH has already published full
abstracts Of this latter act, commonly
known as the Washington Chambers Dill:
but this morning, for the information OF
our readers who are interested IN TINS mat
ter. the law is published In ITS entirety as
passed by the Legislature and slgneu py
the Governor. IL reads:
4 Rel ennc'ed by he General Assembly OF
yiroinio. That sections 2l31, 2l33. 2l34, 2lSo.
2i37. 2lAs, 2i51, 2i53 of chapter "a OF the
Code of Virginia be amended and re-enact-
ed so as TO read as follows:
Section 2i3l. INSPECTIONS OF OYSTERS; AP-
po1STMKsT AND REMOVAL: TERN; QuAIif1cA-
TIos AND BoSD.--The County Court OF each
county or the judge thereof in vacation IN
which oysters are caught or planted, snaii.
on or before the first day of May next ap-
point for the county one or moro lnspec,
tors Of oysters. whose term of Office shall
commence on May /. 1892, and who shall
continue in Office for the term OF two
wears. but NAV be removed by the court
for anv malefeasance. misfeasance, neon
petency, or gross neglect OF omclal outy'
and such removal shall be deemed vaca-
ton of the Office. All vacancies IN tne
Office shall be filled by the court, or the
;ndga thereof in vacation. Every inspec-
Tor small. before the court which appoints
him. or the Judge thereof in vacation. take
Tho oaths and give the bond prescribed by
cbanter IS of the Code of Virginia. The
bond shall be in penalty not less than
50 600. The clerk of the court shall trans
nit copy of the bond to the Auditor OF
Public Accounts within thirty GAYS after
its execution. An inspector appolnteu un-
der this section shall be skilled IN ana &C.
ouainted with the oyster industry.
Section 2l33 Each inspector shall DO al
lowed all the fees allowed under tins chap
Ter 10 him and commission OF III per cent
or what is collected by him under the FOL
lowing section. ,
section 2l3i. He shall collect all fines
and taxes imposed. by this chapter WITHIN
the limits of which he is assigned, except
the tax on planted oysters, and TO enable
him TO collect the same together with ms
fees according to the preceding section,
no shall have the same power when
comfy treasurer or other collectors OF the
State revenue has for the collection OF
taxes. T.,
spEcToRs TO BE REcoBDED; WHEN TO FAY
War They OWE; WHAT ENTRIES TO MAkE
IN THEfR BooKs.-He shall report quarterly
on oath TO the commissioner or commls-
sioners of fisheries the amount OF hnes:
fees. rents, and taxes collected by him and
his deputies during the preceding three
months. and the names OF the persons
from whom the same were collected, WIN
tho respective dates of collection, and also
the number of boats registered under
this act, whether tonger,. patent tonger.
or dredger; also, the number OF acres OF
planting ground rented. and the location
thereof The commissioner or commls-
sioners of fisheries shall examine the re-
port. and, if III due form and correct
in other respects. shall certify TO
the Auditor OF Public Accounts the
amount due on account of such hnes, fees,
rents. and taxes by the inspector, who
shall within thirty days thereafter pay the
same into the public treasury to the credit
of the oyster fund. These reports shall
be transmitted by said commissioner or
commissioners of fisheries to the clerk of
each county in the waters of which there
NAV be oysters. which said reports shall
he filed by the clerk of said court IN his
office and shall DO open at all times 20
puhhc inspection. The inspector shall
give receipts for all fines, fees, rents, and
taxes collected by him. an entry tor which
shall be made III a book to be Kept by hum
for the purpose. which receipts. IN addl-
ton to other facts stated therein, shall
olive the name of the county III the clerks
Office of which ms report IL to be recorded.
II any inspector fails To discharge any.duty
lmposed on nm by this section he shall be
deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and on
conviction thereof, be tined not exceeding
five hundred dollars, and he removed
from Office: and for the amount OF said
fine ne and ais suretieS shall be liable on
his official bond.
Section 2l37. ASSIGNMENT TO RIPARIAN
Owners AND OTHERS OF LOCATIONS FOR
PLANTING OYsIEBs; APPEAL FROM DECISION
or INSPECTOR; Locations TO BE MARKED
WITH SUITABLE STAKES. PAYMENT OF FEES
AND RENT To INsPEcIoRs.-If any owner or
occupant of land having waterfront
thereon suitable for planting oysters shall
desire TO obtain a location thereon Tor
planting oysters. he may make application
10 the inspector for the county or dis
trict in which the land lies. who shall
assign TO him on such location as such
owner or occupant may designate
in front of his land. No assignment
shall exceed one half acre. and survey
and plot whereof to be made by the coun-
~ surveyor, which shall indicate the metes
and bounds. courses and distances start
ING from fixed and permanent objects on
the shore. as accurately as may be, the
same TO be recorded as provided for recor-
datlon of other plots; the cost OF survey
and plot and recordatlon to be paid by the
ripariap owner or occupant. The survey
orSs fee shall DO 81. 1t shall be the duty of
such owner or occupant to cause the loca-
ton to be marked with suitable stakes,
according TO the assignment. and there
after he shall have the exclusive right to
the use thereof for the purpose aforesaid (:
and the privilege is accorded to the said
owner in consideration OF the extra valua.
ton ordinarily assessed upon such land
for the water privileges supposed to attach
thereto. The inspector making the assign
ment of reservation shall belpaid by such
owner or occupant q fee of fifty cents; said
assignment to the riparian owner or occu-
pant TO pass with the land to the subse-
ouent owner or occupant. IL any portion
of said waterfront herein reserved or pro-
yided for said riparian owner or occupant
of land shall be occupied by OtneTS WITH
oysters actually planted thereon at the
time location ls made of said reservation,
the person so occupaylng the same shall
have eighteen months TO remove the said
oysters 50 planted. The residue of said
water front in excess of what Is herein re-
served tor the riparian owner and the
residue of the beds of the bays,
rivers. and creeks, other than natural
oyster-beds or rocks, may be occupied by
any persons for the purpose of planting or
propagating oysters thereon, provided that
no assignment hereafter made shall exceed
$50 acres. but this limit shall not affect as
signments heretofore made In excess OF
that amount; and provided further. that
no limit herein provided for shall affect as
signments made in the Chesapeake bay. II
shall be the duty of any such person de-
string to obtain location for planting or
propagating oysters In any portion of the
water-fronts and beds aforesaid. not 10.
Gated or reserved as hereinbefore provided
for owners and occupants of land
aforesaid, to apply to the inspector
of the district in which the land
lies 10 have his location ascertained
and designated, and surveyed, and the
same shall be marked with suitable stakes
smooth and free from snags and spurs, OF
by other metes and bounds, courses and
distances. having their places of beginning
and ending designated by permanent OBJ
jects ON the shore, agreed upon between
Tho annlicant and anspacfOr and he shall