Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1893-02-25
OYSTER BEDS OF VIRGINIA. PLUM.
DERED.
Thousands of Bushels or oyster.
Stolen.

iiC l'stICAAN-' 80 :
correspondent Of the Baltimore Sun
present at the scene of operations OF
the oyster depredators may be ac-
C pied as authentic, and by the evi.
dence of their own witness u case is
made, showing how like thieves in
the night they came and robbed US:
] CRIsFIELD, Md, Feb. 1G.-About
twenty oyster boats are lying in the
harbor of Crisfield. with their sails
up. ready to start for Woman's
Marsh at 10 o'clock tonight. The
oyster captains have banded togeth
er to resist arrest. The boats are
principally from Baltimore. They
claim that Woman's Marsh is Il part
OF this State and that they have been
defrauded of their rights. This oys-
ter ground is adjacent to Smiths Is
land, and the people of that place
cannot now tong on an oyster rock
which was always used by them be-
fore the year of 1887. If any blood is
shed. the oystermen say, it will be
upon the heads of those who have
given the rights of the people of this
section to Virginia.
CRIsFIELD. Md, Feb. 17.-About
900 bushels of fine Virginia oysters
were landed Mt Crisfield this morn
ing by the boats, about twenty in
number. which left at 10 o'clock last
night and spent the entire night
dredging on the oyster ground called
Woman's Marsh. Captain Reed, of
the Virginia oyster police force, was
anchored at Horse Hammock, about
half IL nile from the dredgers. but
made no effort to discourage them in
their work. 1t is remarkable to see
how the boats can stay on an oyster
rock during the night. They get a
range from the lights Of the boats
anchored along the shore and from
the lighthouse. One of the fleet last
night was run into during the dark
and had her jib carried away. The
boats culled off in the harbor today.
The are only five men aboard the
Virginia police schooner, and it is
probable they did not covet an en-
gagement with the Crisfield fleet dur
ing the night. The Maryland fishery
force will give Virginia no assistance
in protecting the Pocomoke oyster
ground. If the people of this section
had right to tong there, they would
feel q common interest in protecting
it. but they now believe they have Il
right to get back a part of what was
unjustly taken from them. The oys-
termen will visit Woman's Marsh
again tonight.
The oyster market has been dull.
Good oysters have been bringing 60
cents bushel.
CRIsB1ELD, Md, Feb. ia blood
less victory was gained last night by
the Virginia fishery force over the
dredgers. AS it was generally known
that the dredgers had bought up all
the ammunition in Crisfield, Il re-
porter of The Sun determined to board
one of the vessels and see the contest
which seemed inevitable. Taking a
bateau, the reporter reached Old
Island, where the oyster fleet was
anchored. The bateau was rounded
, alongside of a trim pungy and a few
words were sufficient to make the
captain understand the nature of the
reporters mission. The boats of the
little fleet were dashed together and
the captains were in the cabin de-
vising plans for the night. 1t was
thoroughly understood that no boat
was to be permitted to be captured.
At s o'clock the oyster dredgers
started and at $50 o'clock the first
dredge was thrown on Woman's
Marsh. No attempt WIS made to
Gull the oysters. They were simply
shoveled in as caught, to be culled
at leisure when harbor was reached.
1t was impossible to see very far dur
ing the night and the boats were only
kept on the the rock by constant
throwing of the lead. No lights
were displayed. The work was in
full progress and the dredges were
coming up full of oysters, when sud-
denly IL loud crash and two boats
came into collision. One was pretty
badly damaged and had to give up
dredging for the night.
Hardly had the excitement caused
by this accident subsidized when word
was passed from boat to boat that
the police schooner was coming.
Captain Reed, of the Virginia State
fishery force, however, had caught
the oyster boats on the right tack
and their dredges we're thrown again.
Then q cannon ball whizzed across
the deck OF the vessel on which the
reporter was a passenger. Captain
Reed shot his cannon three times
and then began a fusiladc with small
arms The oyster-boats spread all
sail and fled. The police schooner
was no match for the swift PUNCHES,
and at o'clock they were all safely
anchored in White cove. Each pun
gy had from three to four hundred
bushels of oysters on board. the re
suit of the hazardous nights work
AS these oysters will be culled liz
Maryland, this State will get the full
benefit of the Gull law.
Judging from this incident it must