Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-07-16
OUR OYSTER POLICE.
ITS COMPARATIVE useLEssNess AND
lNeFfiClENCY.
seven to Eight Hundred Maryland Beats
Grabbing in Virginia Waters-Fox
Island and Its Inhabitants.

OEASCoCK. VA, July 16.-After reauihg
Captain Seth Fosters card In the Dis
PATCH of last Sunday. IN which be denies
the truth Of certain statements made IN
this correspondence on the authority or
responsible persons residing on Ianeier
and Fox Islands. your correspondent called
on Mr.. William Ellinger. thepresent owner
Of Fox Island. who was here yesterday.
and asked him from whom he had obtained
his information concerning the state OF al
fairs in TaDgier and Pocomoke sounds.
Mr.. Ellinger quoted the names OF some
OF the most reputable citizens OF Ian
ger Island. 1t 30 happens that wnlle
the conversation was going on two
prominent and reliable citizens or
Iangier Island came up aud con-
firmed what Mr. Ellinger had sald'
stating furthermore that they are pre-
pared to make afiidayits which VIII clearly
set forth not only tho wholesale depreda-
tons by MARYLAND marauders on the OYSTER
beds and crabbing-gr grounds OF Virginia,
so stoutly denied by Captain Foster, but
will also demonstrate the comparative
uselessness and insfficisncy of our oyster
navy as at present organized.
PLAIN FACT.
Where the fault lies your correspondent
does not undertake 10 say; but that the
combined oyster navy of Virginia has not
defended our waters from the Maryland
marauders is fact known to every one
who has any knowledge of the state of
affairs along the border line of Maryland
and Virginia on the eastern side OF the
Chesapeake Bay. 1t is no exaggeration
to say that from 700 to 500 hary-
land boats may he seen every day. IN
the week catching crabs in Virginia
waters. and that they catch oysters
at the same time and carry them on to
Crisheld, Nd. is fact equally well known.
And this in spite OF the fact that the
taking of crabs as well as oysters by nom
residents is expressly forbidden by the
laws Of Virginia That Captain Foster
should undertake to deny the truth of the
statements made by Mr.. Ellinger aud the
people of Tangler Island touching the
depredstlons on the oyster-beds and crab
fairgrounds of Tangier and Focomoke
sounds can be explained only on the
ground that he does not know the true
state of affairs.
WHERE SHE LAYS.
The islanders say that Captain Focter
spends the most of his time at his home.
in Mathews county. and that the steamer
Chesapeake, instead of cruising. may
generally be found lying at anchor SIX or
seven miles from the scene of the depreda-
tions.
Captain Foster makes a contemptuous
fling at Mr.. William Ellinger, the owner of
Fox Island, by charging that he is engaged
with q New York company III planting
oyster-shells III Virginia waters, and at
tempts to belIttle Fox Island by stating
that II has only three inhabitants. When
your correspondent showed Mr.. Elllnger
Captain Fosters card he expressed his
surprise that Captain Foster should have
resOrted to any such method of defending
Drmgalf He 1HDIgR most pmnlnf1gQllV
that he is connected with anew York COM
pauy or any other company. Mr. Elllnger
continued:
FOX ISLAND.
II have entertained Commander Fos-
ter at my house on Fox Island, and am sur
prlsed that he should entertain any but
the frendliest sentiments toward me.
The fact that be has been at my house en-
ables HIM TO give the exact population of
Fox Island, but when Captain Foster
made use Of that information he little
knew how cruelty he exposed himself.
Why has Fox Island but three inhabitants
and they exposed to hostilities such "a
characterize an Indian frontier, houses
burned, threats of murder made, and con-
tinuous acts of trespass done? The an
swer Ia. because men like Commander
Foster have failed TO do their duty"
Fox Island Is four miles long, thus
having tour-mie shore on both Tangler
and Pocomoke sounds. Its waters once
abounded in oysters of the very finest
quality. Fish and crabs are plentiful aud
still abound all about it, Terrapln. now
nearly extinct. existed in large numbers
upon it, as also duck, geese. and other
wild fowl. With the exception OF fish and
crabs the rest have been made extinct
how and by whom /. Because the Com
monweslth did not police Its territory as
it no doubt will hereafter. 2. Not police
ing 1t properly, both with respect to ves-
sells used and commanders employed.
Fox Island became a common, which has
been and is being exploited by Maryland
depredators.
THE REASON WHY.
This is the reason why Fox Island has
but three inhabitants and other islands.
although having many more, have not
nearly as many "a they will have when
this border is protected. When this hap
pens the products of the adjacent waters
will be utilized on Virginia soil and not as
now furnish plumber for the enrichment
OF other communities.
WILL PAY.
In this connection your correspondent
is glad ID be able to say that whist the
people of this section feel that the means
for the defence of the border are alto
gether Inadequate, nevertheless our oys-
termen are not unmiudful that thev have
not fairly contributed for the maintenance
of 8 properly equipped police navy and
that they will beyond doubt hereafter
cheerfully pay any just contribution the
Commonwealth in lis wisdom may see pre-
per to impose.