The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1893-12-15
A MINE OF WEALTH.

The forthcoming report of Col. Mar
shall Mcdonald, United States Fish
Commissioner, on the oyster industry
of Maryland, is of great interest and
value to the people of this State
Through the courtesy of Col. Nc
Donald some of the proof sheets We're
shown to representative of the Sun.
The report states that the water
area of Maryland is the greatest oys-
ter producing region in the world and
that the oyster output of the State is
equal in value to one-siXth of the pro-
duct of all the fisheries in the United
States combined, giving employment
to one-fifth of all the persons engag-
ed in fisheries in the United States.
The Commissioner states that but
few oyster rocks are now found in the
Chesapeake Bay north OF Pools Is
land, because tie freshets from the
Susquehanna and other large bodies
of fresh water have had the tendency
to destroy the oyster spat by covering
the bottom of the bay with soft mud,
smothering the natural growth which
might at one time have existed in the
upper area of the bay. Excessive
dredging is also given as a cause for
the diminution or absence of oyster
supply in many sections.
The whole area of productive oys-
ter beds that are now located in the
Chesapeake and its tributaries is put
down at $50 square miles. Of this
space 211 square miles are in the es-
tuaries of the bay and subject to local
control of the authorities OF the
counties. The remaining IA square
miles of productive oyster grounds are
used in common by the citizens of the
whole State.
The Fish Commissioner estimates
the whole area of oyster bottoms, not
now productive, but which could be
made productive, by systematic cult
walton, at from 400 to 1000 square
miles.
Tables are given showing the steady
decrease in the catch of oysters for
the past % years, demonstrating the
way in which the profit from this i'll
dustry is gradually slipping away
from the State.
Mr.. Mcdonald advocates the hold
ing of the natural rocks as the COM
mon heritage of the people of the
State but favors the leasing or abso-
lutte sale of unproductive oyster lands
He adds:
'sLet the experiment be tried, and if sue
cessful to the lessee and profitable to the
State, enlarge the field. l am opposed to
any lease or sale of the productive oyster beds
Guard them if you will, but they belong to
all the people, and all who wish to do SO have
the right to obtain sustenance therefrom No
hope OF reward and no promise of additional
revenue should tempt the State to part with
such lands. Leave out the unproductive and
exhausted bottom. Be liberal in this action.
Do not contine ownership or lesseeship to citi-
zens Of your own State. Invite all to come
who have capital and enterprise and energy,
and are willing to expend it in this direction.
The result will be better oysters, larger sup
ply, work for an army of unemployed, and
most OF all, greatly increased revenue to the
State and an impetus to many industries from
the influx of additional capital within your
borders"
1t is evident that we have an unde-
veloped mine of boundless wealth in
the oyster bottoms of the Chesapeake
Bay. If properly used we have no
doubt our now unproductive oyster
beds could be made to furnish reve-
nue. sufficient not only to liquidate
our State debt and provide for all the
expenses of our State government,
but also to supply fund for carrying
on a gigantic system of road improve
ment throughout the State, without
the exaction of a single cent from any
taxpayer.