Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1894-02-24
4 SpECEAL MESSAGE TO THE LEG
ISLATURE.


Gov. O'Ferrall Recommends Easiy Ac-
ton in Passing Law to PrOtfc: the
Oyster Beds of the State.
RICHMOND, Va, February 90
Gov. O'Ferrall to day sent to the
legislature q special message on the
oyster question, as follows:
TO the General Assembly Of Virginia:
AS the present session of the Sen
ate and House is drawing to close
and no legislation has yet been en-
acted to protect our great oyster IL.
terests from the depredations OF non
residents of the State and to main
tain the law in her waters and sustain
her dignity therein, and fearing that
in the press of matters incident TO
the closing rdays OF session OF the
Legislature the Importance OF snch
legislation may be overlooked. l deem
it my duty to call special attention
to the same and earnestly urge az
ton before adjournment.
The Tangier Pocomoke Sounds,
as is well known, lie partly in Mary
land and partly in Virginia. On the
Maryland side Of the boundary line
the oyster beds have been practically
exhausted, while on the Virginia side
the beds are rich and productive.
This condition seems to have render
ed the citizens of Maryland residing
in the vicinity of the sounds, and
who follow oystering for aliving,
desperate Having dredged and
II NJ N lNnlc N Ill fh
yield is no longer remunerative, they
seem determined at all hazards TO
take possession Of the Virginia beds
and carry away their products, and
by dredging, destroy the natural
rocks. and render the Virginia beds
as poor rs the Maryland beds.
4 present our interests are actual
" at the mercy of these marauderS.
We are powerless TO defend our
rights, and daily and hourly these
desperate men are found in our
waters plying their vocation and
carrying away the property of the
State which she has declared shall be
preserved For the use of her own
citizens.
We have in each sound Il vessel, i'll
form a schooner, but i'll fact perfect
~ useless for the purpose for which
they are intended. They are there
to protect our waters from the incur
sions OF non-residents, to maintain
the law and sustain the dignity of
the State, but they have no capacity
! for police duty, and to refer to them
in that connection is TO treat serious
matter with levity. Their cost TO the
| Commonwealth annually is about
$4,000, which | regard as money ab
solutely wasted. They are play
things with the reckless men with
whom they have to deal, and they
and their crews only float and live
because the marauders have not con
sidered them of sufficient Importance
todestroy Their sailing capacity is in
sufficient. while their ornaments car.
nv us back to the days of the Howit-
ger of the Revolution.
They have no means OF protecting
their crews from the fire of the rifle
of the present day, and an engage
ment between them and even fleet
of fishing smacks of modern build
would soon end in the defeat of the
former and their capture as well, I'M
less they could escape by flight.
Within the last few days there was
an engagement between the schooner
Tangier and number Of dredging
boats, which resulted disastrously to
the schooner. as learn.
On Sunday morning last about 1 80
| received the following telegram:
Gov. Charles I. O'Ferrall:
Send Chesapeake. Dredgers about
TO get best of us. Ammunition out.
a. j. REED,
Captain Police Schooner Tangier
l had no information as TO the
whereabouts of the steamer Chesa-
peake, but at o'clock a. III. and
again at p III. l endeavored to reach
the commander by wire with orders
to 60 at once and speedily TO the as
sistance OF the Tangier. About -
o'clock on yesterday | received the
following kilograms;
- FORT MONROE, Feb. 10, 1894.
Gov. Charles I. O'Ferrall:
Have Just received your telegram
to MIR. Booker Will proceed to Tan
o;or Sound imnediateIv