Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1895-04-25
THE OYSTER NAVY.
A LIVELY TILT WITH THE BOARD
OF PUBLIC WORKS.
Tide Water Counties Protest Against
Discharging the Deputy Command
ers and the Crews of Sailing
VasseIe
STEAMERS RETAINED FOR SUM-
MER JUNkETlNG.

The State board of public works and
delegations representing four of the tide
water counties of Maryland had lively
discussion OF the oyster police system
yesterday afternoon in Gov. Brown s
Office, Baltimore. The Baltimore San
gives the following account of the meet
ing:
The delegation protested against the
recent order discharging after May 1st
the deputy commanders and crews on
all the sailing vessels in the service aud
leaving to the two steam vessels the du
ty of patroling the rivers and streams
in the State after the closed season be-
gins. The order was issued by the board
from motives of economy, the oyster
fund already being $4,000 in debt for
the cost of running the force since De-
cember lst.
The protesting delegations were all
agreed in maintaining that the smaller
crafts are absolutely needed to patrol the
smaller rivers, because the two steamers,
on account of their heavy draught, can
not make their way into shoal waters.
They were not agreed, however, upon
any one plan for the better protection
Of the beds at smaller cost during the
summer months, and the upshot of the
discussion was that the board agreed to
postpone the time upon which its order
was to go into effect from May lSt until
June Let, in the hope that some plan
suitable to oystermen generally might
be devised and presented at a special
meeting of the board on May Goth. The
meeting began with lively tilt about
the legality of the board 3 action between
Governor Brown and Col. William Hen
ry Legg, of Queen Anne's county, who
was chairman of the committee that
framed the oyster law passed by the last
Legislature.
81 don't know where the board found
their authority for tying up the sailboats
after May 1st," said Col. Legg. 1.-THE
members of the board" he continued,
''are subject to law just as much as
| tongers or dredgers or anybody else, and
can t see what right they have to dis
| charge the deputy commanders in charge
of the sailing vessels when the oyster
law clearly states that they shall he ap-
| pointed on salary for term of two
years and are only to be removed for in
competency and neglect of duty. More
over, another section of the law directs
the board to keep all the sailing vessels
and one steamer in commission during
the closed season, from May lst to Oc-
tober lst. We want those boats con-
] tinued, each and every one of them, in
| the places where they were, and under
| the law. 1t seems to me the action of
the board would make case for the
| courts.
Governor Brown interrupted Colonel
| Legg by explaining the boards position
in The matter, and why they had taken
the action they did. To this Colonel
/ oor id ttXnu, ,.a, fho hnoto aonnr1
ing to law last year by borrowing mon
ey. don't know the figures, but you
borrowed more than $40, 900 and paid ii
back in October
The legal side of the question was
also commented upon by Mr.. james Il.
Ellegood. of Wicomico county: "The
wording of the law" he said, I" is not
discretionary, but mandatory. 1t says
| explicitly what the board of public works
shall do, and yet they have set it aside
| The deputy commanders are sworn and
| bonded to carry out the law, and sepa.
| rate provisions of it says that they shal
remain on their boats all the time and
keep them going over the beats assigned
| them. How can they carry out theil
sworn duties if their boats are tied VI
at Annapolis or Cambridge by the board
of public workspn
ILLEGAL longing will go on all the
summer" said Mr.. Bannon, ''if the two
steamers are the only police vessels used
Everybody knows that they can't run
up into the smaller tributaries.
DIR. George Wells, of Anne Arunde
county, said: "The deputy command
ers and their crews are perfectly willing
to wait for this years salaries until thu
Legislature meets. No Legis u I {
would refuse them their money under
the circumstances.
Several of the deputy commanders
were present at the meeting and stated
to Governor Brown that they were viii
ling to keep the boats going all summer
and trust to the next Legislaturere fol
their pay. "Put that in writing" an
swered the Governor, ''and we will con
slider it at the meeting on May 10Th.
Congressman Joshua Miles, of Som
erset county, State Treasurer Jones anC
Comptroller Smith also took part in The
discussion,