The Portland daily press., 1895-03-13

holsters and Holsters shells for tertilizing
pur poses
Gamer Lawrence of Lubec. said be
wanted it undertood at the outset that he
was Gamer, notwithstanding the fact
that lobster Gamers were represented here
as the most miserable men on the face of
the earth. The poor old Holsters had been
here 5efore Mr.. Lawrence WAS oorn, and
he was still here, in the Legislature. In the
waters there were enough loDsters so that
the catch of the past year had been the
greatest ever known. Mr.. Lawrence also
| referred to the remarks of Commissioner
Written, and criticized his statements re-
garding the origin of the lobster canning
industry. Mr.. Lawrence said that the nrst
factory was in Canada, and the second at
Passport instead of the first being ON Long
Island sound. Those remarks were made at
banquet, where there might have been
som, thing to take. The wholesalers OF
Portland wanted ten and one-half inch
! law TO give them monopoly of the market
in the Western States.
Mr.. Hooper of Castine supported the
majority report He said that the gentle
man from Lubec tMr. Lawrenccl had called
a Gamer the most BILE thing on earth.
and the gentleman was canner.l laugh
teri This was movement in the interest
OF the fishermen, and not Of any syndicate
of dealers.
Mr.. Peabody of Jonesport, spoke against
the ten and one-half inch law.
The North Haven Representative asked If
a member ofthe House by laying away IL
TWO dollar bill several months could get
eight dollars back, if he would throw it
way: The Gamers destroyed Holsters they
bought for cent and cent and a half
each. to the amount OF $4,000, when three
months later those same Holsters ii left UNI
molested would be worth several hundred
thousand dollars to he fishermen and could
be canned as we'll small Holsters.
The minority report was then rejected Is
tots and the majority report adopted. Tho
bill then took its two readings and Mr..
r odick moved that the rules be suspended
ard that the DILL pe passed to be engrossd.
To this, Mr.. Haines of Waterville, objected.
Mr.. Haines offered as an amendment to the
bill the sections OF tho bill accompanying
the minority report establishing close
time from August 1st until October 10.
during which Holsters should not be packed
nor shipped out of the state. but might be
ia ken fol home consumption.
The amendment was lest So to es and the
bill was then passed to be engrossed. 1t now
goes to the Senate. The bill makes 'sunlaw-
fuIto catch. buy or sell, or expose for So leg
or possess for any purposes any lobster
less than ten and one-half inches in length,
alive or dead, cooked or uncooked,
measured in manner as follows: Iaklng
the length of the back of the lobster,
measured from he bone of the nose to the
end of the bone of the middle ripper of the
tail. the length to be taken with the lobster
l5extended on the back its natural length.
and any lobster. shorter than the prescribed
length when caught. shall be liberated alive
at the risk and cost Of the parties taking
them, under penalty of one dollar for each
lobster SO caught. bought. sold, exposed for
sale or in possession, not SO liberated.
at shall be unlawful to can. preserve OF
pickle Holsters less than ten and one-half
inches in length, aliys or dead, measured as
aforesaid and for every lobster canned,
preserved or picked contrary to the pro-
visions of this section, every person, nm,
association or corporation SO canning
preserving OF picking shall be liable to IL
penalty of five dollars Tor every lobster SO
canned, preserved or picked ,-and further
penalty of three hundred dollars for every
DAY on which such unlawful canning, pre-
serving or picking is carried on
This is the present statute with one little
change In language, but very important
one in effect. Under the present law it is
provided that Holsters only nine inches in
length may be taken from May until July
L. That provision does not appear in the
bill.