Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1897-02-25
RIaHTs OF oYsyERxEN.


Judge Lloyd filed his opinion on
February 18th, ct Cambridge, Md,
in the "oyster lot' cases, tried at
the last November court. The con-
straction placed on it there is that
mo matter how prolific an oyster
bar or bed may have been il the
past, when it becomes depleted il
can be located by private PARTIES
Oystermen at Cambridge say that
even il the beds are not soon leased
ont BY the State, it viii only be .
few years when Gil the at present
natural beds will be under private
control Judge Lloyd's opinion, bear
ing as it does on one of the most
important industries OF the State,
has been eagerly looked for, and is
as follows:
"Robert 8. Marshall and others
have fled a large number Of petit
tions-about 30-to vacate pretty
much all locations of oyster lots for
the private planting Of oysters made
within the last 12 months on the
Dorchester side of the Choptank
River, from Oyster Shell Point to
Cambridge, covering q distance of
eight or ten miles. IL one may
Judge from the petitions alone, the
entire Dorchester shore must either
be a natural rock or bar of oysters,
or one element of those engaged in
the oyster business has determined
that the provisions of the law, in
tended to encourage planting and
private culture of oysters, shall be
made nugatory and of no effect.
In the latter view of the case, al
though elsewhere, in other COM
munities, a source of immense
wealth and field of steady employ
ment at good wages to many oyster
men are afforded from this branch
of business, yet here, in our own
midst, no man will be able or likely
to risk his capital in an enterprise
wherein come of the people, who,
in the first place sell him the oysters
he plants, afterward seek to vacate
and set aside the location of his
planting grounds upon the theory
of its being q natural rock or bar of
oysters.
"They may be unconsciously kill
ing, inch by inch, the hen that lays
the golden egg, and when too late
wake up to a full realization of an
industry destroyed; of rocks once
fruitful, now barren, for in time
nature will be exhausted here, as
experience has demonstrated in
other parts of the world. AS an in
dividual l have long thought in
many instances an exacting and
rigid enforcement of some public
rights may be honestly, and, of
course, lawfully pursued, techni-
cally correct, yet mistaken policy,
and yield q harvest of barren re-
grets.
"These general observations are
induced, not by the merits of the
particular cases / have heard, but
by the magnitude of this indiscrim-
mate and promiscuous onslaught,
only duly appreciated when consid-
cred in connection with the extent
of territory covered BY the many
petitions and the nnmber and oc-
cupation of those contributing to
the fund necessary to the prosecu-
ton Of these manifold proceedings.
In the moral Of the situation we
find fruitful ground for intelligent
Legislative thought and action, and
the more specific and absolute set
ting aside of bottom for private cul.
ture Of oysters, if the State really
intends to encourage the industry
Of oyster planting. and at the same
time give adequate grounds and pro.
lection to the worthy industrious
oystermen, for all cannot be buyers
and planters, each should feel sc.
cure in his rights, which, under tn,
present condition cannot be q stat
utory definition of what is mean
by natural rock or bar of oysters
should be vouchsafed to us.
"The testimony before me relate
to the group of Eve lots known a
the Woolford lots, situated abov,
Cambridge, opposite the Howell
Farm. These lots are contiguou
and run with the shore east an,
west, embracing in their entirely q
acres, lot No. 8 being the specifi
lot of George w. Woolford. Th
ground of objection to this groul