Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-16
THE EASTERN SHORE.
THE oYsTERMEN IN A STATE OF
UNREST AND APPREHENSION.
Don't Like the Action of the General
AssembIy--Some Points About the
Condition.
Condition.

Condition.
oNANcoCK, VA, January H-(spe
clal)-For the past ten days the oyster
men Of the Eastern Shore have been II
state Of unrest and apprehension as
TO the policy which the General Assem-
bly, will adopt in dealing with the oyster
question. The action Of the House OF
Delegates in adopting. by an overwhelm'
ing majority. n resolution 10 appoint n
committee consisting OF one from each
congressional district to frame n bill
! looking TO an increase Of revenue from
the oyster industry. thus taking this i'm
portant matter out of the hands of the
| Committee on the Chesapeake and It's
| Tributaries, Is generally regarded here
| as q vote of lack OF confidence In this
committee and proclamation 10 the
people of Tidewater Virginia that radi-
cal and drastic policy is to be adopted
in the legislation on this subject. Every
intelligent person in this section who has
given the matter any thought agrees
that the present oyster law is very de-
fective. and that radical changes should
be made in the direction of greater
economy in collecting the revenue, and
of more intelligent supervision OF the
industry. The statistics in the Auditors
last report would satisfy any reasonable
man that the law should be changed.
The present system is not only burden
to the State, but under it the oyster in
dustry continues to anguish. The ma
tural rocks are becoming less valua-
BILE every year, and already many
dredgers have returned home for the
season.
CHANGES NEEDED.
One Of the oldest and most intelligent
oystermen of the bayside now retired
from the business, told your cores
pendent several days ago that it made
but little difference TO him what the
General Assembly did in the matter of
oyster legislation. but that unless some
thing was done the industry would soon
become extinct. Another oysterman
who in the early part OF the present
season went to dredge In the Potomac
and other waters in the western shore
OF the Chesapeake. but who, finding the
work improbable, has returned home, |
saws that he has made up his mind to
sell all his oyster boats If he can find a |
purchaser. The Dispatch correspondent |
has been careful observer OF the oyster |
Industry for the past twelve years, and |
in all that time he knows of no one on |
the Eastern shore who has made for
tune out OF the business. In fact, only /
n few have made more than scanty
support for themselves and their families.
The life of an FISHERMAN Is one of great
hardship and peril, and the business at
best is very precarlous. The fruit crop
IN regions exposed to late frosts is not
more uncertain. If the weather during
the oyster season IS mild the price Is so
ow that IL will not pay 10 send the
oysters TO market, and If the weather be-
comes very cold ice blocks navigation and
prevents the oystermen from continuing
operations. An examination OF the re-
lords in the custom-house at Onancock
hows that the number of oyster boats
low registered here is nothing like so
arge as it was ten years ago.
While the industry is not profitable
ne. vet II enables thousands Of poor men ,
o earn a hard living during the winter
1onths The extinction OF this industry
-ould entail starvation upon thousands
Z people in Tidewater Virginia and bring
nspeakable disaster on all the people of
his section, for though the oystermen do
OF constitute a majority Of the people
z the Eastern Shore, yet the extinction ]
their industry would seriously cripple '
very other branch or business.
A POLICY.
For the past four years Senator LeCato /
as been maturing a policy which, in the J
oinion of the best-informed men of this s
,ction, will remedy the defects Of the
resent system and put the industry on T
strictly business basis. It's provisions
70 liberal and fully recognize the rights T
I'd equities that the other portions or a
e State have in the oyster grounds OF \
e Chesapeake and its tributaries. 1t is
lown that Senator LeCato's bill has o
10 endorsement Of the other men, b
rs of the General Assembly from $
is section and from all other n
ctions of Underwater Virginia. Il
The more intelligent oystermen also | \
I'VE endorsed its provisions as promising h
e best results, both to the State and to v
ose engaged in the oyster business. ii
d it is to be hoped that the upland b
smbers will unite in enacting this wise
d conservative bill into law. br
JUDGE GUNTER. II
Encouraging news comes about Judge a
njamin T. Gunter, from Baltimore -
lere he has been for the past three ~
eks under medical treatment His ply =,
ian writes to one of the members Of n,
family that the Judge will soon bs =,
lie to return home, and that he haa IN
ong hopes of his ultimate recovery.
e reports sent out from certain places *,
ching Judge Gunter's condition were ar
authorized and incorrect.
he First National Bank OF Onancock p,
declared semi-annual dividend Of ne
err cent. for the six months ending De- ha
nber 81, 1897. The following officers ali
re been elected for the ensuing year: an
ssident, John p. l.. Hopkins; Vice ",
ssident, Frank II. Boggs; Cashier. Ohio
Parker; directors-John j. l.. Hopkins FRI
INK 1. Boggs, John L. f1nney, Henry an
James r. Hickman, Robert L.
pkins. Spencer II. Rogers, Abel G. KEEL cit
+. ID. Parks. John w. Kellam, and to
3. Wilcox, Of Baltimore. The bank Ia