Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-07

to the planter until the bottoms hav
been examined by a competent expert
| who shall determine the number Of oys
tiers to the square acre.
In order to enable the planter 10 NEE
his annual rental to the State, he shouis
clearly be vested with authority to use
| under proper restrictions, the same labor
saving appliances that his competitor.
! are to-day using so successfully upon tn
oyster-grounds Of Long Island sound.
! The writer believes that the broad area
! Of Chesapeake Bay, only small portion
| Of which Is embraced IN the survey OF
the natural oyster-rocks, should be rent
ed to non-residcnts, under proper restric-
tons, II they are willing to pay the State
Of Virginia an annual rental for It,
In the opinion OF the writer, II the IDEAS
advanced In regard TO the rental Of oys-
fairgrounds could be strictly enforced by
a single responsible person, the taxpayers
OF Virginia, by 1902 will have derived from
her oyster area rental sufficient Ia meet
the additional amount which will be neces-
sary TO pay the interest on her State
debt.
POUND NETS. ETC.
There are in the State Of Virginia over
1000 pound-nets alone, that are securely
fastened to bottoms which are the COM
mon property of every inhabitant Of this
State Under existing laws not one dol
lar of profit do a vast majority Of the
taxpayers Of Virginia receive for this
privilege accorded.
From carefully-collected statistics we
find that fully "a million dollars worth OF
fish is the annual product of these nets.
traps. and weirs. An annual license-1ax
of S25 n pound-net would be no great
hardship. The owner OF the net could
then demand protection. and no rival
could encroach upon his territory. These
taxes could be economically collected by
the officers of the oyster navy, and there
Is no reason why the State should not re-
ceive, say, at least $25 900 annually from
this source alone.
The writer Of this article counted at
one time from Watts Island Light over
nine hundred canoes engaged in Grabbing
In the waters of Virginia, az visible from
that lighthouse alone. Under existing
laws the inhabitants of Maryland are
forbidden to crab in Virginia waters. il
Is no easy matter to distinguish the Vir-
ginia grabbing canoe from that OF Mary
land. Over 100000 worth OF crabs is an
nually sold at Crisfeld alone. Not one
dollar do the vast majority of the tax
payers Of Virginia derive from this
source.
II is not an uncommon thing for man
and a boy, with a canoe, 10 realize
during the grabbing season from 81 TO 81
a day in Virginia waters. A steamer
and two schooners are required 10 pro-
tect these crabbing-grounds from nom
residents of the State. Common equity
would seem TO demand that a license-taX
of, say, at least 81 annually should be
required for every canoe engaged in crab
bling in Virginia.
on some Of the natural oyster-rocks OF
the State n canoe. with a crew Of two
tone-men and one boy 10 Gull the oysters. |
takes during the season from 81 to 80 |
worth of marketable oysters a day.
THE TONGMEN.
The courts have decided that under Ar |
ticle X, section 2. of the State Constitu-
ton, the State has no right TO demand !
more than 40 cents on the 500 worth OF !
oysters sold by these tongmen. The oys-
er inspectors of Virginia are instructed |
70 look up the tongman and compel him
% render a weekly return OF the amount
If oysters he has sold. AS a matter Of |
act, the inspector cannot find the tong
nan when the tax is to be paid. and when
lie does find him. the amount Of oysters
as sold during the previous week
S so small that the tax on them is hardly
worth collecting.
The tongman should be required TO go
o the County Clerk weekly and render,
lnder oath, return OF his sales His
oss of time would in this case be so great
hat he would gladly pay the nominal
icense-tax of 81 year, which is now
imposed by the State for the free use Of
er 10000 acres of natural oyster-rock.
BY the most conservative estimate,
here are 10000 men annually engaged in
onging oysters on the natural oyster
ocks of Virginia during the season.
With such a modification of the law as
suggested in this article S20.0oq a year
ould be obtained from the tongers OF
he State.
To recapitulate: If the oyster interests
( Virginia were placed under the control
( single responsible head, there Is no
eason why the State should not receive
the near future the following reyenu5
nnualIy from her oyster-grounds:
rom planters .......................S 5VVoO
rom tongmen and dredgers ...... $500
rom pound-nets ..................... 10000
rom crab licenses .................. $500
100000
This sum could be collected without
creasing present expenses. 1t is GER
inly bad showing that a property from
hich is sold annually over 100000 worth
products should yield its owners a
II revenue of little over 5000 per an
I'm.
AS a citizen and taxpayer Of Virginia, I
devoutly hope that the Legislature now J
session will take decisive action on this
after. which is Of vital interest to the I
hole State. J. y. BAYLOR. Q
Bowling Green, Caroline county, Va. y