Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-04
THE NORTHERN NECK.
A GREAT SCARCITY OF OYSTERS
THIS SEASON.
THEORIES As 10 The CAUSE
Has the business Had Its Duy!-
Sporting NOtes-PersOnaI ard Gem
SaiI-Boat.
Correspondence of the Disparch)
Saif-Boat.

correspondence OF the DlSn1LCn.)
CONFORM. KING GEORGE COUNTY
VA. December 2.-The scarcity of oysters
in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries
for some time past has Deen a perplexing
the Northern Neck and adjacent country
and the various theories hitherto advGnc-
ed have not served 10 enlghten the pub
lie as to the cause. The dredgers, who
have not volunteered their views and
theories all along, say now that the
oysters in deep water are dead-both in the
bay and in the rivers, and that this ac-
counts partly for the meagre supply in
some waters Thew argue, for the first
time. that the general scarcity is due
chiefly, If not wholly. to the fact that the
If not wholly. TO the fact that the rocks
or beds, have been CLEANED so closely in
recent years that the oysters have not
been allowed to reach the age when their
spawn is fertile. 1t is claimed that the
spawn Of oysters under three years old
is worthless. and that as SO very few have
escaped the dredgers and attained to that
age, any increase in the supply has been
impossible 1t is conceded that oyster
ing in our waters. which was for years a
teeming source of revenue to many hun
dreds Of our citizens is no longer
money-making business. Indeed, so far
from realizing profits this season, the
oystermen have not been able TO pay ac-
tual expenses, and many of them have
abandoned the business and returned TO
their homes Some of the oldest and
most experienced oystermen say that
there is nothing upon which to base
hone for n better season next year, and
some declare that "the oyster business
I'm the waters of the Chesapeake. Potomac,
Rappahannock has had its day"
The people Of King George are very
much gratified at the return Of Rev. i. j.
Wray TO this circuit, and IL Is understood
that a plan IS on foot TO give the popular
pastor and his esteemed yfe pound
ing at the parsonage in the near future.
Mrs. Mason, wife Of Judge John u. Ma
son. came down from Fredericksburg this
week. and spent several days at her beau
tiful country home, "Shelburn," near this
place.
At Stif's steam grist-mill. Immediately
on the shore Of the Potomac river, near
e.
feet deep and IL is said that a much
greater depth will have TO be bored in
order TO get an adequate supply of water.
Mr.. James Limerick had one Of his legs
badly mashed the other day while helping
to move some logs at a saw-mill. near
Oakland In the lower part Of this county.
Partridges are more abundant here than
they have been at any time in many years,
IL is said that there is not a fox, or any
evidences OF one. in that part Of King
George from the Potomac TO the Rappa-
hammock, north and south and in a dis
tance of eight miles. east and west The
remarkable thing about It is that
I'D TO two or three years ago this
same scope Of country abounded in
foxes. they being so abundant then that
Il was not uncommon for them to commit
depredatiops in the daytime.
Pork is selling here for $3.50 to $3.50 per
hundred pounds-less than the cost OF
raising it, and is not in brisk demand even
at these figures.
Mr.. Thomas B. Garrett. q King
Georgian. and for years the popular
purser on the steamer Wakefield. mas re-
covered from a severe attack OF sickness
and returned 10 his important post OF
duty on the steamer
Mr.. John w. Dishman. OF this county
who has been Ill for some time with ty
phoid-fever. is improving, and. 1t Is hoped.
will soon be out again.
Shiloh Baptist church. the Oldest Baptist
house Of worship In this county. has been