Evening journal., 1898-11-29
OYSTEUMEN ORGANIZE.
PLANTERS DETERMINED TO PRO
TEcT THEIR OYSTER BEDS.


ATION WILL FIGHT sPOII1ATlON
UNDER THE NEW DAW-THE IN
DUsTRY THREATENED.
Crisheld, Nd, Nov. 29.-4An effort
has been recently made in Somerset
county to compel oyster-p planters to va
cate the bottoms which they had 10
Gated and improved in gold faith un-
der the five-acre law. The attempt
has resulted in organizing the Planters
for the protection OF their interests.
The Oyster-Pqanters Association mas
been started in Fairmount, with a
large membership, and sections will be
placed in all the districts Of the coun-
ty. The initiation fee is 81, and the
same amLunt is required for annual
dues. A large sum of money has al
ready been collected and deposited In
bank in Princess Anne, which will
be used to fight the cases as they cUme
up in court. 1t is stated that the
members Of the bar Of Somerset will
not represent any of the parties who
are endeavoring To deprive the planters
Of the fruits of their labor. A reward
of $50 has been offered for the detec-
ton of any person engaged in stealing
planted oysters.
According to an act Of the last Cen
eral Assembly. "wh never twelve citi-
zens CT Somerset county '~pear BEFORE
any justice Of the peace IN and for the
said county and make cath that any
person OF persons or body corporate
holds, or are attempting TO hold Ii
POSSESSION, any such oyster beds, bars
or bottoms, suitable for the catching
OF crabs, contrary to the provisions OF
the above sections, it shall be the outy
of the said justice of the peace to no
tify in person or by writing said PER
son or persons or body corporate tina
after ninety days from the date Of saiC
notice they SHAH be deemed guilty o
violation OF the provisions of tn
above sections. unlIss they shall hav
in the meantime vacated the aforesai'
q bottoms and surrendered the same u
y the public use" This law was mau
? fer the purpose Of protecting the craD
bers, and not for the purpose Of ron
bing the planters. But some OF Tn
justices Of the peace thought that
was designed to kin oyster-planunl
. and incidentally 10 put more money i
> their purses. There was movemen
> to dispossess about fifty planters {
e their lots. This movement has arouse
q a storm If protest all over the cour
e ty, and the planters have at last rea
: .ized that they must organize an
: work together for their common intel
e ests. Nearly all the sensible men {
u the county are now alive to the ra'
y that the prosperity of this section d'
~ pends upbn oyster-planting.
3 For years past it has beCn sssert'
I that If the Gull law were properly el
" forced there would soon be an album
ant VI O9NANAo dEaAAs Ai1 80
ie has been enforced during the prese
Winter, and the best frienCs of q
ID measure have pronounced it tot
IS. failure. The law allows the dredg
ne per cent. Of unculled oysters. n
OF oystermen have demonstrated to Z
st complete satisfaction of the advocat
he Of the law that by taking per Gel
r. of small oysters each load it does n
en- require many days to take everythi
ul on the bottom. William Ford, one
he the best oystermen in Crisfield, max
ST, the following statement "0n Saturd
" last l cast my dredges On Gre
,r- Rock. which used to be one Of the b
raj plcaes for oysters N Tangier souI
he They came UP full Of shells and mo
IN, and after culling off we had sev
les oysters. / have dredged on this pls
lp- in past years. when it was possH
in 20 catch fifty bushels by dredging
ay. length twice" Thousands Of bush
as of small Oysters have been taken III
he the rock and dumpssd on shell pl
80, q 49, ha1 hean a ind ffpf I