The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-27
WILL KILL OYSTER CULTURE.
MIR. OEMLER SAYS THAT Is THE RE-
SUIT OF PRESENT CONDITIONS.

other State-The Negro Oystermcn
DespoiIing the Beds He Leased
From the State-The History OF
oyster Culture in Georgia.
savannah, Ga, Sept. 26.-Editor Morning
News: Allow me to state in your co..
umns a few facts in regard to the trouble
between myself and the negro oystermen
referred to a few days ago
Ten years ago four companies were or
gained to plant and propagate oysters in
this state. They started operations with a
capital of from $4,000 to $4,000 Each of
them leased lands from the state, which
we're paid for and returned for taxation.
Their entire capital was spent in trying to
develop this new industry. One would
think that they were entitled to some pro
cotton by the law, but in all cases up for
judgment the only protection was given
to the thieves and pirates.
This fact and she companys inexperience
with the best methods of oyster culture
caused their complete failure The Gem
Ter oyster Company spent $4,000 in trying
TO develop the industry and failed
leased the plant for five years and oper-
ated it in small way until last year when
bought il outright. In the purchase
acquired sixty acres Of land leased from
the state. Il has cost me more to watch
these lands and develop them than l have
received from the value of the oysters OBJ
tajned therefrom. I planted this spring
0000 bushels of shells on land portions of
which never saw an oyster before which
,u three years would produce five times as
many oysters as any of the best natural
-, T.. /
twice as many men to plant these sixty
acres as would get a livelihood off of five
hundred acres of any of the marsh lands
IN the state.
With proper laws and protection the
Georgia coast would produce millions OF
bushels of oysters yearly, and give en-
plovment to hundreds of people. l my
sci now have 100000 bushels of shells.
which are of no value and in my way.
These could be planted on my neighbor's
private lands by them and the intelligent
white and colored oystermen along the
coast but the present condition of affairs
does not encourage any one very much to
enter into this industry. 1 am just back
from the extreme southern coast of our
stale where all the white and colOred oy-
stermen whom l have seen say that their
occupation will be gone unless they have
proper protection.
\ few dealers, some of whom are not
even residents Oh tlt SAdl6s nave organized
.ot OF the negro Oystermen at White
marsh and Thunderbolt into club ana
have employed as attorneys Messrs. La
Roach and Beckett the former having
been sent to the legislature last year and
had the oyster law, formerly insufficient
amended unknown to the few planters in
this county This amended law now gives
even greater freedom TO the oyster thieves
han before. The planters have always
had very poor protection and now, with
the advice of Messrs. LaRoche and Beck
elt have come down on my particular
ground and openly taken the oysters there
rom.
on my return from a short trip to
the interior l found eight boats. the occu-
pants Of which were taking oysters from
my ground, which l had leased from the
state. On notifying them that they were
uespasing on private lands they told me
they had been advised that they had
perfect right TO obtain oysters anywhere
in The state where they found them I
now find myself being sued for protecting
my own property, the right 10 which
claim from the fact that the land on which
] bad planted these oysters l had leased
from the state and paid for in good faith.
The attorney for these negroes, Mr.. Beck
EFT. said in an interview that "once a nat
ural bed always a natural bed" It is to
be hoped that Mr.. Beckett understands
his own business better than he does that
of oyster culture. He may as well, and
with much truth say "once a pine for
est always a pine forest" or "once a
potato field, always a potato field" The
fact is that even the channels of all
salt water creeks and rivers are constant
ly changing, and the conditions that exist
one year may be altogether different a
year or two afterwa rds. The best conli-
ions and locality for an oystelman TO q Ow
oysters is not an old oyster bed as it
would be like a farmer planting a pear or
peach orchard in an old forest where he
mad stumps and roots to contend with. The
Old useless dead shells wOu d have to be
gathered along with the oysters, and, con-
Sequently. would fill the longs or dre1ge
instead of oysters. In fact some Of the
Oh original beds have never been planted
aSain for the reason that the Old shell
deposit is too thick 10 be removed, and,
therefore, they are in the same condition
lhty were some years ago, with nothing
hut dead she'll on them. Where the water
Is OF the suitable density and the bot ON
~ such material as will bear the weight
% the shell or young oysters, il is much
Ia he preferred TO any old bed.
during May. June and July the waters
are filled with young spawn, the top she'll
OF winch Is first formed; when the specific
gravity of the animal is such thai il sinks,
st must, in order to survive, come in con-
'Act with some clean substance, which its
''HHi iuulueHldTS seSS can HOlu on 10 ull~
I'll IT'S permanent shell is formed And |
hud or scum prevents this, and they are
washed away and die. Those thar settle
'n mud, of course, die. So during these
months. when the weather conditions are
favorable, we throw clean shells into the
water, on which the young oysters must
either attach themselves 60 at once, OF in
the next few hours, before sediment set !
lies on the shells.
When all the oysters and fresh shells
arc removed from an oyster bed and only
the old aud dirty shells are left it becomes |
IN an unfit condition to catch the spawn |
Even where the current is swift enough TO
clean the dead shells that are left, it is |
also swift enough to roll these shells and
rub the young oysters off and knl them |
these dead shells are not only washed !
about on the bottom, but, in exposed |
places are washed up by the waves above |
ordinary tide mark, as any one familiar |
with the coast knows
1t is stated that if new survey could |
Dc made il might settle the present trOu- |