The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-08-16
THE OYSTER
PROBLEM KN0TTY

PROBLEM kNUlIY
Continued from First Page.)
He says that large portion Of tho ter
ritory included within his survey should
be thrown out and rented to planters
IIc has great influence with the commit
| tee.
THEY DISAGREE.
Tho tonger and the planter do not un-
derstand each other. The longer says the
planter Is constantly cncroaching upon
public grounds. The planter says the
longer is forever robbing private beds
| and It Is a we'll recognized fact that the
present depleted condition Of the public
beds in many portions Of the state IS
due to tho taking of oysters from them
by the tongers in the closed season--that
is between April and September. Viola o,
lions or the Gull law are also responsive
for the depletion Of the beds. This Gull
law requires that when an oyster llnder
two inches in size Is taken from me
public beds by q tonger2it must be cast
back into the water. The planters say
very few oysters are ever cast back The
tcnger says he never has any difficulty IN
selling to the planter oysters taken out
season, or oysters under the size re-
wnulred by law. SO I suppose was mis-
taken in saying tho planter and tonger
did not understand each other.
1t appears to me that all TINS tropuie
over the oyster question In Virginia IS
due to violation. or non.enforcemoht or
the law, II the laws on the statute DOCKS
regulating the taking Of oysters were
strictly enforced, there would not be THIS
continual dissensIon over the State oys-
ter beds; Virginia would derive hand
some revenue from them; the beds would
not be in such a depleted condition and
the men who make q livelihood by TAX
ing oysters from the waters or Virginia
would be able to make great deal moro
money than at present.
Although I have said that there is no
doubt that the committee will recon-
r7end that certain beds In the Baylor
survey be opened to renters, have the
assurance Of majority of the committee
that not one acre will be thus thrown
out II 1t is possible for longer to make
IL living upon It, This assurance is OF the
utmost Importance to the oystermen. They
are frightened now, and the certainty that
they Will not be hurt by legislation at any
early day, at least, should set their fears
at rest.
h The committee is working most careful
" and conscientiously. 1t consists OF
Messrs. w. D. Cardwell, the chairman;
Judge Asa D. Watkins, member OF the
Senate from Prince Edward; %. .. Jor-
dan, members of the House from treder-
3ick; s.. wilkins Matthews, member of the
House fromte Accomac,~ and Julian Bry-
ant member OF the Senate from Hen
rico, and Mr.. Burke, of. Mathews, tho
clerk, and Emmett Fa1son, page.
"A BIG WORK.
IT Is going to be near to the first OF
October before tho committee has COM
pleted It's work. 1t Is the intention to
&c over all the oyster beds of the state
wherever there Is any claim made py
planters that natural oyster beds nave
become depleted The tongers never al
nit anything of the kind.
The committee Is making Its tour IN
the Virginia oyster steamer Accomac,
Captain l., G. Jarvis in command The
entire day Is spent on the water, but thus
far the nights have been spent at hotels
in Norfolk or Hampton Friday night
the committee was most elegantly enter
tanned at dinner at the Chamberlin by
Hon. s. Gordon Cumming. Investigations
have been made In the Elizabeth, the
Nansemond and the James, where work
is being prosecuted at present Ten or
fifteen tongers, In their oyster sloops or
canoes, or skipjacks, are towed out to
the beds to be investigated, and with
members Of the committee scattered
among tho various boats, proceed to take
IN oysters, or to make the attempt. There
arc generally several planters aboard the
Accomac; occa sionally there are some IN
the boats with the tongers.
I am entirely In the dark as to whether
nry barren area has been discovered thus
far within the limits OF the Baylor sur
yey, II only tongers were with US, or
only planters. would have no doubt.
The tonger puts down his tongs and they
come up with oysters, shells and mud
"I.ook at that" cries the tonger to the
committee. "An't that fne?"
Look at that grab. Billy" says Mr.
Matthew's who is most violently opposed
to the slightest encroa chment upon the
survey. "That doesn't look like depleted
rock, does it,
"a man couldn't make dollar a day
on such ground as that" says a planter
| from the deck of the Accomac, and re.
mark OF this, character always calls fortf
from Mr.. Mathews declaration to the
| effect that lie would pay ten dollars pei
year rental for every acre of such ground
| Is 1t any wonder that an up-countrl
man should be in hopeless doubt as tt
whether the beds are really depleted
rhe planters wish to rent moro ground
tbe tonger wishes TO keep the area o.
public ground upon which he can tong
just as large as possible. These two at
tItudes lie at the bottom OF all dissenslol
over the oyster question.
Yet tho committee Is convinced I think
that there have already been found beds
| which the State should rent. 1t seems tt
be the opinion that II the oyster beds
which are worn out or have become
hopelessly depleted through violations OF
the Gull law, or the law prohibiting the
| taking OF oysters at certain seasons, are
ever TO be made productive again, II
must he accomplished through renting
them out under conditions requiring The
renter to put down a certain number OF
bushels of shells u year on all the land
he rents.
1T is the entering wedge" IS the oft
repca ted assertion OF Mr., Matthews. III
contends and II is the contention of every
torger. that II the Baylor survey once
be broken, 1t is only aNNuestion of time
Until every acre of oyster ground Owned
by the State Will be rented to men who
I are able to rent, and the poorer men VIII,
ere now taking oysters for themselve!
will have to work for the weather. plant