Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-12-18
"AUNTY SPEC" CROSSES
THE JORDAN.

THE JORDAN.
DEAR CITIzgN AND READERS:
The old lady again pulls OF her
bonnet to you. Things have been
going on so nicely that I have been
alternating for considerable time,
but as the gentle spring with its de-
lightful freshets and turbulent,
swollen streams puts an end to the
gentle slumber of the hear, and
causes the lovely crocus and the
beautiful tulip aud hyacinth to
spring forth to greet the effulgent
rays of the spring sun, SO l arise,
throw off my lethargy at the swell
ing OF the roaring, turbulent Jordan
(BilD.
Now, think that is very pretty
start for the old lady, don't you?
As | think everybody is familiar
with our luscious bivalvist's bill 1
will not waste any time in explain
ing it, but wish to note few things
in connection with it.. The Legisla-
ture last winter appointed commits
sion to examine the oyster bottoms
LOT Virginia to find out how much
was natural rocks aud how much
was depleted. The committee was
composed of five members-four up
country ones and one from Tide
water. The up-country ones re-
ported that they examined the rocks,
occupying ~ days, and found rs
per cent. barren, or SO depleted that
they would not reseed themselves in
three years if let alone. Mr.. Mathews,
the only Tidewater man, brought in
a minority report. He said that
they only occupied 35 days and never
examined cne-tenth of the oyster
bottoms; aud that they examined
planters instead of tongers. The
majority came back and said that
Mr.. Matthew'S was only with them a
portion of the time; that when they
were not examining rocks they were
on shore examining witnesses; that
there were 20 tongers to every
planter assisting them in the exam
nation. Now, let's see how that
will work. When they examined on
James river at one place there was
man there from here, who stated
that he heard planter when be
bought five tongers to examine bot
toms at that place, and be told them
(the tongers) "you know where the
OYSTERS are and you know where the
MUD Is; so go on the mud, work as
hard as you can aud catch none, and
| will pay you"
They examined the Rsppahan-
mock river another way. They went
to Wheaton and saw the planters
there, who were the same men that
applied to the Legislature some
years ago for the best oyster rock in
that section-Piney Island. The
oystermen defeated them, and now
they have it all taken up. Well, they
examined from Wheaton, to Monas-
kon, and not another foot of the
Rappahannock. How did they ex-
anime itP They got dredge, put
it on a brogan or bugeye, made her
fast to the steamer and started down
the river at full speed. After run
ming about mile, the dredge never
having touched bottom after it FIRST
struck, they pulled it up and exam
ined it and found that they had
about half bushel of shells that
had been kicked up by the steamers
wheels and caught in the dredge.
The grand moguls then decided that
rs per cent. of the Rappahsnnock
was barren. 1t is surprising to me
that Mr.. Jordan got enough shells
to carry to Richmond, and that he
did not report that there were no oys-
ter rocks at all, and that the oyster
rocks, beds and shoals were a myth,
and recommend that commission
be appointed to continue the exami-
nation of the mari beds that they
failed to examine. So much for
this.
At the meeting of the joint COM
mittee in Richmond November 24th,
1908, in the Senate Chamber, about
the first witnesses examined were
DR.. Lewis, of Wheaton,: Robert
George, lrvington; Walter Hathaway,
White Stone, all of Lancaster coun-
ty. DR.. Lewis is large planter aud
packer; Robert George has sc acres
of oyster shore; Mr.. hathaway, law
yer, is counsel for Messrs. Willing,
Lewis and Irving for 500 acres of
natural oyster rocks back of
Gwynns Island, on which ground II
have helped to dredge 800 bushels of
oysters per day. Messrs. Hathaway
and Lewis, Of course, were fighting
for Gwynns Island, so mean to deal
with Mr.. George, of this place, more
specifically, IS am more familiar
with his case and it strikes nearer
home. Mr.. George has had sur
veyed to him recently 40 acres of |
natural oyster beds within the Bay
Tor Survey IN addition to his IS |
acres. And he is also resident of |
this place and our (the tongers') in |
teress should be his interest. We
heard from Mr.. Segar, oyster inspec-
tor OF Middiesex, who was in COM
mittee room when George gave in
his evidence, that he said the OYSTER
men of his locality were pretty well
all in favor of breaking the Baylor
Survey il put to a vote. On the
night of November Both went to
Weems and assisted in organizing
an oystermen's union. Mr.. George.
who was in the room, came up and
joined. He said he was bitterly OBJ
posed to breaking the Baylor Survey |
and had to leave Richmond to keen
from giving evidence prejudicial to
the oystermen, but that he wanted
some shore if survey was broken.
then had his two statements. III
wrote to Hon. John M. Lyell, House
Of Delegates, stating Georges case to
him and asked for copv Of his evil