The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-14
FIGHT over
< +. - 'gfFi e lai A, -,,s.Bj !, s
The OYSTER r
.Nti-. Jordan Offers Another Bill
i1st11c House, WhicliaHc aid
Others Will Press.
THE WALKER RESOLUTION t: 0 |.
Senator Would Ask National
Government to Aid in Re-
trimming Baylor Survey.

rho recent battle, Tho smoke OF which
has barely yet cleared away, and which 4
exercised ali Tidowater Virginia, over
tho question Of breaking tho Baylor oyst-
ter survey, will DO renewed in dead
earnest before the now General Assem-
bly modified measure, looking to this
end. having been among the first Oh.
fcred In the House yesterday.
Hon. e. c. Jordan, of Frederick, the
pa iron of the bill, which has just been
defeated In the Senate. fathers the now
measure In tho House. and while no
was offering Il it In tho lower branch
Senator G. Harding Walker, Of North
cumberland, one Of tho leading oppo'
nents OF the proposition. was presenting
a Joint resolution at the other end Of
the Captol, designed TO forestall such
action, and to obtain, II possible. the
aid of the United States government IN
nc. wort, OF making n resurvcy OF the
natural oyster beds, rocks and shoals OF
- WALKER RESOLUTION.
Tha resolution OF Mr.. Walker, which
went over for a day under the rules.
and xtlch will bring up the old fight
when It comes up for final action m
the Senate, Is as followe:
Delegates ooncurring. That the Board Of
Fisheries, acting with the assistance anu AM.
co-opera ton OF the Governor, be. and they
report TO the General Assembly what
assistance. expert or otherwise. may pc
obtained from the goys ,mi OF res me
vey of the ma tural rocks beds and shoals
In the waters OF the Commonwealth. ana
ais to ASCERTAIN as. nearly as MAJ De pc
MS the expense Of marking the limits and
boundaries Of the public oyster GROUNDS
Of the State with suitable, buoys.
The resolution of Mr.. WaWer VIII pro
woke a fight and will bring the, ques-
tlons involved In tho Jordan bill UP
for discussion.
SHOULD BE DONE ORDERLY.
Senator Walker said last night that nc
offered his resolution in good faith, ana
that he thought 1t suggested what should
be done with tho oyster question.
Messrs. Jordan and CardwelA IN the
House. and Keezell and others, In the
Senate, willgpusi, the Jordan bill, and the
FORMER says that he will not "let up
until something is done. . Il
The .lst measure Is different from
any heretofore offered on tho subject OF
breaking tho survey, and Is offered to
+
BY the upland members.
| NATURAL ROCK DEFINED.
In the first place, 1t undertakes 70
6efine what is ma turnl rock IN the follow
ing language:
Natural oyster beds. rocks or shoals u
in this State are hereby defined and de-
termined to be such ground under the wa
tiers OF this State wlthinSth Baylor geo
detlc survey as produce oysters natMrally
ba; in prescribed
law profitable to the citizens of the state
authorized BY law to work upon e, such ~ =
hore G5e defned and
to be barren ground, and shall be open u, TO
lease and, assignment for planting puft.
In the 9hat It s pS
Conclusive presumption OF law. that all
ground within the said survey Is natural
wise determined in accordance with the
provisions OF this act. and all the laws
Of this state relating In any way to nat,
ural oyster beds rocks 9r shoals Is s srn
n rEr beds. ' rocks or Shoals before tho
provisions OF this act shall have "a
and continue applicable to such ground
as is declared under the provisions o.
this act to be natural beds rocks ana
| shoal."
JOINT COMMITTEE.
| The bill then provides for the appoint
n,cnt Of a Joint legislative committee to
| do, tho work of leasing and assigning
| thu barren lands. Persons desiring TO
| lease lands should give notice In writing,
which notice shall be posted ut the door
| or tho courthouse and at three places
| In the county ten days prior to the eX-
| animation.
one tongman and ono planter shall
| accompany the committee. If the COM
mittee find any OF tho lands barren In
| sufficient quantity to BIO leased the COM
n!ttee may divide 1t off into sections
| or ten acres each, and the sections shall
be numbered and delineated on the
charts OF tho Baylor survey IN the salti
| county. Tho person first applying shall
| have priority, and any person to Whom
| assignment Is lnade shall be made
| party to tho contract
rho oyster inspector for the district
! shall collect, In addition to the rental
| now provided, the sum OF 81 per acre 10
defray tho expenses of the Investigation:
Thc sctlon OF tho committee is final
n fter Two months, though within this
time twenty-five voters OF tho county
may petition for q rehearlng.
PARTY DEFlGNDANT,
Tho assignee is made party defendant
i To tho petition, and bond Is required 10
nay costs. The Circuit Court tries the
cases subject to tho right of appear by
either party within thirty days me
IIegislaturc may revoke any assignment
Cor violations of the oyster laws OF tho
! State
forfeiture Is provided II tho assignee
abandons the land or shall be delinquent
| fo- sixty days. No person can secure
| from The committee more than Two nun
| bred and fifty acres Of land, aud then
| Tia bill goes on In detail to provide
! the machinery for carrying its various
| provisions into operation,
The battle Is on IN earnest AGAIN,
and some interesting developments are
expected,
| MAYOR HARRISON ON .,a