Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-02-05
SOME OYSTER TALK.

1T there be ground within the Bay
Tor Survey that never did or never
VIII again produce oysters naturally
In profitable quantities for longing,
nobody would object to renting it out,
but there is always q plenty of tina,
kind for the Jordanites if they wan
1.-THE fact is they don't want tina,
kind. We know very well what it j:
they want, and may get it, but we
hope not, and shall use every means
IN our power TO defeat their purpose
1t ought not to be diffi cult for such
q bill to be framed as would enable
the Jordan people to get what Thea
sag they want and what we are will.
ing they should have, and while W,
have not read it, we suspect that tn,
eiil which has been offered by Hon
>. N. Stubs, of Gloucester, is Just
about such a bill as would do. this
The new Jordan bill is entirely toe
intricate and we hope to seeitentirel,
defeated or very greatly amended ana
sin'ptifed.- S0uthside Sentinel.
The oyster industry is engaging
the attention of the South Carolins
Legislature. 1t is proposed to ap.
point a commission to gather full in.
formation on the subject of promot.
ing and protecting the coast fisheries
OF the Palmetto State.
A recent article in the Charleston
Ne'os and Courier endorses the prop.
osltion, pointing to the fact that the
fisheries of Virginia and Maryland
yield an annual revenue of several
million dollars: One OF the text
books ia use in the public schools,
which doubtless has good authority
Tor the assertion, states that the fish.
cries OF Chesapeake bay and its trib-
utarles, common to the two States.
supply annually $l5, 100000 worth
of fish and oysters to the Northern
markets." and adds that the annual
crop of oysters is "millions of bush
els." Our contemporary says South
Carolina need not now look beyond
these two States for an example of
the value of such resources when
properly cared for, as their experience
alone is certainly impressive
Nescporf Ne,cs Press.
. "A bill introduced in the present
legislature by Mr., Stubs providing
for the employment of a surveyor by
the State Board of Fisheries to re-es-
tablish any line of the Baylor Survey,
when petitioned by ten citizens of a
district, has been fayorably reported,
aud will probably pass. This bill is
very good one so far as it goes; but
why 1T should require as many as ten
cltlzens to secure a establishment
OF any line is proposition that we
are unable to understand. 1t would
seem to us that the inspector of any
district should largely control this
matter. If, upon complaint of any
reputable citizen to him that certain
public grounds have been encroached
upon, or that certain planters have
unlawfully extended their lines, SO as
to include more land within their
bounds than they leased and paw for;
or II from his own knowledge he has
reason to suspect such encroachments,
or the unlawful occupation of oyster
lands, be should either be authorized
to order a resurvey himself, or should
be required to report the matter to
the Chairman of the Board of Fish
cries, and if In the opinion of that
Board there were sufficient grounds
for action a resurvey should be order
ed at once by 1T. We understand
that ID is general complaint in some
localities that few planters leasing
public grounds occupy, it is thought,
more ground than they leased; and
that the poles or stakes marking
their lines possess the power of loco,
motion to such an extent that they
have become known generally by the
name of walking STICKS" Now, of
course, this practice of thus extending
planting areas is all wrong if true,
and the evil should be corrected if
possible. The man who does it not
only wrongs himself here, and here
after, but he also wrongs the State by
using its lands unlawfully and de-
priving it of revenue that fairly be-
longs to it. He also greatly wrongs
his neighbor and fellow citizen who
may desire to lease and to nse the
Iands so held, and who because of
such fact may be unable 10 secure
any planting ground whatever. A
resurvey seems to be badly needed,
in view of the existence of
such conditions as are above indi.
,ated, and the beneficent results of
such a resuryey should be secured
both to the State and to the people
BY the enactment of such laws as
would make repetition of these un-
awful encroaehments on public
ands costly and dangerous proceed
ng to the man that would attempt
t.-Accomac News.