Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-02-27
The Jordan Bill as 1t Passed the
House.

Much interest is manifested in the
final outcome of pending oyster legis-
lation. The Jordan bill, which pro-
noses to break the lines of the Baylor
survey and to lease out. for planning
purposes, barren and depleted DOT
tom within said survey, has been so
amended since that measure was nrst
introduced that the substitute which
passed the House is widely different
from the original bill. Mr.. Jordan
amended the bill to meet numerous
objections raised by Its opponents
and finally he amended 1t It'll fur,
Their to comply with Constitutional
defects, suggested by the Committee
on Courts of Justice. Following 10
synopsis of the measure which passed
the House and Is now pending In the
Senate.
After brief preamble, settlng
forth the reasons for such legislation,
section /, OF the bill, lays down the
following definition OF natural rocN'
Natural oyster beds, rocks or
shoals In this Safe are hereby denneu
and determined to be such ground
under the waters of this State as pro-
duces oysters naturally in soch
quantities as to justify person or
persons In resorting to it regularly
! for a livelihood"
All bottom within the survey not
covered by this defipition is declared
to be barren and subject to be leaseo
for planting.
Section 2 appoints Messrs. E. y.
Jordan arr George Y. Hundley on
the part of the House, and Senator
George b. Kee zell, on the part OF the
| Senate a special j)int committee Tor
the purpose of carrying into enect
| he provisions Of the act. IL then
sets forth that "the said committee
shall examine any public oyster
ground which, in their Judgment,
| should be examined, after giving
notice for at least ten days before the
time fixed for such examination, by
hand. bills posted at the front door OF
the court house of the county In
which said ground lies, and at not
less than three other public places In
rhe vicinity of said ground, that upon
a day named in such notice
| the said committee will proceed TO
| investigate and examine the sald
ground as hereinafter provided, which
| investigation and examination IN ~
be adjourned from time to time until
completed.
After such investigation, said com
mittee is authorized to resurvey ana
permanently mark the lines OF the
| natural rocks aud to turn out ior
planting purposes any barren or de-
nleted bottom not coming within the
| DE- finition set forth above. The plots
on file in the various clerks OH ces
are to be changed to conform to such
resurvey. un,
Section provides as follows; The
action of said committee in making
such investigation and examination
end In causing such natural beds
rocks and shoals to be surveyed, plot
ltsd and marked, and in causing such
barren ground to be surveyed ano
plotted as aforesaid, shall not become
final until and unless such action OF
ratified and confirmed by an act Of
the General Assembly"
Section provides for the means
land method of making the necessary
resurveys, authorizing the aid OF the
| limited States Coast and GeodetlC
Survey for the purpose.
Section appropriates the sum Of
S25, 900, or so much thereof as may bf
necessary to defrsy the expenses Of
| the committee and the costs of sur
veys, plotting, etc; -.
| Section authorizes the committed
TO sit during the vacation OF the Gen
eral Assembly and directs them t
make report of their action to the
next session of the same, giving de-
tailed statement and description O
such ground as they shall have ex
amined and surveyed and an item
lied account of the COSTS and ex
penses incurred Free Lance.