Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-02-26
LEGIsLATURE DOINGs.

The Patteson bill, providing for
the election of United States Senators
by primary, was adversely reported.
Considerable discussion ensued in
the Senate over an mendment by
Mr.. Keezell to a bill of Mr.. Walker.
Senator Keezell opposed the bill for
bidding non-residents to become
stockholders in companies or corpo-
rations designed to take fish or oys-
tiers in this State. Mr.. Sears, of
Mathews,also chimed in in opposition
to Mr.. Keezell. After considerable
discussion the Keezell amendment
was voted down and the bill or.
dered eugrossed.
SOME BILLS INTRODUCED.
Senator Walker introduced meas
ure seeking to enlarge the territory
of mutual fire associations.
MIR. Hunley offered bill author
izing the board of supervisors of
Middlesex county to borrow money
to restore their Jail, recently con-
sumed by fire.
A bill to empower Pullman con-
ductors to refuse to accommodate
negroes who apply for sleeping
berths or dining privileges was Of
fered in the House by Mr.. Ould, of
Campbell.
A bill by Mr.. Rev, spokesman for
the oystermen, to make the penalty
for the unlawful taking of oysters a
fine of 500 to $500 and imprison-
ment from ten days to six months.
a bill, emsnating from the COM
mittee on agriculture, making it un-
lawful to use bsrbed wire in the
construction of line fence without
the consent of all adjacent property
owners, or to use it along highways
or streets, unless authorized by super
visors or councils.
by Mr.. LyeJl-To exempt parties
conducting horse lots, hotels and
confectioneries at religious meetings
from the payment of license taxes.
SOME BILLS PASSED.
To require commonwealth attor-
neys to attend all meetings of boards
of supervisors.
FAVORABLE COMMITTEE REPORTS.
House Commttie on the Chesa.
peake and its Tributaries reported
three bills relating to the oyster and
crab industry. They were as follows:
BY Mr.. Rew-Te protect crabs in
the waters of Virginia.
BY same-To prohibit the taking
of oysters from natural beds between
April LIST and September 18th. The
bill prohibits the use of patent tongs.
BY Mr.. Lion-To fine non-resi-
dents $500 for taking and planting
oysters in Virginia.
The House committee reported
favorably q bill to allow circuit
judges to appoint commissioners of
revenue. They are at present elected
by the people. 1t is contended that
better men will be secured by the ap-
pointive method.
In the Senate the committee re-
ported favorably the bill of Mr.. Sale
to redistrict the State. The measure
takes Elizabeth City, Warwick, and
York Counties and Newport News
out of the Second and puts them in
the First district. The object is TO
put Norfolk and Newport News into
separate districts, thus eoualiZine
them in point of population. This
must not be COMPOUNDED with, the
redistrictlng bill of Mr.. Stewart.
"6y request" which jostles things up
nightly.
THE JORDAN BILL.
The Senate Committee on fish and
game took up the Jordan oyster bill
Wednesday afternoon. None but
members of the Legislature were ad-
mitted to the session. When the
committee reports q date will be set
for action in the Senate and proper
notice given.
CRAB MAY BECOME EXTINCT.
Virginia's great Grabbing industry
is threatened with extinction. The
crustacean is becoming the
prey Of dollar-delving men, who re- |
gard not his future. Like the dia-
mond.back terrapin of succulent |
suggestion; like the big buffalo and
the moose, ard the far-agone man. |
moth, the crab may soon be known |
in the land no more.
Such is the lamen tation of Tide
water people, voiced in bill intro |
duced in the House of Delegates by
Mr.. Rev, of Accomac.
The bill reads as follows:
WHEREAS, the dredging, scraping and /
patching OF crabs in great quantities In
me lower Chesapeake bay. where they
hibernate or bed In great quantities, dur.
ng certain months Of the year. will ex.
terminate them and In the course of tlme
destroy the Grabbing industry; therefore.
II. BE II enacted by the general assem-.
ply OF Virginia, That 1t shall be unlsw-
'ul for any person to drcdge, scrape or
latch crabs In any of the waters of this
state at any time from the LIST day of |,
November to the 18th day OF March Of
avn yeSi. Aay persCnb violating the
provisions OF this act shall be guilty OF a
nisdemeanor. and upon conviction there.
u shall be fined not less than $3.50 for
ZACH offence"
The bill repeats all conflicting acts
md becomes effective after July 1.
1904.
Mr. Rev said that when winter
ZONES the parent crabs sink to the
'ottom of the bay, dig into the mud
nd hibernate until warm weather
nd water tempt them out in the
pringtime that is, if left undis.
urbed.
But new industry comparatively
peaklng. has sprung up, and men
re digging out, in the dead of q
inter, hundreds Of barrels of crabs,
nd if this is allowed to keep up the 9
inc will soon come when there will i
e no "Jimmies" (male crabs) and I
s0Wso female cpohol ond tha, lei =