Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1906-11-12
SOUTH JERSEY
OYSTER TRUST
Natural Breeding Places in At
Iantic County Slip from State
Control for a Mere SONG.
Philadelphia Capitalists and Tucker
ton Planters Said to Head a Com
bine Which viii Control the Mar
ket-Stated That Riparian Rights
Have Been Secured and the Natural
Beds Passing to Private Ownership.

BEDS faSSlnR TO PfIVate ownership.
TUCKERTON, Nov. 12:-One of
the most extensive schemes ever
hatched in this vicinity has been
brought to light recently through the
riparian grants from the state. The
greatest natural oyster-seed produc-
ing grounds on the Jersey coast are
located short distance below here,
near the Mullica river outlet, at what
is known as Great bay. This is To-
Gated partly in Ocean and partly in
Atlantic counties. These seed beds
are state property and under the
county oyster law cannot be leased by
any county oyster commission. But
these oyster laws, however, have had
no weight with the riparian COM
mission, which has been selling the
natural seed-producing beds to pri-
vate owners of land abutting the
fronts of these waterways. These
sales have been made for less than
one-hundredth part of their real
value.
AS to the value of these seed beds,
according to reputable men who have
had years of experience in the oyster
business, the seed oysters taken this
fall from these waters were worth
$4,000, while the marketable value
of the same seed when grown would
yield 100000. If such a sum can
be produced from one years catch,
what is the grond worth that will
produce such results? Computing
the rate of interest at which big
money will bring say per cent oys-
ter grounds which will produce $780,
600 worth of oysters in one year
would be worth good round sum in
deed. If an oysters trust was estab-
lished, as is now feared, it could be
capitalized at nearly $4,000,000. The
opening for this lies only in getting
a title from the state. Their once
getting control of these beds and
their output would leave no employ
ment for the tonger independent of
the trust, and he would have to go to
II
or quit entirely. No trust has ever
considered the question of wages
nearly so much as it's own selfish in
terests. Besides, the time would
speedily come when the trust would
do entirely without the tonger, sub
stituting power dredges for the same
work.
The seed taken from these lands, If
in the hands of corporate interests
and left there until another year,
would have been four times the bulk
of the seed taken the previous fall,
and would be worth twice as much a
bushel. This in face of the fact that
in almost evory other section native
seed is becoming scarcer every year.
1t would result soon in corner in
the native seed supply of New Jersey.
With this vast supply of seed the oys-
ter trust could crush out the small
planter, then the larger planter, the
shipper and every one that stood in
its way, and using the methods of
the Standard Oil trust, could have ev-
cry one in the vicinity at its mercy.
The whole plan seems so feasible
and easy of success that the oyster
men of the lower end of the county
stand disconnected. The stretch in
volved is about five miles long and
the land abutting on it is held by very
few owners. Chief among these are
Joseph Wharton of Philadelphia, who
owns immense holdings; James E.
Otis, of this place, and few others.
To illustrate some of the values the
state received, the two following in
cidents will suffice. A strip of valu-
able natural seed ground, two miles
long, such as any large grower of
means would be able to purchase, and
which he would be glad to pay $780,
900 for, was sold by the riparian COM
mission for 81 ,450. 1t is also alleged
that the Sooy Oyster company, capi-
talized at 100000, paid $500 to the
state for lands in the same vicinity
and at a proportionate rate. The agi-
ductive of good, for it has headed off
any further riparian grants until af-
ter the next session of the legislature.
Then, If there is a sufficient number
of members who are favorable to the
people and who will make some laws
for suitable protection of the people S
interests at large, laws will be en-
acted that will make any further
grabs impossible. But, If not, the
time may come when the little oyster
planter and also the larger planter,
the small shipper and the large ship
per, and the tonger alike, will give
up their free pursuits of living and
have to work at any wage an oys-