The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-02-16
OYSTER GROWERS UP IN ARMS
BIG KEEPING HELD IN BRIDGE
 PORT YESTERDAY

islatiOn-MiIliOns of Capital Repre-
 sented-AH Oyster Growing Towns on
 Our Coast Represented-The Propo-
 sition to Forbid Interstate Com
 mercc in Opened Oysters--NO Action
 Taken.
 A very large and interested gather ing of oyster growers occurred at Bridgeport yesterday afternoon. Oys- ter growers representing millions of capital, and an industry which employs thousands of persons, met and discuss ed the recent sensational attacks upon oysters, also the proposed legislation at Hartford. Representatives were present from all the oyster-growing towns from Greenwich to New London.
 Among those who took the lead in toe discussions were the following: Hon. Dumond P. Merwin, of Milford; E. Frank Lockwood, of Cos Cob; Hon. Thomas Hamilton of New London; Al den Solmans, of South Norwalk; Hon. r. E. Smith, of Stony Creek; Albert Pausch, of Hartford; Hon. Henry F. Stagg, of Stratford; Andrew Radel, of | Bridgeport; F. J. Mansfield, of New Haven; Hon. F. c. Homan, of New Haven: Hon. C. W. Bell, of Rowayton; Henry c. Rowe and E. E. Ball, of New Haven The debate was very general | and the decisions arrived at were unan- imous.
 There are some twenty three bills af- fecting shell fisheries before the gen. eral assembly, and the meeting ad- journed, subject to the call of the pres ident, in order to consider, at later day, the remainder of the pending bills, only five or six of them having receiv- ed the attention of the association yes- terday
 The longest and most important dis cussion was concerning the accusations against oysters which have recently gone through the public prints. The president of the association, Henry c. Rowe, was authorized to take steps to defend the interests of the industry in such ways as circumstances may re- quire.
 After careful consideration of the subject resolutions were passed, which We print below. These resolutions are similar in character to those which nave been already passed by the Oys- termen's Association of the State of New York and the Association of Oys- ter Shippers of Boston. The shippers of the other coast states are preparing to take similar action. The resolutions are as follows:
 Whereas, It has come to the notice of the Connecticut Oyster Growers as- sociation that 1t is proposed to forbid interstate commerce in opened oysters upon the assumption that they are not wholesome; and
 Whereas, We have consulted high scientific authorities, who assure us that opened oysters so shipped, if kept at a cool temperature, are not only a palatable, but very safe, healthful and easily digested food and
 Whereas, During the past seventy five years vast quantities of these oys- ters have been shipped into the interior of the country, and the experience of unnumbered millions of persons has proved the safety of these oysters as a food; now, therefore, be it
 Resolved, That we hereby direct the president of this association to present the following facts to our senators and representatives in congress:
 l. The oyster industry of the United States furnishes employment and sup port to hundreds of thousands of per sons and employs many millions of dol lars in capital.
 ?. This industry is growing rapidly and is now racticed successfully miles from any land and in water more than 100 feet deep.
 3. Nearly all of the oysters that are shipped into the interior are opened during the cool portion of the year, and are kept at temperature of between 39 and 9S degrees by the means of re- frigerator cars and ice, so that they reacjl their destinations in the central part of the country and Canada in per feet condition. Not one one-tenth of one per cent. of the oysters fail to reach their destination in good order and in such cases the injury is obvious. both from their appearance and odor, so that they cannot be sold or eaten; therefore no danger arises. Other foods are sub ject to such losses, but some cannot be so easily detected.
 4. Owing to the use of Steamboats and power boats during the past twen. ty years for the catching and trans. Iportation of oysters they are now open. ed on the average within three or foul days after being caught, while thirty or forty years ago they were frequent. ly kept in sailing vessels for as muct as four to six weeks; hence there i' now no need or reason, if there evel was such, for the use of any preserva. tive, and no reputable shipper use. this.
 5. The weight and bulk of shell oys ters being more than ten times as grea as the same amount of meats wher opened, the expressage on shell oysters is prohibitive, so that not one one-tun dredth part as many would be shipped into the interior if shipments were linn tied to oysters in shell.
 6. Such legislation is absolutely un called for by the facts, and if enacted would result in practically the destruc tion of this vast and rapidly growing industry.
 [. Not only would a great investmen be destroyed, but tens of thousands o persons would be thrown out of em