Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-11-27


the patent effort of the Dispatch
r Survey:
phases; but the interest taken bv
whomsoever it may, must, in order to
attain the highest degree of usefulness.
be actuated by something more than
mere sentiment. If, for example Chair
man Lee is neither clothed with author
Ity, or charged with the duty of re-
straining James river freshets, there
may be sentiment, but no sense. to
back an indictment against him for the
death of the oysters killed in that river
by the mud swept down upon them last
spring and early summer. Moreover.
the fact, If it be fact, that oysters in
the James and Elizabeth rivers-their
| tributaries included-are insufficient to
supply the markets of Norfolk and
Richmond, does not justify the con-
tention, nor is il true, that there are
not oysters in unusual abundance out
side of those streams. -ts
Thenatural rocks and planting grounds
OF the Eastern Shore alone are pre-
pared at this moment to fill more orders
than both those cities can hope to give
Tor oysters In the next five years. Il
has not been thirty days since a ship
ment Of several barrels of what might
be termed fancy stock went forward
from here to Norfolk, and were rejected.
how many vessels have Norfolk packers
along either side of the Eastern Shore
for shocking stock that cannot be
served! State your prices, and let's
see If they indicate scarcity of stock.
We know of at least one shucker in this
county who, for lack of orders, has been
retailing oysters on the streets of Cane
Charles. Does all this establish the
contention that the oyster industry is
dying under the administration of the
present Commission? II not, its ac-
cusers should retire. First, it had
killed the oysters of James river: then
edible fish of all the waters of Virgins.
Now. the latest and most brilliant bv
the way. is that by reason of its failure
to provide sustenence for the crabs, the
latter assembled and in body left the
Chesapeake couple of weeks ago:
ship met them off the Virginia Capes.
Is this the plane upon which the cam
paign for Improvement of our fish and
oyster interests is to be conducted?
THE OYSTER SITUATION.
Norfolk Ledger Dispatch.l
We take it for granted that nobody
Is entirely satisfied with the present
condition of the fish and oyster supply
of the State of Virginia. We also as
sumo that no intelligent person would
attempt to hold the present Fisheries
Commissioner. Mcdonald Lee, response
bic for the situation as it exists today.
for our belief is that no man could do
more than he is doing with the laws
under which he operates and the facili
ties with which he is supplied; there
fore as far as our discussion of existing
conditions go. it is without the remotest
reflection upon Mr.. Lee. In fact. his
knowledge of these matters is almost |
indispensable in arriving at the best
solution of the problem, whose intrica-I
cies began long before his term of |
office, and will doubtless continue after
he has laid aside the cares of Office.
SAYS OYSTERS ABUNDANT.
From Norfolk Daily.l
"Oysters PLENTIFUL" said the captain
of small bugeye which had Just fin
ished discharging cargo at local wharf.
"Well, they certainly are. In fact"
he added, ''they are almost uncomfort-l
ably plentiful for us.
II mean by this" he explained.
''that the large amount of oysters this
year has greatly deprecated the whole
sale prices we get for them from the
big dealers. We feel the effects of a
good season long before the consumer
gets the benefit of it.
"Oysters, as said, are in the great
est abundance this year. This does not
apply to the beds from which this sec
tion is supplied only. but to the beds of
the Northern bay. There is brisk
business going on at Seaside and other
places; and the trade is booming"
lWestmoreland Corr. In N. N. News.l
Our men In the oyster business never
had to beg men to buy oysters before.
One captain, who has been dredging
for four weeks. says he hasn't made
four dollars, and while the great men
who run the Times-Dispatch can't sleep
because of the unknown scarcity of
oysters in Virginia waters, at Kinsale,
in the historic county of Westmoreland,
one dozen eggs will buy one busheI of
oysters. Think of it, The writer had
this week a nleasant inferuieu with