Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1909-01-15
THE DREDGER
GOING BY THE BOARD.
Colonial Beach Preere.. |,

! PSSehe iuuicatlonS The
once prosperous industry known a,
Dredging for oysters in the Chesapeak,
Bay and It's tributaries by individuals O,
.heir own account, is going by tn,
board, and eventually the natural roclr
will be under the control of a pioant;,
trust, whose influence will extend tn,
Atlantic coast wherever the handlin,
OF oysters furnishes livelihood for IN,
people.
ms is sweeping statement, but i
we compare the future with the mast
there is hardly any other conclusion I,
arrive at. The class of vessels in III,
oredglng business have dwindled dowr
from large schooners and s'pungies, Z.
"bugeyes" and "skipjacks, 1" the latte,
oeing much smaller than the former
while the schooners and larger vessels
are sti'lused as ''run boats" or "buy
boats. The small boats are largely
dependent upon the buy boats for the
sale OF their daily catch. In some seq
tons of the Chesapeake Bay and its
tributaries all the dredger possesses is
his small "skipjack or canoe, and his
market and price for mis- oysters is gov
erned by the buy boats which ipvariablv
set the price to be paid for either mar.
ketable or seed oysters. The large buv
boats invariably set the price TO
be paid for either marketable or seed
oysters. The large buy boots are either
chartered or owned by some laroo
frm who sends these vessels to the
natural rocks with instructions to nav
no more than certain price per busbel
Tor the cargo; thus it is, the dredper of
the present day is almost entirely at
the mercy of the buy boats. If the
cargo OF the large boats will not Weld
a good profit, they are rarely sold. but
are placed upon the private beds to
await good market. If the dredger
takes load of oysters to market. he is
compelled to sell at the ruling price or
lose his load entirely. This is the re-
lative position the between dredper and
the planter.
Now, the legislature stems in ora
enacts laws providing for q state reve-
nue from the oyster industry, by leas-
put out bottoms for planting oysters
ana imposing fines for illegally taking
oysters from the natural rocks. besides
The usual license always paid hereto
lore. The latter two items of revenue
ire paid by the dredgers, while the
PLANTER is taxed at the rate of 81 nor
'ear per acre in Virginia, and at the
anne time Maryland is putting forth
N EFFORT to reduce her oyster bottoms
o 81 per acre fiat" This is to en-
ourage more extensive planting in that
tate. To protect the natural rocks
ach state has special commission
'nlcn supports an oyster navy for the
objection OF fines from the dredpers
nd imposing such other penalties as
ne case. IN their judgment, NAV war
ant. Back of these commissions are
ne legislatures demanding a revenue &
the states. The influence brought
pear upon the legislature comes !
ON the heavy oyster dealer, and not c
ON the individuals that catch the I
'sters from the natural beds, and the +
ca mas gotten into the back country r
presentation in the legislature that q
cry person engaged in catching oys- b
rs Tor living makes his money On C
sy that it is like going out and pick.
3 up gold dollars-consequently the
mand for state revenue. To make
'od this revenue, the oyster commits.
On was established, which infiicts
eater hardship upon the dredger than
ION the planter-the former is subser- 4
ent 10 the latter in many respects.
'peciaiiy Is this true in many sections e
the oyster belt of the entire Atlantic 81
asst. Such conditions are calculated b
drive the individual dredger out of b.
business, or cause him to hire his f.
at ana crew to the private planter I'll
lhis event portion of the state re-. u
hue VIII be cut off. What will fol-
'! Undoubtedly a bid for the -
Lurai rocks, by an association of II
nters, and the sections of both states :.
1t and are entitled so these natural
ources will be sold out for 'smess of :.
'tage. The trend of affairs Ger. ~
MY looks that way. A sample of =.
{ condition exists today inSynapuxent -.
Chincoteague bays on the seaside 81
ere there has lately been an oyster
between the tongers and planters tn
planters at CrisfieId. Md, also had dis
lste OF war with the dredgers. fol
umming the conditions az thew a. fro
lily exist, it is not improbable that DO
'ome time in the near future the leo is
lures of Maryland and Virginia will pie
eve bid for their natural rocks at wa
mpting figure, and with the influ. ace
brought to bear upon the back Ev
'try representation by the planters
Their following. it is very likelv r
the tidewater representation will -
verpowered in any legislation hav- ;n an
as its object the restoration To the "s
ger aud the people of tidewater 80 80
privileges they should enioy as "na
ems OF this and other sections of ~ ~
yland and Virginia. seu
other states in the Union tax me
people, as body, on account of II
natural resources, as those bor- ue.
y on the Chesapeake Bay. 80 :,