Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-01-30
PROPOSES TO FIGHT IT
ON FLOOR OF SENATE
Proposed Legislation, He Declares
Would Give More Than Two-th'rds
Of the Brown sh,a. Natural Rock,
Just Above This City, TO Private
Planters.

Declaring that II would give 10 the
private planters more than two-thirds
OF the rock at Brown Shoals-the
most nrolilic natural oyster rock IN
Virginla-State Senator Saxon w.
Holt last night characterized the BIN
of Speaker Richard Evelyn Byrd, oil
the State legislature. which is design
ed to break the Baylor survey IN
James river, as 1.-The most high hand
cd piece of effrontery ever peipetra''
ed uron the people of the Old Domin-
inn.r Senator Holt is unalterably op-
posed TO the ibiH and he proposes 10
fight ii on the floor OF the senate.
Senatr Holt returned to this city
last night from Richmond to npend
today with his family In North End.
When seen last night he discussed
the Byrd bill at some length. me
measure was drawn by Speaker Byrd
az the dictation OF Chairman Melon
aid Lee. OF the state Fisfe1ies Com
mission Mr.. Holt says that the Rich
mond papers, particularly the Times
Dispatch. the owners OF which are re-
parted to he interested financially in
the oyster planting business on York
river. are supporting Speaker Byrd's
measure. Many of the members OF
the house and senate also are In Ia
yor OF the measure ard Mr.. Holt
roslizes that he has hard fight on
his hands when the bill comes up for
pas;age.
Says Speaker Packed Committee.
As he charged through the Rich
mond papers last week. Senator Holt
says Speaker Byrd packed" The COM
mittee 10 which the bill was referred
and that the measure viii come TO
the house In the exact shape that II
was originally drawn, the matter OF
the passage Of 1t b. the committee
being mere formslit.; Speaker
Hyrd was in this city las; fan getting
data about the conditions on the oys-
ter industry here and he announced
Mt that time that be proposed 10 in
froduce a bill 10 break the Baylor
survey. Ii is charged that in appoint
ing the committee to which such
bin would have 10 be referred. ne
named only such men as favored the
breaking of the survey. Speaker Byrd
denies the alie gssivi'.
N -Sam;,Aion OF The chart OF the
oyster sln4s in James river as pre-
pared BY the United States fisheries
bureau last fall. at the request OF
Governor Swanson. shows that Speak
e- Byrf's bill will retain for the use
of the tongefs OF the state about
hail Of the depleted portion Of this
big rock. whereas practically all or
that part OF the rock on which the
growth of oysters Is dense is given
over 20 the, planters
May Re,nt Remainder OF Rock.
william ~. Resspass. a former ton
ger OF Matthew's county. but who now
lives sH this city. said last night that
the rock contained in the lines a.
marked out in the Byrd III. viii be
depicted nsxt season. II such Is the
case. the fisheries commission will
hare the right TO stake of that rock
and prohibit tongers from working on
it for a period Of two years. II at
the end OF that time. the commission
does not think tina. the growth OF
oysters Is dense enough for the ton
GERS 10 work at profit. the remainder
OF the rock can lie leased 10 the
Slanters.
Mr. Resspass ch7Iges that this Is
only a scheme to turn this entire rock.