Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-02-11
FRIDAY. FEBRUARY II. 1910.
THE OYSTER RllL-STATEMEN1
AND CHART.

In another column OF today's issue
OF this paper there appears q com
munication from Commissioner OF
Fisheries w. Mcdonald Lee in which
the commissioner defends the Byrd
oyster bill and takes The Daily
Press to task for jumping on" the
commission, distorting its purpose.
etc. without Offering alternating sug
gestions. Mr. Lee says that this
paper is disposed to be fair and open
to conviction on this proposition. bat
that he sees that Senator Holt and
the virginian- Pilot have gotten
Your views a little warped"
Though this paper has followed
with interest what the esteemed Viz
ginian-Pilot has had to say concern
ing the James river oyster situation.
and has given space in its news
columns to interviews with Senator
Holt. neither Senator Holt nor the
yireinian- Pilot can be held respon-
sibie for wrapping" its views, if they
are warped" The conclusions reach
ed by The Daily Press upon the
Pyrd bill. which embodies the ideas
of the commission of fisheries. were
f.ased upon an examination of the
commissions chart, showing the old
Baylor lines and the proposed new
lines. together with Mr.. Lees pub
lished statement in support of the
bill. II the papers views are warp
ed, 1t is because the commission
chart is misleading and fails to dem
onstrate what Mr.. ee declares the
Tyrd bill is designed to accomplish.
In his communication published to-
day. Mr.. Lee says, Not foot Of
ground thus left out is today worked
by tongers, nor has been for years.
Even at Browns Shoal We have en-
braced every foot that the tongers
work upon" The chart shows that
from three-fourths TO seven eighths
Gl tut HAUL ~ AOtN -
Browns Shoal. all now included in
the "mythical- Baylor lines. is put
outside of the proposed new lines. 1t
shows too. as has been pointed out
before. that the straight line cut
ting out the biggest part OF Browns
ShoaI Is drawn In angular shape
from a point above the lowest pro-
Suc:ive rock on Browns Shoal to a
point at Kettle Hole Shoal and on
20 White Shoal. running directly
along the edge OF the dense area of
Kettle Hole Sboal. whereas 8 line
drawn straight rom the lower end
of Browns Shell to the westerly
edge Of White Shoal. would include
ru OF the Browns Shoai rocks and
avosd the necessity Of putting the re-
serve boundary directly against the
fertile Kettle Hole ground.
Dotted lines on the chart indicate
that most % the Brown Shoal area
that the bill proposes 20 put outside
q the lines Is now unlawfully used
Sy private planters. Is this a reason
for taking the rocks outside of the
survey, n planters have unlawfuily
cncroached within the mythical
Ines. that would seem to b. an excel
knt reason for defining and markins
the lines. but surely It Is no reason
Cor putting productive natural rock.
outside 81 the reserve boundary.
- Nr. lee says. this paper s dis
.oscd 20 BE- fair and IS open 10 con
vicfson on this question. And VI
bslicse senator Hoirs attitude l. ~
ramc. Ncither senator Hot nor a.
Daily Press could gan anything b.
crpoe'nz a measure actually designs
A. slraiehten ana define the Bayio
Frs and thereby give the oystc
.c-<c- mere rrodacesc rocks upol