The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-09-29
PLANTERS THREATEN TO
HOLD STATE RESPONSIBLE
r c M on d,

september 15, 1910.
ITO the Commonwealth of Virginia,
His Excellency, William Hodges
Mann, Governor, Richmond, and
Hon. w. Mcdonald Lee, Commits
sioner of Fisheries, Irvington:
The undersigned oyster planters.
who have complied with the require
Inents of law, authorizing them to
hold and occupy their respective as
signments Of oyster planting ground
in James River. hereby respectfully
but urgently represent to the Com
monwealth of Virginia and its agents
the necessity for immediate action to
protect us in the undisturbed use and
occupancy of the planting grounds
duly assigned and guaranteed to us
respectively, under and pursuant to
the laws Of the State.
I'VE have recently suffered, and
continue at present to suffer, heavy
losses as a result of the States fail
ure to protect our boundary stakes
lawfully placed for the purpose of
marking and designating our respec-
tive assignments. 1t is a matter Of
common knowledge that within the
past few weeks many Of our stakes
have been unlawfully injured re-
moved and displaced by persons
known TO the agents of the Common
wealth; but such known trespaSsers
and violators of the law have not
been prosecuted, nor has any step
been taken to have this done by the
representatives OF the State, whose
duty and power It is so to do; that
the resultant lack OF confidence and
doubt as to what action, If any, will
be taken by the State to observe and
perform its part of the contracts with
us, renders il impracticable and i'm
possible for us to utilize our planting
grounds for the purposes for which
they have been assigned to and ac-
copied by us; that under existing cir
cumstances, which are or should be
known to the Commonwealth and its
agents-while numerous persons have
been, and are, openly and notorious
ly threatening to remove by force all
OF the stakes lawfully placed for
marking and designating our plant
ing grounds in James River-for us
to undertake to exercise our lawful
rights, guaranteed to us by the State
under its contract, upon such grounds
so assigned. will only result in pro-
voking numerous breaches of the
peace. and probable bloodshed and
loss of lives.
I'VE are, therefore, so situated and
the conditions in and around James
River are such that we are powerless
to protect our oyster properties prop
erly, to make further investments for
the development thereof. or to secure
the profits therefrom to which we are
lawfully entitled under our contracts
with the commonwealth.
This is, therefore, to notify the
Commonwealth and its agents OF the
foregoing facts, to the end that ii
maintain the obligations incumbent
upon it under its contracts of lease
and assignment held by us, respec-
lively, and to notify the State and it's
agents that we shall look to it and
them for indemnity for all loss and
damage heretofore and hereafter sus-
tanned by us, or by any Of us, result
ing from it's or their failure to OBJ
serve, perform, maintain and make
good that portion of said contracts
assumed by it to be done, kept, OBJ
served and perform for our benefit
and protection.
Very respectfully.
(Signed)
~. F. HONEYWELL,
&C. III. HONEYWELL,
JOHN G. WILSON,
"A. z. TULL,
"W. ID. FOLK,
ARMSTRONG BROS,
JAMES RIVER OYSTER CORP.
"(By E. r. Vaughn, president; T.
A. Sinclair. manager; d. G. Smith, l.
P. Stearnes, J. j. Thomas, j. d. G.
Brown, e. w. Milstead. t. A. Sinclair
and e. r. Vaughn)."