The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-02-19

re4leO InrSdCS 10 nuke concerning CflC natural growthers who they claim started all of the trouble of raising their taxes in order to make them give up some of the grounds they were holding. The threats were not l made before the state board of equalization composed of Tax Com
 missioner Corb1n, Comptroller Brad but before the public hearing was called to order. One of the big grow CTS said it looked as though the na-
 tural beds would be sold How he came to the conclusion is not known
 but he seemed to think the natural groWthers were going to be sorry for their going to Hartford to kick. After the hearing a well known grower told 6 Farmer reporter that he had never seen such sentiment in all his life among the growers. He l said: They are aroused and they will get those natural beds under lease be- fore they get: through. Look at the wealth and inf1uenc that was gath cred together in this room this after noon. What chance has the natul al growthers got with these fellows if they want anything?"
 Some of the biggest oyster men in the state told the equalization coIn- mission which also bears the title of State Oyster Commission that they thought the natural beds should be divided up and parceled out to the natural groWthers and others who wanted them. They said the state should get some revenue from it's natural beds.
 Capt. William A. Lewis of this city, E. l.. Raymond of Norwalk, and Ben amin Palmer, of Sound View, op- noon. What chance have the natural beds.
 Palmer and Raymond said they owned some ground which they planted with the seed they got from the natural beds and if they had to buy their seed they might as we'll go out of business.
 The pollution of the waters of the sound and the inefficiency of the why the oyster growers thought they should not have their taxes raised. Oysters which could be fattened in the waters of the sound had to be sent to other points to get the green out of them. Another statement was ford to move were going to Long Island, Rhode Island, and New Jer-, sey because of the pollution of the waters in this state.
 George Smith, a grower of Stony Creek said that he had one tract of I,OUU acres Ol oyster ground that he had never asked for it. He ha d asked for 100 acres at a point where they thought it would be profitable and the. shell fish commission had said: "Mr., Smith, there is 1,5OO acres in that tract and we would like to have you take it all" He declared that no deed had passed for the pro- perty and he did not feel like paying taxes on the entire tract.
 Another incident relative to the methods of the shell fish commission told by MT. Smith of Stony Creek was that he had never made out the tax list on his oyster ground property in 20 years, that had always been done at the office of the Shell Fish Commission. ''I have never put a fig ure on paper, showing the valuation of my grounds" said MT. Smith
 F. $. Beardsley, of Stratford, start ed the ball rolling at the public hear ing. He said the increase of the minimum value of an acre of oyster ground from $1 to $5 and of the
 maximum value from $40 to S150 was too much. He thought if they fixed the maximum value at about SI5 and graded down they would be
 hitting more close to the mark. Many others who spoke voiced the senti- ments ofMr. Beardsley.
 Commissioner Corbin opened the dis cussion of the natural beds. c. D. Parmlee of New Haven said he favored cutting them up so the state could get some return from them, as they would yield more money under cultivation.
 w l. Stevens, of Rowayton, was sorry that the natural growthers were not present. Commissioner Corbfn said that he had tried to get hold of the names of as many natural grow thers as possible. He believed there were a few men present who worked the natural beds.
 B. l.. Raymond of Norwalk said that he had taken some ground from the town of Norwalk. If he was not able to work the natural beds he would have to go out of business.
 Benjamin Palmer of Sound View said he had two boats which he sent on to the natural beds and that he also would have to go out of business for want of seed he now got from the natural beds. He aded that not he alone but about every oysternan who had grounds west of the Norwalk is- lands would have to go out of business.
 Capt. William A. Lewis of this city said: Many people have the idea that the natural beds are all productive but a great deal of it is wash shore ground. The best natural bed in the state is off POint-no-Point off Strat- ford. If these beds are done away with as public beds it will work a great hardship upon the small planter There are many growers with land west of Bridgeport and west of the Norw1alk Islands who depend upon these grounds for seed.
 .We have in this room many big buyers who have thousands and thou sands of dollars invested here.. I doubt if they favor doing away with the na- tllral beds.''
 In answer to Commissioner Corbin, Capt. Lewis said that out of 5000 acres in the Stratford-B Bridgeport bed, about 300 acres were good ground. The oth- CT 2,500 acres was shoal and wash ground The best land was that with the gravel or cobble bottom. Mr. Cor bin wanted to know if the ground would not produce more under scien- tific treatment.
 Capt. Lewis said, "Yes it would pro-. {. duce more under scientific treatment the same as any wild land would pro- duce more if you raised strawberries upon it, but it would be unfair and unwise to take this ground away from the Dublic.'
 MT. Palmer Of Sound Beach said, that all of the ground between the shore and the privately owned beds is shallow water. He did not think any one could keep a good catch on the beds through the cold winter season.
 Capt Lewis said that one firm, Lowdnes, Mills, & Ockers of South Norwalk had paid $60 900 in cash in one year for seed fromthe natural beds