The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-09-21
by WILLIAM II. SMITH

| On Board the Commodore Nanr,.
\ near Wreck Shoal James River Ovste,
Grounds, vta Hampton, September 90.
open hostilities between the James
River oyster tongers and the STATE
Lauthoriticssw were ayerted to-day xber
DIN agreement was reached betwean !.
committee representing the Tonsers.
| Protective Association and W. Me-
| Donald Lee, State Commissioner of
| Fisheries.
The State agrees to resurvey certain
OF the Baylor lines. recharting the
| natural rocks, and to take the neces-
sary legal steps to require encroachins
Planters to move back off public
grounds. The tongers agree to a. strict
enforcement of the Gull law, and that
there will be no repetition of the at
tacks OF last Wednesday, when many
planters stakes and boundary markers
were pulled up and destroyed. and
when hostile movements were made
against the flagship of the Virginia
oyster navy. the steamship Commodo
Maury.
Commissioner Lee emphatically de-
MES the report that he contemplates
calling on the Governor for troops. He
explains that the police boats are fully
armed, and are competent to cope with
the situation with the aid of the local
authorities. in the counties bordering
on the James River beds The Calling
gun mounted on the Commodore Maury
has been loaded with shrapnel, and
the crew, both OF the Maury and the
gasolene yachts Blanche and Nlvola,
have been armed with modern rifles.
Situation Acute.
The situation has been extremely
acute since the season opened on Sep
tember 15, but the prompt beginning
= yfe.ytN v,ff
the notice to all parties to keep oft
the debatable grounds pending the es-
tsblishment of correct lines, have gone
far to avert open trouble.
Last Wednesday fully 500 armed men
began removing stakes about the pub
[ lie grounds in the James River beds.
and when the Maury arrived they
gathered about 1t in most hostile man-
ner, making no secret of the TACT that
they were fully armed. and that they
had come out to clear the river OF
markers with the intention OF making
all oyster beds public grounds by force
OF arms, whether included in the lines
of the Baylor Survey or not. One boat
contained several babies and twenty
women, who threatened to lead In the
stake e-palllng, daring Commissioned Lee
to open fire on their boat Only the
greatest tact on the part of the COM
missioner averted bloodshed. The men
were put off with promises that the
lines woul,l be verified, and that Of
Tending planters found TO be holding
what should be public rocks would be-
summarily dealt with. All of the
planters, except Armstrong Brothers.,
Of Hampton, agreed to keep off as
disptted rocks. pending the running OF n
the new lines The Armstrong; mata-
tain their night to their present beds
and will not bulge without court 8
order.
No Trouble Anticipnted- 8
Commissioner Lee, however, does not
anticipate serious trouble with tho
packers, They are We'll informed bust
ness men. who can be dealt with ,nSa
the courts IL they offend and alsn
have RECOURSE there II they consider
themselves aggrieved,
Thousands of armed tongers. many "a
of them negroes, wrought up to nigh
pitch Of excitement by nightly mass
meetings. represent a distinct menace.
Notwithstanding to-day's agreement E
10th the packers who have large in-
vestments 1T stake, and the commis.
sioner realize that an outbreak may *
come at any time,
This morning Commissioner Lee re-
turned TO the scene Of the trouble On
the Commodore Maury. followed by thu IS
.rollce yachts. Viola and Blanche both s
warned to look GU, fsr any disturb.
,nnce. Frederick RUedsgcr County suys
'yeyor OF Aecomac county. and surveyor
~ If ~ Ml ( b. Y