Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-02-22
oMMISsiONER LEE UPHOLDS
HIS POSITION.
Irvington. Va. Feb


fast are your views on the James
river boundary arrangement that
| cannot keep up with them, and Will
not further attempt TO do so. Ell
roneous impressions and wrong con-
| illusions may continue uninterrupted.
| The Commission OF Fisheries ad-
vises Leasing the grounds thrown out
by the new lines FOR periods of time
| corresponding TO the adjoining ten
ures. so that the legislature may some
| day recover for the tongers certain
grounds that never ought to have
teen leased in the seed beds. This
cannot be done until present leases,
some years yet to run, expire.
/ have made no misstatement about
Browns Shoals, but you do when you
say three-fourths or seven-eighths OF
the productive rock is thrown out.
Every food of ground thrown out at
that point has been held by planters
since long before my coming into o.
| ace, and the oysters indicated there
on upon DR.. Moores chart are plant
ed oysters and shells. DIR. Moore had
to cruise through maze of stakes
here e. axe his oh : "a ,."i.. The
point marked Nell" is private
watch house on James ground. and
surveyed years ago to these parties
by Mr.. Fitchett as not natural rock.
This same MIR. Fitchett was taken TO
Richmond last week to testify that
he could locate every point of the
Baylor survey. This Nell is an IL
lustration of his accuracy.
II is a matter of records that only
two white men have worked regularly
on Browns Shoal land that within
my proposed lines) this season, or
for several years past With the fio-
posed lines. we can make productive
more than twice the present produc-
tive area there. You are as far
wrong In this as you were when you
asserted that ground on Days Point
was to be left cut for planters. The
BYRD bill does not affect this or any
ground in Isle of Wight or Nanse-
mond.
You err again by assuming that cor
ners could feasibly be prolonged and
lines Eextended from what | suggest.
The corners | indicate a-e the only
ones on which buoys and watch
houses can be maintained without an
\ excessive number of lines and houses.
Surely you will defer to practical ex-
perience and investigation as against
sanctum assumption. Not one of the
corners you suggest would maintain
a buoy or watch-house, aud We have
spent thousands OF dollars endeavor-
ing to restore these old lines at
Browns Shoal, and our court trouble 5
are matters of record.
You say you favor strengthening the
lines and establishing watch-houses.
Good Now suggest practicable and
l feasible lines and points. something
better than have proposed, and /
will not obstinately hold to mine. But
bear In mind that these things can
not be arrived at accurately Ia
night, a day. a month. or hardly a
| wear: and have devoted four years
| ardously TO a solution oil the miseT-
able James river difficulties. You
may say the testimony OF others that
have worked all their lives there
should he needed. True. but not one
of them has devoted any time TO TINS
| particular phsse-nor would he I'M
iess inci;ed Nv personal interest. Be
sides, sentiment Is divided. ard now
leaning largely to our plan. In view
| OF what IL has done for the James,
\ and the excessive expenditures it has
1 placed there. | am sure You viii not
| charge the Commissioner OF Fisheries
with bias In the James river. cnless
| il be 30 the tongeTs' side.
Your recent plca-that the bill IS
not Observation-Disclosures when the
| words bat the general assembly
may. from time 20 time. define and
determine such natural rocks. beds
OF shoals. By surveys OF otherwise.
! IRE added 20 the part you quote from
1 the constitution about natuia al rocks.
IN the James. a. in no other river.
| rock once depleted viii never srecuper-
ste ansidcd. The mud and silt tnai
-oufscs down the James every spring
| forever hidts dead tcds- I reiteT1te
| hat not en- acre OF the Sfouuo ia.
out OF the proposed lines has been
used BIZ the tongers Cor years. and
th.s fact. a. are also each Of she icft-
going statements. Is endorsed by
| cores q Tideuater cii.zenS who
sane 10 Richmond last Scek 10 o.
pose the Byrd bill BIT Vho. after
iraring the commissions views and
seeing the map. turned ia and en-
thrsiaslicaiis endorsed cur purposes.
declaring that Ne had advanced the
only method fcr protecting The roc~s
snd Increasing the suppl 81 seed- J
give yoo. Nr. Ecitor. credit for as
much honesty and patriotism ss<hrsc.
ana believe did VOC grip The iacis
| ca wuuid have been a. caudid and