The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1911-02-03
CORBIN PREDICTS
ABSORPTION OF
OYSTER GROUNDS
State Soon to Deal With Foreign
Corporation Rather Than
With Her Own Ser-
wants
Tax Commissioner Advocates
Higher Taxation of Grounds
and Says Growers Are Pros
pering = Prophesies Large
Growth of Enterprise

Hartford. Feb. 3-'1t is not the pur-
pose Of the State Board of Equaliza-
ton. as the special commission ap-
pointed by the last Legislature to in
vestigate the Connecticut oyster in
dustry. to greatly urge upon the pres
ent General Assembly the passage Of
the measures prepared in accordance
with recommendation in it's report :"
said State Tax Commissioner William
H. Corbin to the United Press, today.
"but it would seem that the logic of
the situation should commend itself
to the legislators. There is little
question that soon two or three large
interests will have absorbed most of
the oyster properties in Connecticut
waters and the State will have to deal
with foreign corporations rather than
her own citizens.
ITO them as well as the Connecticut
growers the State ought to be entirely
fair. but it has every right to exact
q reasonable revenue from the oyster
suggested in the commission report
and the consequent protection of the
industry it will undoubtedly thrive
more than ever.
"Of course the scheme for leasing
oyster grounds applies only to the nat
ural beds controlled by the State and
such grounds as might revert to it.
in the unlikely event that any should.
and not at all to the ground held un-
der the perpetual franchise rights
which have heretofore prevailed in
Connecticut. These franchises are
vested interests and as actual prop
erty rights as those in any real prop
erty. They cannot be touched by the
State. but it is entirely within it's
province to decide on a fair valuation
of these properties for taxation pur-
poses. Connecticut has been neglect
ing q source Of revenue which can be
judged somewhat by the story current
has said he would give a large sum
each year for the sole right to use
just these natural beds off that city.
s@rher report Of the bureau Of fisher
les in the department of Commerce
and Labor. which we were able to get
into our report after 1t was all but
on the press shows that the year end
ing June 80. 1910. actually brought the
oystermen of Connecticut nearly twice
as many oysters as were reported to
our commission. and this makes the
table Of estimated receipts under the
new plan Of taxation and eleaseholds
doubly important. The State received
from the oyster industry in 1909-1910
nearly $4,000: a tax of 2 cents bushel
on the basis Of the reports made to the
CO1n1QlSSlOu WOulu pTOQuCc S4J,UVO aIlu
cents a bushel. $50. 900. while on the
basis of the figures in the bureau Of
fisheries report. which is to be de-
pended upon as correct. these figures
would become $4,000 and Sill, 900. Is
not this worth having. to say nothing
of the possible revenue from leases? :.
ITO be sure" said Mr.. COrbin with
smile. "at first some of the oyster
men who testified before the commits
sion. which in the beginning sat as a
board of relief were inclined to rep
resent their business as the least prof
liable of any in the State and more
than one OF them set forth state of
affairs that made it seem likely it's
owners might soon ask the State for
a subsidy. yet an occasional flash Of
confidential information relieved the
apparent bleakness Of the prospect
and a large number Of the growers
have since been very frank and cor
dial.
GAS a matter Of fact" he continued,
"the oyster business is getting better
and more profitable all the time and
more extensive protection from pollu-
authorities by way Of helping it as we
do the agricultural industry and 9TH
ers is bound to be of value In the
main the oystermen see this and
though there will be determined oppo-
sition to some of our propositions,
lIfQlVIOudlS OuSut ilOI u Oe dUle "
oppose any of them as being unrea-
sonable.
"a point of real moment is that
there seems the best of reasons for
hoping that in the six eastern towns
of the twenty-four on the Sound shore.
whose shores now have no oyster beds.
there will be found oyster ground just
as. good as any along the Connecticut
shore. Indeed. the further east one
goes the better the flavor of the oys-
ters seems to be. and are now being
matured on grounds east Of New Ha-
ven which are palatable and unexcep-
tionable for the table, having none of
the green color or metallic taste which
make it necessary for most of the Con-
necticut seed to be matured elsewhere.
held under franchise are used for act
ual cultivation little or none. the own
ers are entirely unwilling to let it re-
vert to the State and plainly expect
to do something with it later. 1t
may be that ere long Connecticut Oys-
ters will not have to be matured in
Rhode Island and Long Island wa
ters.
"The sanitary investigation of New
Haven harbor by the State Board of
Health showed a large amount of pol
luted area inside the breakwater, but
perfectly satisfactory ground south of
the i1arbor. In fairness to the oyster
growers who are using unpolluted
should be definitely authorized to con-
tinue it's sanitary survey of all other
harbor and coastal waters and to GER
tify to the beds which are safe and
satisfactory