The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-09
TYPHOID SCARES
HURT OYSTERMEN
Annual Report of Fish Commits
sion Discusses Condition Of
Industry.
HARD TO POLICE JAMES RIVER
Pure Food Fads Cause Decline
Of Onc-IIalf in Price of
Product.
HARD TO POLICE JAMES RIVER

Pure food fads and polluted oyster
to the oyster Industry OF Virginia, and
have cost the workers OF Virginia not
less than n million dollars year for
the past four years. such is the as
scrtion made in tho annual report of
w. Mcdonald Lee and the Commission
Of Fisheries, made public yesterday.
AS n result the demand for oysters
has decreased, and only their great in
crease In the public grounds has kept
the tongcr's head above water. AS It
is, four years OF bad markets have
driven many oyster workmen into
other vocations. The natural product
Is so low in price that II now sells for
less thnn onc-half the figure of three
years ago.
GO per cent. of the plant stock TO be
carried over. and some OF this has not
TO this day found market, while large
part OF tho stock that cost from 80 TO
so cents a bushcl has been turned to
mud boxes
scnrc Hurt Business.
II is believed that half generation
may have TO pass before the inland
people fully recover from the "poilu-
ton" scare. Western trades were Sc
riously crippled, although Virginia. IT
Is pointed out, should never have como
under the ban. Statistics show that
our Tidcwatcr counties arc less at
fcctad with typhoid than any other
section. yet the large majority of our
people cat raw oysters the year round
summer as we'll ms winter" And 1t
has been demonstrated by the State
Health Department that Virginia
oysters are free from pollution.
The oyster eating public took fright
AT tho statement that oysters cropped
around popuious centres in the North
were infected with typhoid germs. for
getting that the grounds in Virginia
arc far removed from contamination
from sewerage. The demand for leSis-
lation governing shipment. said to en-
aaatc from patent package manufSc-
turcrs. and the heavy increase in cx-
press rates. have Increased the cost Of
operation TO shippers. further burden
ing them The consumer II Is said,
pays no less, the shucker gets less
profit, and the grower and tongcr have
TO be satisfied with half prices for the
crude pront. The express carriers and
this patent barrel. tub and bucket
makers arc rcap'nE harvcs.s ut the
expense of consumer. shucker and
grower. When sane reaction will set
In and lit this branch OF the business
out OF the slump, II is hard TO fore
toll"
Another result OF low prices has
been n reduced demand for planting
grounds. During four years. the lcas-
cd area has fallen from 10000 acres to
a little moro than 10000
Revenue From Grounds.
virginia is said to derive moro money
in direct revenues from her oyster In
dustry than do all the other States Of
the Atlantic sea board combined with
the exception of Rhode Island, where
So to SO an acre is charged for oyster
grounds, against 81 In Virginia. The
bottoms OF Rhode Island arc oyster
gardens. highly valued because OF
proximity to populous centres.
The commission feels that il has
largely restored productivencss to tho
seed beds and To other oyster territory
vcrSing on barrcnncss. However. it
excerpts the York River and the Mob
jack Bay, where the oyster is nearly
extinct. Unwilling 10 surrender q
prohtlcss right given them under the
laws. tho people OF these two sections
now, for the most part. have to go
away from home in the season of oys-
terins In order TO make a living. One
TcSFct-anu. VIC trust, inc only one
that your commission will take out OF
office with 1t Is that the people of Yorl;
River and Mobjack Bay denied the Of
ficiais the privilege of restoring their
natural resources. as has been done ir
tho Pocomoke Sound. the James Rive,
and other parts"
AS 20 the James. there Ia repetition
OF the complaint that zigzag lines pre-.
ent policing. Through failure OF tile
last Legislature to lcgalize the straight.
ching OF these lines. In order to per
nit easy guarding by means OF watch.
houses or watchboats. the State ha.
had to incur great and evcr-increasing
expense in patrollins this river So.
called permanent buoys have beer
been placed AT forty imaginary corners
How long they can he maintained there
Is rs yet mooteA question
Sdtn