The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-02-10
New Commissioner Of
Fisheries Comes From
Accomac County.
WALTER H. RYLAND
MADE SECRETARY
Large Delegation of Eastern Shore
and Northern Neck Citizens
Came Here to Present Claims
of New Appointees-An-
nouncement Ends
Warm Contest.

The appointment of John S. Parsons.
or Accomac County. to succeed w. Nc
Donald Lee, of Irvington, as State
Commissioner Of Fisheries for term
OF four years. beginning March /, was
announced last night by Governor
stuart His selection, although APP
parently desired by u majority Of peo-
pie on the Eastern Shore and the
Northern Neck. comes as a distinct sur
prise. Mr.. Parsons has only been an
avowed candidate for the office since
the withdrawal last week of Dr. j. w.
Bowdoin, of Accomac
At the same time the Governor an
nounced the appointment of Walter H.
Ryland, Of MiddleseX County to sue
ceed S. Wilkins Matthews, of ASA
woman. as secretary of the Commits
sion of Fisheries for a term of four
years. beginning on March |. Mr.. Ry-
land is editor of the Southside Senti-
nal. of Urbanna. and was named with
the cordial Endorsement OF the new
commissioner.
No announcement in regard to tho
other three members OF tho commits
sion. all OF whose terms expire on Feb
ruary IS. has been made They are
james L. Tucker, of Lowcsvillc. and
j. NJ. Hooker. or Stuart. L. L. c
Scott, of Richmond, is clerk of the
commission.
Warm Contest WnEcd.
Ever since tho nomination of Mr..
has been waged around the office OF
state Conmissioncr of Fisheries. OPP
posing Commissioner Lee rose up at
first four ardent candidates-Dr. j. w
Bowdoin or Accomac, a former COM
missioner; James NJ Lewis. of Essex:
sidney j. Dudley; of Hampton. and 3.
u time IT was generally believed that
commissioner Lee would he named for
nouncement of his appointment was
forthcoming, however. his opponents
redoubled their activities. For reasons
Dr. Rowdoin called on Governor stuart
on Thursday and withdrew his namo
from consideration.
>. PARSONS; OF DR.. Bowdoin's own coun-
Y. was formally presented and tho
eastern shore canvassed in his inter
Northern Neck. The Governors de- dc
cision to appoint him was reached after
prominent residents OF Eastern vir-
ginia. who called on him to urge Mr..
Parsons Is n Lawyer.
Mr. PARSONS was born in Atlantic.
Accomac County and has spent his life
there. lie received his preliminary
education at the Danville Military
academy. and was graduated from tho
University Of Nirsnia law school, He
Courthouse. lie is 4 son of JOHN u.
| PARSONS, one OF the most promincnt
citizens of the Eastern shore. He mar
ried Miss Seiby, daughter OF John O.
Sclby. wcllknown resident of Ac-
comac.
w. Mcdonald Lee. the retiring COM
politics. He lives at Irvington and is
editor editor Of the virginia Citizen. Gov
ns Ft ppontfd him
he again held under Governor Mann
board ReorgnnIzcd.
The old State Board of Fishcries
was. ,rcorganized by the General AS
sembly OF 1905, and the name changed
to Commission OF Fisheries The act
two TO be vcrsed in and have practical
knowledge of the oyster and fish indus
tries. one Of these. two to be desig-
mated as Commissioner Of Fisheries.
VINO shall bo eS-oflicio chairman of tho
commission. and the other as secre-
tary OF the commission. The present
oers shall be from sections other than
me oyster producing section of tho
stste. state \ bin is now pending in the
members OF the commission from Tide
water instead Of two.
Members OF the Commission OF
Fisheries are appointed for n term of
iouf years from March l. The salary
od the Commissioner OF Fisheries is
5000. and of the secretary Sl.S00. Tho
remaining members receive no salary,
nut are paid the actual expenses in
Cured in the performance OF their
duties.
The change in name by the session
or i9oS was to avoid the constitutional
provision against increasing tho pay
or an official while in Office
Maintains "Oystcr Nayy.o
me oihce OF the commission Is To-
! Gated at some convenient point in Tide
water; ana meetings arc held by tho
commission AS often us IL may deem
advisable. The comm isson EMPLOYS
Il number Of oyster inspectors, and
operates IL steam vesseI. the Commodore
Maury, ana number OF gasolene
ana employs surveyors and others its
totai pay roll and expenses aggregat-
ing Si5,oUo year, which is paid o,It
Of the receipts from the oyster tax
The law provides that no member of
the commission of Fisheries, nor any
OF the inspectors, captains or other
employees shall be engaged for market
or profit In the oyster industry, direct
ly or indirectly.