The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1914-10-06
DREDGING IN L0Wfl BAY.
Oystermen Said to be Openly ViO-
Iating Laws.

Commission and the Oyster Navy
are using their best efforts josef
tie the trouble in Somerset county
the outgrowth of recent raids on
| private oyster planting grounds OF
| Geo. A. Cox and others, in the
| Manokin river, by natural bar oys'
| termen, another series of violations
of the law has come to light, it is
reported on good authority, which
threatens to injure seriously the
market in Baltimore.
| Persons coming to this city yes
terday from the Maryland side OF
the Potomac river stated that they
had counted from % to so small
| scrape and dredge boats at work
| there, taking up quantities of oys-
| tiers for sale, and that similar condi
tions were observed back of Smiths
| Island, where from 10 to Is skip
jacks were working in violation OF
the law Off Point Lookout,in the
bay. boats were seen at work dredg-
| ing oysters.
The Maryland law specifies that
| the season for dredging oysters shall
not begin until Nov. l of each
year, and that up to that time
from the opening of the season,
Sept 1, all oysters shall be taken
from natural bars solely by means
of tongs.
Back of this law is a salient rea-
son: If dredging were allowed at
the beginning of the season, when
the weather is still warm and the
demand for oysters comparatively
light, the market would soon be
glutted with stock, which, due to
the warmth, could not be kept fol-
any length of time in a marketable
condition The price would be
forced down and the buyers and
the oystermen themselves would LOSE
money. Another consequence would
be the diminution of the supply lat
er in the season, when the demand
is always greatest. Just now, too,
packing houses, which later will can
a large quantity of oysters,are still
busy putting up tomatoes and other
vegetables, and have no time to
handle oysters.
The injustice of the dredging is
also to the tongers, it is contended.
Owing to the means to which they
of oysters they must work slowly,
and their yields cost them almost
| twice as much as does the yield OF
the dredgers. An effect of the v1o-
lations said to being going on now
| was explained yesterday by a
large wholesale oyster dealer OF
| this city.
I'VE dealers here are paying from
35 to 40 cents a bushel for oysters,
he said I'VE are getting tonged
stock, for the violators are afraid
to bring any of their dredged goods
| to Baltimore, where inspection is
very strict But these dredgers, who
if the laws were enforced, would
be given heavy penalties for eheiI
violations, are taking their catches
to Cambridge, Crisfield and otts-e,
places on the Eastern Shore, VIZ
| learn, where they are selling them
for 25 cents a bushel Those East.
| ern Shore markets, therefore, have
an undue advantage over Baltimore
and they gain this advantage by
| countenancing actively or passive
| ly violations of the laws that were
enacted for the good of the whole
State-the dealers as well as the
planters
l. When asked why the Oyster Navy
Sd not enforce the law,more thar
lne local dealer declared that the
| fault was due not so much tC
| Commander Howard as to his loca
representatives, who either ignored
the violations, as committed by thei
acquaintance and friends, or were
unaccountably ignorant of existing
conditions. Sun.