Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-11-29
JAMES RIVER TONGERs
DEMAND CHANGE IN LAWS
Claim That Under Present Oyster
Statutes They Cannot Make
Decent Living.
PREPARE VIGOROUS CAMPAIGN
Meetings Being Held and Legislation
Will he Asked to Give Them Re-
lief-CharRe Certain Planters and
Dealers Are Favored.
Especial to The Times-pispa,ch.

Especial to The Times Dispatch
NEWPORT NEWS. VA, November rs
declaring that their means of livli.
hood has been curtailcd to a serious
extent by laws that work "a hardship
on them and benefit only u few Of tho
bigger planters. oyster tongers OF
James River and the SURROUNDING VA
ters nrc UP in arms and arc preparing
to wage n vigorous campaign to have
the next Legislature amend tho existing
laws Meetings arc being held IN all
sections, and plans now are well under
way for meeting to be held in this
city next month for the purpose OF
organizing protective association.
Expressing the view OF all the tong
crs from all sections. n resident OF Bat
terry Park declares that the oystermen
have been driven to desperation al
though the supply of oysters this year
, is greater than ever, there Is no market,
due TO The existing laws. and the thou
! sands of men, who annually depend on
Tho oyster season for the create: part
year. sag they cunnot make expenses no
matter how hard they work. They
voice their criticisms of tho laws in
no uncertain language, and openly
charge that the present conditions are
due to the activities Of certain planters
ana dealers The laws. they say. cut
OH their market. and put them In tho
position OF having TO dispose OF their
oysters TO the packers at the packers
own price.
CHANGES PROPOSED
IN EXISTING STATUTES
Among the changes in the laws that
VIII be asked when the LEGISLATURE
meets arc the following:
The repeal of the present statute
prohibiting the carrying OF seed oys-
tiers out OF the State. or buying tho
sam" for such purposes. and the adop-
ton in its stead OF such statute as
VIII permit the carrying Of seed oys.
ters withou; the bunds of me State and
buying OF the same for that purpose
icnGthcning the oyster scason for
one month. tho season TO include ,h.
month of April.
Re-"siablishmcrt OF the present Gull
line IN James River. between Days
Point and Elunt Point. TO a new line
form Coopcr's 10 Finch's Pier in Kew
port News.
The tongers say that when the law
was passed prohibiting the shipment OF
seed oysters out OF the state the SUP
pi! on the natural rocks had pecn
depleted because OF the activity OF the
tongcrs ana unlawful dcprcdations
However the supply is lar greater thnn
The demand now. and. in fact. in some
places III" bivnlN"s are SO deep that
those on the bottom are being stnoth-
cred and dying. cause the others 10
become polluted.
Merchants OF the surrounding ccun.
tics and towns are behind the tongcrs
as the failure of the oystcrmen 20 earn
a living has played havoc with bust
ness in those scctious which depends
on the oyster and fish industry for sup
port Some Of these merchants say
that business this year is worse than
ever before. In some places families
have been compelled TO leave because
,hey are unable TO make n living and
must seek work at other trades. =.
majority OF the tongcrs. however
know no other trade and haN. expressed
their determination to fight for what
they term their rights. even IL IL leads
TO violence. which they predict will
come II relief is not graptcd by tho
next Legislature.