CHAP. 137.--An ACT to authorize and appoint a special joint committee of the house and senate to investigate leasing out barren area and exhausted oyster bottom within the Baylor survey.
Approved April 7, 1903.
1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That W. D. Cardwell, E. C. Jordan, and S. Wilkins Matthews, members of the house of delegates, and Julian Bryant and, A. D. Watkins, members of the senate, be, and they are hereby, created and appointed a special joint committee, and are hereby authorized and directed to investigate and report to the general assembly all the facts, as far as they may be able to ascertain them, in connection with the proposed leasing out of the barren area and exhausted oyster rocks, beds, and shoals within the Baylor geodetic survey; and said special joint committee is directed to report specially:
First. How much bottom, if any, there is within the said survey, which was either barren at the time said survey was made or which has become so exhausted by overwork or otherwise as not to be profitable to be worked by the licensed tongmen of the State authorized to work the same, and which will not reseed itself naturally within three years.
Second. How much, if any, of such barren or exhausted bottom is, for any cause, worthless for planting purposes, so that the same will not be applied for by planters.
Third. How much, if any, of such barren or exhausted bottom can be leased out to planters without injuring or endangering the profitable natural oyster rocks within said survey;
Fourth. Whether or not the leasing of such barren or exhausted bottom would be to the best interest of all the people of the State.
Fifth. How much, if any, ground suitable for planting purposes, and which will probably be taken up by the planters, there is outside of the said survey.
Sixth. Any other facts which said committee may deem useful to the general assembly in determining this question.
2. The said committee is authorized to sit during the session of the: general assembly, as well as during the vacation of the same, and may employ one clerk and a surveyor, should the said committee deem either or both necessary.
3. The auditor of public accounts is hereby authorized to draw his warrant upon the treasury for the necessary expenses of the said committee, upon certificates signed by the chairman of said committee and attested by its clerk; and there shall be included in said expense a per diem of four dollars for each member of said committee and a like sum for its clerk for each day said committee may be actually engaged in making this investigation during the vacation of the general assembly.
4. The board of fisheries is hereby authorized and directed to render the said committee all the assistance they can, including the use of one of the police steamers.
5. This act shall be in force from its passage.