Dispatch, September 27, 1890

THE OYSTER SECTION. Talk with the Governor about his Tour of Inspection.

Sea -- Shellfish - Oystering : BaysideSea -- Shellfish - Oystering : PoachingNatural resources -- Conservation - Resources

Governor McKinney, who returned to the city Thursday night from a visit of several days to the Eastern Shore of Virginia, was in his office at the Capitol the greater part of yesterday. He was suffering with a severe headache, and felt some little discomfort from the effects of riding around on the water for three or four days. He was not too unwell though to look after his mail, received a number of callers, and transacted considerable public business. His Excellency was reclining on a sofa when a Dispatch reporter called on him about 2 o'clock in the afternoon to have a talk with him about the tour of himself and several others, including Treasurer Harman and Secretary McLeod, of the oyster district of the Commonwealth. The party left here Monday for West Point, where they boarded the State's steamer, Chesapeake, in which they went over the waters of that section.

WHERE THEY WENT.

The trip, the Governor said, embraced West Point, the Chesapeake bay, Pocomoke sound, East river, and other important points well known in the oyster industry. While in these regions he posted himself thoroughly upon the manner in which the toothsome mollusk is reared and fattened for the palate of the epicure.

The oyster, said he, generally thrives in waters of almost any depth. They really do not mature for several years, though nowadays they are gathered and sold when quite young. This has had a disastrous effect upon the crop and diminished it perceptibly, as in former times the dredgers would throw the smaller ones back into the water and they would live and thrive. Many of the oyster-beds have been seriously injured this year by mud which has been washed down and smothered them.

THEIR CLINGING PROCLIVITIES.

His Excellency said that a bayonet upon which six or seven oysters had fastened was sent to him. It is supposed that the bayonet was accidentally dropped in the water, and in sinking stuck in the bed of the river and the oysters fastened themselves to it. They exhibit these parasitic tendencies toward almost everything in their reach, and will settle in large batches upon rocks, sticks, and branches of trees that fall into the water.

WORK OF THE PIRATES.

Notwithstanding the fact that there are several armed boats on the coast to prevent the stealing of oysters, parties are constantly depredating on the beds, causing considerable damage to the crop. It is almost impossible, the Governor continued, to prevent this, as the so-called pirates do most of the stealing at night, and it is difficult to keep a close watch, as the waters in which the oysters are raised cover thousands of acres.

The people on the Eastern Shore are engaged almost entirely in the oyster and fish business and devote little of their attention to agriculture.