THE OYSTER-INDUSTRY. 



49 



the 32 towus that compose the state are situated on islands. The bays embraced within the state, and the extensive 

 salt ponds near the southern coast, abound with shelllisli. 



To ascertain the extent and value of these fisheries, the society made great exertions, but without success, at 

 the time of the general census of 1800. A statement, nevertheless, exists in the report of 18G0, that the oysters of 

 Rhode Island were valued at $382,170, out of a total of about $(3,000,000 for all the fisheries, excluding whales. In 

 18G5, this point was made a special feature, and much fuller information was gathered. "These statistics," says 

 the rei)ort of the general assembly's committee, " must, from the nature of the case, depend to some extent upon 

 estimates. For example, the clams on the shores are free to all the inhabitants of the state who choose to dig 

 them. Persons come to the shores from aU qunrters, and often from distances of several miles, and dig as many 

 clams as they choose to eat or carry home. Nothing is exactly known of the quantities thus removed. The only 

 estimates which could be made were from the opinions of the owners of shore-farms." 



I give below the table of the product of the shelltisheries, by towns, presented by the committee in 1865 : 



Barrington 



Bristol 



Warren 



East Greenwich.. 



Warwick , 



Jamestown 



Little Compton.. 



Middletown 



Newport 



New Shorebam . . . 



Portsmouth 



Tiverton 



Cranston 



East Providence. 

 Providence city . 



Charlestown 



North Kingston . 

 South Kingston . 

 Westerly 



Total , 



Towns. 



Bnshels of 

 clams. 



962 



200 



1,215 



1,415 



9,127 



162 



119 

 (Lobsters.) 



7,715 

 570 

 200 



3,405 

 404 

 200 



5,740 

 257 



Bushels of 

 quahaugs. 



457 



10 



339 



2,953 



6 



Bushels of 

 scallops. 



6,035 

 1,627 



145 



55 



830 

 2,966 



9,241 



500 



870 

 18 



Bnshels of 

 oysters. 



13 

 242 



4,200 



12, 100 



SO, 450 



1,812 



:,070 

 7 



Total valne 

 of all shell- 

 fish. 



$2, 313 



200 



1,225 



6,313 



13,949 



232 



2,200 



1,C80 



4,331 



408 



200 



19, 602 



54,122 



1,515 



6,791 



3,345 



11 



118, 055 



Opposition to existing legislation. — Although the amounts in the above table ought to have been doubled 

 to represent the truth in each case, on the average, yet they show that when the new law, putting a rent of $10 

 an acre and organizing the oyster-interest under careful control by the state, went into operation, the whole value 

 of the industry was very small, compared with the present. Since the passage of this statute the oyster-interest has 

 steadily grown in importance. 



Nevertheless, there has always been more or less grumbling on the part of the owners of leases, who pleaded that 

 they are paying an exorbitant rent. The general financial depression of 1873-76 heightened this discontent, and 

 in the winter of 1878-79 it came to the surface in a contest before the legislature, which brought up several mooted 

 points. The great bone of contention was the construction put by the commissioners upon who were suitable 

 persons to receive leases. It was notorious that manj' Boston dealers planted oysters and operated business 

 generally in Narraganset bay, upon ground leased in the name of some " inhabitant of the state", who might or 

 might not act as their agent at the scene of operations. This practice was deemed by many native fishermen an 

 infringement of law, and an injury to them. They, therefore, endeavored to procure the passage of a bill through 

 the legislatm-e, making it a misdemeanor for any lessee of oyster-beds to be interested with any person not a resident 

 in the state, with a penalty of $100 and a cancellation of the lease, for such "interested" connection. 



The sujiporters of this bill averred that its object was to secure to the citizens of Eliode Island the right to sujiply 

 the demand for oysters grown and cultivated in waters of this state, and to induce the capital invested in that 

 business to be located here, where it and the profits accruing might be subject to taxation, and thus made to help 

 pay the revenues of the state* beyond the mere rent money of the ground. It was claimed that it was not intended 

 as a restraint upon trade; did not imply that no lessee might borrow caxiital from outside the state, or might not 

 contract to sell his oysters outside; and, also, that it was not with the intent to create a monopoly. 



The opposition to this bill was strong, and was put in tangible shape by the application of Mr. George N. Bliss, 

 an ex-commissioner of shellflsheries, for lease of ground in Providence river, in his name, as a partner in a Boston 

 firm. A hard fight before the general assembly and before the commissioners resulted. Those opposing him 



* I am of tlie opiuion that the capital from other states invested iu oysters iu Rhode Island is between $200,000 and $250,000. 

 4 O 



