30 SEVENTH REPORT OF THE SHELL FISH COMMISSIONERS 
TAXES. 
The taxes which were due and collectible the current year have 
been paid with unusual promptitude. The tax list of 1886-7 
amounts to $7,087.55, showing a decrease as compared with the 
amounts of the two preceding years. This decrease resulted 
from reduced appraisals of grounds which had been devastated by 
starfish, to such an extent as to seriously impair their market 
value. 
The aggregate of unpaid taxes for the years r883-4-5-6, is 
about $1,084.72; of which sum $602.22 is onthe last year’s bills 
and will be greatly reduced before the end of the year. All 
arrears may be now secured to the State bya lien on the lot taxed. 
DUMPING, 
The law regulating the dumping of waste material in the waters 
of the Sound seems to have been carefully observed. Only one 
serious violation of the law has been known to the Commissioners, 
and this was promptly met by prosecution. The violators of the 
law were glad to settle the suit and the example thus made has 
had a wholesome effect throughout the State. Whenever it comes 
to the knowledge of the Commissioners that any person contem- 
plates dumping off the shore, immediate notice is. given to the 
Inspector of mud dumping in that vicinity, and he goes on the 
vessel and sees that the dumping is done without injury to the 
oyster beds. For this duty he is paid by the State. In such 
work the past year the Inspectors have been occupied 206 days at 
an expense of $515. 
A few weeks ago notice was given to the Commissioners that 
on Byram River at the west end of the State the law regulating 
dumping was constantly violated. The west bank of this river is 
in New York State and the east bank is in Connecticut. It was 
reported that the agents of a large stove manufactory on the 
west bank were in the habit of throwing their waste material con- 
sisting mainly of cinders and scoria into the river near to the 
Connecticut bank; that the lighter portions of this dump, were 
carried by the tide down the river and deposited upon the oyster 
beds near its mouth. The proprietors of the factory declared 
that they had been accustomed to so dispose of their waste mate- 
rial for many years and no harm had ever resulted to the oyster 
beds nor had any complaint before been made. As the Commis- 
