OYSTER RESOURCES OF THE PACIFIC COAST. 371 
of such a law many were deterred from embarking in the business because they 
could not acquire perfect title to the tide lands on which young oysters are planted 
after being taken from their natural beds. The railways now being built to Willapa 
Bay will also be an incentive to many, as the lack of transportation facilities and 
the high tariff charged by the present transportation lines make the margin of profit 
so small that none but large dealers can successfully carry on the business. 
THE OYSTER LAWS OF WASHINGTON. 
[Hill's Statutes and Codes of Washington, 1891.| 
2585. (Right to plant oysters may be acquired.) A person being a citizen of this 
State, who has planted or who may hereafter plant oysters in any bay or arm of the 
sea where there are no natural beds of oysters within or bordering upon this State, may 
acquire, by conforming to the requirements of this chapter, an exclusive right for 
such a purpose to that portion of such bay or arm of the sea as he shall so occupy, 
not exceeding for any one person an area of more than 20 acres: Provided, That no 
person or persons shall locate or cause to be located oyster beds in any way interfering 
with the free use and privilege of any person or persons cutting timbers or logging, 
or conveying said logs to market. 
2586. (Oyster claims—How initiated—Must be recorded.) The person desiring the 
benefits of the preceding section shall cause the place or portion he desires to claim 
to be marked, so far as is practicable, with stakes or other artificial marks at the 
corners, with bearings to adjacent natural objects, and shall make, before some officer 
qualified to administer oaths, an affidavit that he has taken the premises so described 
for the purpose of planting oysters, and that he has planted or is about to plant 
oysters thereon; that said premises are not upon and do not include any natural bed 
of oysters, and that the same are not occupied and claimed, in accordance with law, 
except by himself; and if said premises shall have heretofore been taken and oysters 
planted thereon, then within three months after the passage of this act, and if they 
shall hereafter be taken, then within one mouth after taking the same, the person 
having so taken or taking the said premises shall cause his claim, with a description 
thereof and affidavit as above required, to be recorded by the county auditor of the 
county in which they may be situated. 
2587. (Metent and number of oyster beds of single claimant.) The same person may 
claim and occupy more than one place: Provided, The premises so claimed ly him do 
not in all oceupy an area greater than 20 acres: And provided further, That in those 
places used and occupied for the purpose of bedding marketable oysters, no one person 
shall occupy an area greater than 100 by 200 feet, or 20,000 feet of superficial area. 
2588. (Conveyance of right to oyster beds.) Any person may transfer his right to any 
other person qualified to hold, by signing the transfer upon record, in the presence 
of the auditor, or by a written transfer witnessed and acknowledged in the same 
manner as is or may be required for deeds. 
2589. (Record of oyster claims.) It shall be the duty of the county auditor of any 
county, where claims and transfers made under the provisions of this chapter are 
presented to him for record or entry, to receive and record the same in a separate 
book provided for this purpose, upon being paid the same fees as are allowed in 
similar cases. 
2590. (Unlawful for non-residents to take oysters.) From and after the approval of 
this act it shall not be lawful for any person who is not at the time an actual inhab- 
itant and resident of this State, and who has not been for six months next preceding 
an actual inhabitant or resident as aforesaid, to take or gather oysters, either on his 
own account or on account of others, for sale or transportation, inany of the rivers, 
bays, or waters of this State; and on conviction shall be fined in any sum not exceed- 
ing $500 nor less than $100, or to imprisonment in the county jail for a period not 
exceeding six months nor less than one month, or both, at the discretion of the court. 
