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. Card-
well, E. C. Jordan, and 8. Wilkins Matthews, members of the house oi
delegates, and Julian Bryant and A. D. Watkins, members of the senate.
be, and they are hereby, created and appointed a special joint committe.
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 sur-
vey; and said special joint committce is directed to report specially:

First. How much bottom, if anv, 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, ané
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 bot-
tom 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 mav
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 war-
rant 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 membcr of said committee and a like sum for its clerk for
each day said committee may be actually engaged in making this investi-
gation 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.