The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-10-04

undiscovered oeptns human rapaciy ana voracy
They had rcvclled in
The verdant slime the messy rocks DER head,
The yielding mud that formed heir native bed;
Scenes OF their early chldhood's simple bliss
or mutual loves matnrer happiness
where peace DER all diiiused its magic spell,
And sweet contentment smiled in every she'll
But fate had decrced speedy end to all this happiness
and ruthless invasion of their happy homes About
month ago diver at work in recovering the sunkon pro
peer Charles Osgood on Eatons Neck reported that he
ton paid 10 h report About three weeks ago, how
ever party of fishermen from uarcln, Conn, being
anchored the bed found that their anchor dragged
and hove overheard oyster drcdge 10 assist in holding
on When they came 10 draw up the dredge, n,weyri
they found fuR Of oysters and further nves CATION
ted in filing their boat and convincing them that
they had made discovery Of immense yalu, They
agreed t. keep their discovery secret in order to
avail themselves Of its advantages, but one Of thor
number, probably finding himself pressiugly in want OF
money violated his engagement for the consideration of
$500, cash down. poted number Of City Island oyster
focked in from all directions and from day 70 day the lice.
has increased up to the present time There boats
from all parts Of Long Island and the Connecticut shore,
from New York. Staten Island, New Jersey, and even
from Newport, II. l. The feet Is Of miscellaneous eta
raccr including three four steamboats, and couple of
regular built canal boats and even scows rugged with
sails.
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE.
is impossible TO state with accuracy how many oys
tiers have already been taken but intelligent men csti
mate the whole number OF bushels up to the present
time at 20o0 600 During the past week not less than
100 COO bushels taken, and the catch on Satur-
day alone amounted probably to 600 bushels. Ono
vessel managed by experienced oystermen is reported
10 have taken 500 bushels in day and have Landed
1900 bushels in the of week; and another is
represented have taken 900 bushels since the dis
covery. The three four steamers at work have de-
cded advantage in not being compelled TO rely upon the
wind and their decks literally loaded with oysters.
Upon the deck Of one steamer had been built and
men were at work with wheelbarrows wheeling the oys
tors up plank and dumping them into the pen All
nahas concur IN s.ans tat inc supply DOES no, appea
the Same ground again and again their dredges up
as fun now Us they did the first day One boat provided
with eight dredges brought twenty bushels at
crossing OF the bed empying only OF their dredgos
the second time.
HOW THE OYSTERS ARE CAUGHT.
This oyster bed said TO be only the largest but the
deepest discovered at least in this part Of the world
Soundngs TAKEN rather mperiecty however at the lower
eastern end of the bed, indicated depth Of eight or
nine fahons at low tide lat high tide it would be six
eight feet deeper and the other end the depth appears
to be little less There is way obtaining the
at such depth except by dredging. dredge
of an iron bar held by either end the arms
being so bent that the bar passes the bottom like
rake. The oysters piled in heap m front Of the bar
at hast fall over it into net sack, made
OF strcng iron wire which is attached, and
Is capable Of containing from 10 five bushels. The
whole is attached 10 the vessel dredging by OF
strong rope hundred feet in length, ana when
SUPPOSED TO be led s pulled up by hand and emped Of
Scs brought up the load generally consisting OF large
rough oysters, alive and swapping or course vessel
with half dozen dredges attached moves rather slowly
and with very unequal speed and great precautions
necessary TO avoid collisions BY general consent the
dredgngs all done in one direction the feet moving in line
nevertheless, collisions do occur, and dredges
times lost by vessels driven upon the reefs One of the
Steamboats, was run into by large soop Saturday,
wheroupon the crews Of the sailing vessels, who do not
approve of Clustering b. steam set up hearty hurrah
The damage, however, found not to be serious.
Generally the best of good humor prevailed the ground
the workers being eiatcd by their Dredging
said destroy the oyster beds by breaking the edges
oysters which the dredges and crushing
destroying the young oysters or seeds The probability
is therefore, that the newly discovered bed will be used
up in the course Of next season ut farthest
FURTHER DISCOVERIES
report is current among the oystermen and gene
rally credited that the who piloted them to this
bed stands ready to show them another of about the
extent, whenever they ready to pay his price,
and many of opinion that the bottom of the
Sound is dotted its whole extent with oyster beds
which be found by dgent search IF this conjecture
should prove well grounded oysters will soon become
sPECK OF WAR.
There Is probably no prolific source of ltiga-
ton, quarrels and disputes Of every grade than
oyster beds-thc right to dig and plant oysters public
waters being always vague and indefinite and the par
les interested generally having little knowledge Of the
xstng laws bearing on the subject. The State OF Con-
has law prohibiting residents from digging
oysters within her limits and although the State of New
York has adopted such exclusive policy, the inhab
of the town Of Northport in town meeting resolved
to egsate for themselves and only prohibited by
nance the taking Of oysters by means OF dredges which
INJURIES the beds but absolutely forbade
dents OF the from taking any oysters within its
jurisdiction. Now the oystermen Of City Island hume
highly respectable class having very little 'tpant
ing ground home obliged to abroad to fattcn
their oysters and among other places had resored North
port harbor. After the Introduction they usual,
either ignorance defiance Of the ordinance aud pro-
ceeded to plant their oysters There being ordinance
against planting they were allowed to go with their
operations in peace but when they came 10 reap what
they had a different state of things existed.
Some Of the oysters had been removed already,
and others were being taken up before the very
eyes and noses Of the indignant City Islanders.
while the vessels engaged in this ncfarous business
protected by an old cannon on shore manned
by yourg volunteers, from Huntington, Northport
and Centreport, and loaded to the muzze with bits OF
IRON nails stones and other hard substances The gun
discharged several times into the bay, by way of
timdaicn ploughing W the water in the most dreadful
manner but nevertheless, Capt Josh Lnvinoss of the
City Island feet managed at last to in at time when
the gurners off duty and finding couple Of boys
takingrlp the oysters incidentally" AMI sunk
their and carried the laos prisoners City Island
whence theg were day or two in returning. A suit
growing Of this affair and another growing out of the
alleged surrcptous taking Of The oysters is expected
be tried at Riverhead this week before the Supreme
Court Circuit when The rights OF the parties may possibly
be definitely settled. The affair is made the comp
by the claim set mp by ultra party OF the North
Oh CySterB Wherever tney una
them the public waters, without regard TO how they
came there The tact that Of the oycsters
planted upon clam beds alleged in support Of this ultra
doctrine Il fair state, however. that this dispute
has nothing do with the newly discovered oyster bed
Norfhport Tot pretending 10 claim jurisdiction far into
the Sound.
WHAT Is TO BE DONE WITH THE OYSTERS?
The oysters from the submarine Fl Dorado cannot
be made available in market in less than three or four
weeks after they are dug. They are what oystermen
generally call .'handsone oysters, being round at the
edges and full They nearly all above the average
size being wha. called market connt' or extra
oysters. The shells remarkably thick and
covered with ncrustations, and come Of these
cold settlers' have been completely honey -combed
by wire worms Bat, though Of rich promise ex
ernay, they do BOT "open we'll" being thin
and poor probably account of the great depth aud
sequeD, Of tho In which they have laid
long What the habits Of oysters may have been In
ancient times is hard 10 tell for read Of certain
duke that he did use to keep one 10 sport wtha
others DO with lap dog and that when angered
Il would gnaw with its chaps, ackanapes wont u