Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-01-17

caress thy corns, would were we hank OF
yam, strung with spotted beads that we
| might encircle that form-would we were
q !aISe long bunch of raven hair that we
might flop around chat neck-would we
wcrea barrel of golden syrup, that thou
might dip thy finger in us, and lick it
would we were coronet, that we might
rest upon that brow-would we were a roll
OF greenbacks, that we might stay in thy
pocket-would we were brindle dog, that
We might guard thy wigwam-would that
We were big black ROSTERS tail, that we
might dangle near thy face-would that we
We're an Indian chief'-Thus far we spa
keith, and she sighed Her ruby lips did
part, and she spoketh, eff you are done
mouldering up, we'd better let in, for the
music Is wasting away" We let in, and we
wasted away. Our two hearts beat with
such responsive throbs, that creased case
could not have entered between the throbs.
1t seemed as If ten thousand catterpillars
were emigrating up our back, and turtle
doves were picking meal bran out of our
ears. Huge sighs of the size of rutabaga
turnip escaped our lips we heard MUIR
murlng brooks and whispering boughs, and
WarbilnG birds, and tinkling COW bells, and
we doated far away on fieecy cloud of one
hundred dollar greenback bills. The music
ceased, but the Washington Hall kept on
Waltzlng. The Indian maiden sought her
native forests, and we were carried by our
friends to the Times office, with cramp
IN the bottom of our feet, and our eyes
turned wrong side outwards.
The Oyster and Fruit Packing Business of
baltimore.
The following from the Baltimore Sun
gives some very interesting facts relative
to tne oyster and fruit packing business,
which, during the past ten or fifteen years,
has sprung up in Baltimore. We hope
some day to see Norfolk, whose situation
both for the oyster and fruit business is de-
cidediy more advantageous, at least shar-
ing with Baltimore the fruits of this enor-
nous and lucrative business
The houses prosecuting the trade have
Increased during the year 1866, and now
number upwards Of forty, employing more
than four thousand persons, of both sexes,
III the various departments of shucking,
packing, pcellnG. preserving, &c.
The oyster packing commences i'll Sep
tember and continues to June 10Th, though
tie great bulk of the Theoretically sealed
varieties are prepared for market within
about three and a half months, when the
oyster IS Ill perfection. The quantity of
oysters brought to this market is fully s.
UOU,OO0 bushels, though some dealers esti-
mate the receipts at 100000. Some OF
these are packed raw in can, iced one gal
Ion III size, requiring about 4, 250, 900 cans
and 200, 600 cases. The balance Of them,
say 300, 900 bushels, are Theoretically seal
ed. The consumption for the whole season
is upwards of 10000 bushels, but during
the months of Theoretically sealed activity
the consumption is upwards of 47, 900 bush
els daily.
The raw or fresh oyster branch gives en-
ployment to about 1900 persons-shuck-
ing, packing, &c. The shuckers are prin-
cipaliy negroes. The Theoretically sealed
branch requires about $500, chiefly white
persons of the female sex-for the reason
that the new process of steaming renders
the sOoening Of the oyster so simple that
children may do it. The number of cans
Of one, two and three pounds each hernet-
ically sealed daily during the active season
If quite $4,000. Thus nearly 5000 of
cans are required for the oysters, and
during he fruit and vegetable season
OF summer, the daily amount is about the
same for a period equal to the oyster sea-
son of winter. So that some Is, 900 to &c.,
600 Of cans of oysters, fruits and vegetables
are the product of this industrial pursuit,
and these again require some 600, 600 cases
in which they are packed. The manufac-
turers of the cans give employment to up
wards of four hundred persons, and the
value of the tin, solder, &c, used in the
manufacture is near million of dollars
The case-making keeps some two hun
dred and forty to fifty carpenters constant
ly employed and the cost of them is about
$3.50, 900. The average cost of the oysters
for the year has been about SO cents per
bushel. The value of the hermetically
sealed oysters, fruits and vegetables is
equal to So 500, 900, and that of the fresh
oyster branch more than half as much
more, OF a sum total in value of this trade
upwards of $3.50, 900. The number Of
vessels engaged in taking oysters for
the Baltimore market is more than
1000 of fifty tons each, and some 500 to
600 vessels of larger class are running them
20 market. These vessels, 800 to 600 in
number, require an average of crews equal
to four each, or some 5000 persons. Then
during the summer and autumn, or the
fruit and vegetable season, as many more
persons are engaged in picking, boxing
and shipping them to market by steamers
and bay craft and when all these oysters,
fruits and vegetables reach our wharves,
there is a teeming hive of carriers, carmen
and draymen who derive living from the
delivery of the same.