Wilmington journal., 1871-01-20

Saaboard Railroad and stopped at Suffolk,
Va to take look at the great oyster
operations of that place. Locating our
selves at the Exchange Hotel, we hastily
ennnired if there were any oysters in town
and received for answer from the colored
individual who serves us. "nuthn else,
and really when after q refreshing nights
rest we sailed out to look at the place 1t
eecmed that his muffin else" was literally
true. Oysters on wagons, on carts, on
vheelbarrows in baskets, In barrels, In
trays, in buckets, in tubs, in kegs, IN
stands, out of the shell, in the shell, on
land, in water, on vessels and on shore'
OYSTERS everywhere And then "heh we
came to sample we fonnd them rouno' lA'
and delicious, from the s1z9 that "ouiu III
4l,o +broat of a three months old child to
those that would apparently take three
men to swallow.
After looking at the various "craft
used to bring the oysters to the LANDING
and viewing the method Of discbarging,
we turned to the
OPENING HOUSES
and sauntered into that Of Mr.. Henry u.
Cowper, so we'll known through North and
South Carolina. This establishment Is lc-
Gated in the old brick Methodist Church,
which, after contributing for 30 many
wears to feeding with spiritual foo the
souIs Of men, is now devoted to supplying
their bodies with one Of the most nutri-
tious delicacics known, and one which Is
universally popular. On entering the es-
tablishment the first thing that strikes the
ear is tho ''clIck," "click," "cllck" Of the
oyster knives, sounding as If thleo hui
dred telegraphic instruments has suddenly
become insane in the hands of thlco hun
5reI operatOrs and each was trying to see
which could 'cIick" the lOudest and III the
most rapid way YOu pause to realize the
scene: and see long ranges of tables or
counters running the length of the house.
with men, women, boys and girls standing
facing them. In front of each Is small
stall filled with oysters III the shell, ana
uemicircIe is cut into the counter to let
the opener up to his work and bring every
mart os the stand IN easy reach On his
ripht is the metal measure to receive me
onaned biyalve ana where the oysters are
mixed that il, Of different siZ3s IN the
nile. two stands are placed there. Ihe
left hand of the opener has leather nit
ten on it to prevent wear OF the palm ana
fingers from constant hand1ng Ct the
rough shells in his right he holds snafp p
narrow steel oyster knife, the hanule ol
1ph;ch ia also steel. The oyster IL thrown
into the naltn of the left hand, then one
or two sharp blows are struck on It's edge
With the 6Lqt{e of the knife, instantly the
noint enters between the shells, and Win
= rapid cut right and lett the muscle Is
severed and the oyster flies open, the
whole operation being 50 quick ana Skill
fuI that the eye can hardly follow the mo
tiOns. It is the noise OF these DloWs Oh
the shell that gives the peculiar "cllck
click sOund we noticed on entering
Now all this is not new to the readers OF
the Journal who live on the coast, bnl
there are thousands of them who never
SAW an oyster opened, and to whom thlS
description may be interesting. We con
fess that as often as we have seen the ope
ration, and as many times at we nave peg
formed it, there was a skill and rapldlty
exhibited here thai we never saw before
Won will more readily realize this wne1
We inform you thatEone woman IN MT
Cowpers' establishment opens elgnteel
bushels a day, receiving fifteen cents pc
gallon for the opened oysters delivered u
hnshel in the shell generally opens a gal
Ion. sh Q makes as wages, two dollars AM
qnvantv cents daily. The girls and boy
range fro.u eight to fourteen gallons pc
1ay. The positions Of the openers are nc
aIwavs uniform there you pass range
strong men standing square up to the Wor
racar5less of mlld, dirt and lying trag
ments of shell. There you see several o!
women seated on stools opening the ,'ol
faTous" Here is II range of neat lOok1n
hovs standing in flour barrels, and Whe
Won ask ohe why he stands in barre
which comes nearly up to- his elbows, q
tells you "to keep my pants clean an
sides dat, it's warmer" Passlng thfou9
the opening room cut into the yard, 20
see immense bins or stalls filed with oys
ters in the shell. These are brought hel
in dump carts, dumped on tho hoor an
thrown with shovels into the bins, each slz
being binned by itself. SO that the differ
ent sizes, which have been assorted De1o1
being placed in the cart, can be opene
separately. After the oysters are opene
thew are thrown into clear tin tubs VII
omen strainer wire bottoms, which are the
lowered gently into larger tubs filled vii
nure wei water, and all carefully washed
the small particles of she'll passing
through the strainer, and all Jumps OF Oil
or mud which may have accldentiy got
are taken out by the water. Ihey are no
i@ady to be placed III the pucheIo - VI M
for shipment. Are carefully measured
un der the eye of the CLERK tne ~ H1eaSu "a ~
bai 10 filed with solid oysters until 1t W
IoItVno more, and the number OF gallo
mark sd on the vessel. Then after bell
cnrefu,Ty enatf closed and marked. they a
ready for shipment. In procuring
ovsters and bringing them to Suffolk, M
Gowper employs about twenty five yesS'
of differe ut kinds. During the spring :.
Summer bey are taken up from the natI
n beds on the river aud brough into co
yenient pos. .itions, where they are bedd
aggin to wait the Fall and W.
ter trade TIL bedding is for conVcnlen
mostly, as it is found they grow ROW nsa n'1a,
as well in the atural beds as in the pla:
whera replanted. Along the whole Il
of the Nansemond river this IS the gr'
money business, aud gives employment
hundreds of people. The prices IN t
aheI varz considera hlY. dependent mos