The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-06-16
TEE NEW OYSTER EXCITEMENT.
The Supposed Mammoth Fortune a
Fraud and Loss.
Eaton Neck Denounced Twenty Millions Of
Capital and I'll .rty thousand Men Involved
Details Of the Raid and Return.

To any one knowing aught OF New York's weak
ness Tor delicious oyster, ard to tie few who know
something or the number OF mil IONS OF dollars and
Of the thousands OF men employed in the oyster
trade. the fact that the announcement OF the dis
sCvery OF q new bed or oysters oil nne quality and
me xhaustible quantity caused q remarkable excite
ment among ali concerned VIII net be considered
strange.
A few days ago man well known to many OF
The oystermen came 10 one OF the city oyster
centres with q schooner partially loaded with
OYSTERS which he claimed to have taken
from previously undiscovered ned, which
he'd he stated was in extent and resources Won
drousy large The oysters were tried by practical
professionals, were pronounced line IN navor and
desirable in size, ana the news soon spread among
tine many wholesale dealers that q
NEW OYSTER ELDoRADO
mad been found. The discoverer was visited and
questioned, and soon afTerward an agreement was
made that iOr the sum OF $500 ne would disclose MS
secret, and enable all VINO had slolps at command
70 add to their stock as they might desle. The
terms were deemed moderate, and although tn re
was, or a certainty, nothing but the declaration
Of the man to warrant attention, the money
required was subscribed OF from ten dollars
% one dollar, as the subscribers mad che means or
gaining Immediately from the discovery, and the
spot was indicated the happy dscoverer agreeing to
lead the way TO the oyster bed. in very short
more than one hundred oyster boats under sail,
all pointing as directly as the wind would permit 10
EATON NECK,
the first point Off Hampstead Bay between Smith.
town and Huntington Bay. west OF the lighthouse
In addition to these nearly all the Inhabitants OF
City Island were at the ground and at one time
there were not less than 25D soops awaiting rndlca-
tons OF where to commence, besides vastly greater
number OF smaller boats asing each IRON to i've
men.
This movement was commenced week ago
last Monday. and the news having spread, though
secretly made known, the excitement was intense.
AND when tine old gentleman he'd back from an
nouncing the precise locality on the ground that The
wafer was rough and the small boats would OF have
an equal chance the oyster discovery very near
being
AT length, however, the word was given, and soon
afterwards hundreds OF oyster tungs were graphing
par had been seen. And they FAXED and scraped,
and pulled up their tOngs. But rake as they might
scrape as they might grapple and pull up as
Often as they pleased, never an oyster appeared
This was dshearenting But then, there was the
gentleman who had made the discovery; they
knew that the oysters lie had were oysters and
that, knowingly, he would not tell lie. And yet
something OF the earlier enthusiasm died away
though they still kept the tongs IN active work and
worked until all were tired. Finally, after an ex-
tensive area had been thoroughly raked over, ana
very few oysters obtained, one alter another they
RETURNED TO THEIR STARTING POINTS
tired, dsheartened ana many OF them nrofane. The
money that mad been contributed as pay for the |
wonderful discovery was all returned, and the |
declaration was general that though mistaken, the
ascoyerer was honestly so. The loss to those who |
Joined IN the oyster RAID, In time material cost for
extra help and other expenses, is estimated as
EXCEEDING TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS.
This Ia not the first grand oyster excitement to |
which Eaton Neck has gwen birth. The dealers de-
clare that something like thirteen years ago there
was similar grand excitement and consequent
similar loss.
Il appcars that many years ago, Eaton Neck was |
profitable Clustering ground. but that IL finally
claimed. however that, 'once III WHILE" Il stray |
FISHERMAN wi strike a vein ana get up a few that |
shat locality to enable any considerable number OF |
to work probably longer believed. The
present excitement, however, mas awakened discus
are filed with The subject, and free with facts
In relation to the prospect Tor the coming season
tnc various points on
GREAT SOUTH Ray
where for years have been. and now again ere gath
cred hundreds OF thousands bushels. Among these
points many Of our readers win remember that Blue
Point, l.. L., was famous locality, and that the oys-
tiers from there the favorltes Some years ago,
however, the value Of the oyster caused the South
Bay bottom TO be overwoi ked. This effected NOT !
sny the supply but the reputation Of the oysters OF
has been realized from oystcring there. Two years |
ago, however, new impulse was given to the grow |
picking up what tney found growing wild they |
:.staKed out" localities ana commenced planting.
now
WEST OF BLUE POINT AND sAYvILLE
there are hundreds OF acres along the beach |
planted with oysters. The range runs manly from |
the points named to West lslip, ana champions |
creek, Mill's creek ana other streams leemng |
with them, though. as yet, they are mostly too
small for our market but promising really well.
The growers on this line are confident that by next
year they win have oysters which,, both in
quantity and quality, viii restore the bay to
ITS ancient reputation as the favorite bay for
Now York. The planting here differs from that Of
the other Northern localities, in that the seed is
taken from the bay itself and Simply planted along
Sne beds on the
NORTH SIDE OF LONG ISLAND
much OF the seed that IS planted Is obtained from
Newark bav, and some from the Virginia waters
The estimate OF cost for procuring the seed, the
inianiile oysters are called, Is forty cents per
oysters, varying in size with the nails on
the thumbs Of The men who plant them. These
two years from the time OF planting, but in the
main they require three years for development
proper fatieninR and ravor. But OF all the neigh
boring oyster grounds
PRINCES BAY
ls still far ahead In the quantity transplanted and
produced The estimate Is that more than 100, 900
bushels planted there every year, ana that more
are taken from " Than from nearly all the other
beds combined
The points now named, together with the Long
Island sound. Jersey Shore and Virginia furnish q
trade for, and passing through, New York which
amounts each year, depending on the yield and de-
mand 10 from sl5,oo000o to 900 600, and giving
almost continuous employment to nearly $4,000
men. These figures without adding the enormous
retail TRACE and Its multitude OF employees. show why
the declaration OF q grand new bed, ana that
near by should have caused so great an excitement.
and It's failure 10 prove, as declared bitter disa,
pointment 10 thousands OF traders here. They WILL
prospect is improving everywhere else, they are
confident that New York will continue to nave all
tic oysters 1t wants, without Increase OF price,