The daily gazette., 1881-12-01
RAMBLING THROUGH ms.
WARE,

NEWS IN sEAFoRD, LAUREL, FrIroN
AND FREDERIcA-oYsTERs-wuAT
is TO BE SEEN IN THE sHucKIse
HOUSES.
FELTON,, DEL, Nov. 20.
The last time the thousands Of readers
of the GAZETTE heard from me was In
Milford, the largest, aud by far the pret-
Ties city on the Peninsula south OF the
Metropolis OF Delaware. Leaving Mil.
ford Monday morning at 9.I0 O'Clock. n
ride north on the j. & B. II. r., brings
you to its terminus, Harrington. The
only place OF Importance along the line
between the two points mentioned ia
the canning factory at Houston station.
where number OF hands are emp, owed.
After tiresome walt In Harrington,
which, by the way, is rapidly glowing
In Importance, passenger boards the
Delaware train leaving your city al o. .35
a. m., aud run oil nearly one hour.
lands him In Seaford, town which Ia
built uponioyster shells.
IL Is located upon hill overlooking
the Santicoke river, which has an outlet
both inDto the Delaware and Cbesa.
peske Bays, Seaford being termed the
head OF the river.
One thing Is certain, more oysters are
opened In Seaford than any other place
with Que or two exceptions, one of them
being Baltimore, IN this country.
During brief s'av Of three hours |
visited all the shucklng houses, as they
are termed, with the following result: :
First calling at the house of j. Nc
Nelly * Co., forty hands were found to
be employed, who open from 500 to 600
gallons per day. Next Is Emory Il Co.,
who employ 3S hands. Morrow & Dut-
ton follow with 90 employees. w. IL.
Stephens X Co. are the largest shuckers
in the place. They not only bave a
house In Seaford but have one In Sails.
bury aud Cambridge. In Seaford they
employ from 30 TO 90 bands; salisbury,
30; Cambridge, %. w. w. Williams 4
Co. come next with AZ employees.
These houses use thousands upon
thousands of bushels of oysters per year,
one OF the houses employing lwent y five
schooners during the year TO supply them
with the bivalves.
Most of the oysters used are dredeed
from the Nanticoke, near the head of
Delaware bay, although some opened
are from Fangier Sound.
When say that the smallest house in
place opens and disposes OF 600 gallons
per day you may see the lmmensi,y of
the business pro ratio. The modus
0perdndi OF preparing these oysters for
the market Is about as follows, mos. OF
them being disposed OF In the West and
East: The shuckers first open them,
and By quick motion throw them into
a bucket. When the bucket is filed it
is carried to the Office and the contents
deposited In large cullnder, which
drains on the liquor, the shucker beirQ
| allowed for solid measure. From the
| eulllnder the bivalves are placed ~ a
barrel and then washed twice. After
| washing they are placed In barrels and
prepared for market. Such is shucked
| oysters. Oh the dirt.
ls there possibility OF the oyster crop
giving outY
Below Seaford ia Laurel, a place con-
tslntng about 800 lnhabitants, and rep
rssentiDg more wealth than apv town Of
its size on the Peninsula. Nearly every
one residing therein has ratired from
business. Its streets are we'll laid Out
aud are IN good condition. am free
TO say that It's private residences are ex.
ceadingly fiue. IL seems 10 be the bust
ness mart vi lower Sussex county. AT
present contractors under the Govern.
ment are engaged IN deepening Broad
creek to make IL navigable to Laurel.
NOW vessels can only approach within
two miles, where the cargo has TO be dis.
| charged on lighters and towed up.
felton is charming little town, most
oil the residents beiLg engaged either In
me eohanical or agricultural pursuits.
There Is no news here. On the drive
from FELTON, TO Frederica, some of the
hnest farms may be seen, notably those
OF His Excellencf, Gov. Hall, one of
which yielded 800 bushels of wheat
during the past season.
The Governor evidently believes In
Improving his land, Tor at the present
Time he Is having thousands OF bushels
OF lime distributed over his many acres,
previous TO blowing II down for corn.
Gov. Halls residence IN Frederica is
the finest Ia the town.
BIsMARcK.