Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-07-13
The Crab Industry.

One of the important industries OF
Virginia in the fall and winter is the
accumulation of crabs. The best OF
our ''shedders" and ''hard-shellsh comG
from the vicinity of Old Point Comfort,
the waters hereabouts seeming particu.
larly adapted for the wary crustaceans,
and here they are found in vast schools
AT ebb tide in the season the water is al
times fairly alive; myriads are going
out by swimming, while along the shore
the bottom is literally covered with the
warlike throng. A professional crab
Der at Old Point, named Aleck, has for
many years carried off the palm as the
''boss cotcher and treader.'' Early 10
the morning the old man could be seen
wading over the flats of Mill Creek
that leads up from Fort Monroe ia
Hampton. He was treading for she'd
ders, ansl when he felt sOft-shell he
would dexterously lift it up, using
his toes in lieu of fingers. Sometimes
a mistake would occur, and
hard-shell would seize his feet
Then the old mans black leg
would double up with the vicious
shell-fish dangling from it, while D.
groan of agony would escape him, his
eldership in the Butler bethel prohibit
ing stronger expressions. The shedders
having been exhausted, the base of op.
erations would be changed to the east
beach, where fishing for "hard-shells''
was carried on, men, boys and children
joining in the sport in most primitive
fashion. A large iron barrel-hoop il
covered with mosquito-bar, bait
placed in the center and by several
strings attached to the hoop, and SO
lowered TO the bottom, 10 be covered In
few moments by the hungry crusta.
ceans, who are thus summariiy ierked
to the surface and landed before they
can get out. Seven to ten are captured
in this way at haul, while long SCOOP.
nets and simple bait upon string are
some of the other methods. The pot.
SO successfully used for the lobster, is
complete failure when used for crabs.
the latter walking out as soon as the
bait is eaten. While fishing is carried
on at the docks and shore, numerous
..dug-outs," graceful crafts formed
from single log, are plying similar
vocation all about the great bay famil.
iarly known IS Hampton Roads. AS
soon as caught, the crabs are packed in
barrels, a layer of sea-weeds and layer
of crabs alternating until full, when
bucket of water is dashed over them
and they are headed with a piece of
bagging and taken to Norfolk or Old
Point, and shipped that night TO Balti-
more TO the wholesaler, and from there
to Philadelphia, New York. Boston and
other large cities North and South.
The greatest demand for crabs comes
from Baltimore, where hard-shells''
are valued equally to soft, and are the
Holsters of the locality. Quantities of
them are canned. and the demand is
continually upon the increase. The
original dealers obtain usually from
two dollars and half TO three dollars
per barrel for hard shelled crabs. Soft
shells bring from twenty-five cents per
dozen according to the season. and are
sent all over the country at various fan.
cy prices that would aston'sh the orig.
mai producer. The crab industry ex-
tends up the coast as far as Shark
River, n. j., but the great area at tire
mouth of the James produces the bulk
OF the trade. Cor. " y. Ecehing Posf.