Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-12-20
PERILS OF OYSTERMEN
Long Islanders Fast in the Ice all
Night In Great South
Bay.
stormy weRthSr--Mrs, L'Hommodieu and
Her Child Drift Away IN Her
Husbands BOAT.
New York sun.

The oystermen along the south shore
of Long Island are enduring perlls and
sufferings that may be compared TO some
OF the trials Of Arctic explorers. Very
severe weather and violent storm caugh,
them unawares, and upward Of forty
boats with crews aboard were swept out
aud frozen into the ice miles from shore
II the weather had not moderated as
suddenly as II chilled, there would
have been appalling loss OF
life and property. AS IL Is
there are dozen boats yet fast In the ice
waiting for assistance, Many are from
Sayviile, q fishing village about fifty
miles from this city. A peculiar feature
great sand bar that extends parallel with
the coast, and several miles from 1t for a
distance OF many miles. 1t is a natural
breakwater, and the water between II a1d
the main shore is called Great South
bay There is the home Of the oyster aud
the clam. The shore OF the bay 10 dotted
with villages, whose sole industry is
oyster dredging, One-third Of tue men
are captains by virtue'of owning an oys-
ter-boat; another third are captains by
reason OF their wealth and consequence
as keepers of stores and owners OF small
farms; and the other third, the
members of the oyster-boats' crews,
are captains by courtey, as is
also the stranger who tarries an
hour in the town. The business OF these
captains would be considered by all but
oystermen very arduous one. Ice and
snow do not necessarily stop the wo.k Of
gathering the bivalves from the bay bot
tom. Capt, Edward Ketcham, captain by
right of owning his boat, spoke thus of
his calling and the great storm; "rhis
has been the very worst weather and hard
est experience in my memory, but the
events OF an ordinary winter we think lit
tic of. We work as long as the bay Is
free Of ice, and once, seven years ago,
the bay was open all winter long. We
kent e. IA all winter. IL Is often 80 cold
that ice will form on the dredge handles
during the time they are out of the water,
but we don't mind that. This week,
as usual, we were out In the bay,
taking all the advantage we could
OF the fair weather IL began to
grow cold very rapidly, and the wind rose
some. So it seemed necessary TO get
home quickly, Every boat IN the fleet
nut for the shore, but by the time we
came near the temperature had fallen so
rapidly that there was thick ice extend
ing some distance into the lay. We
couldn't break through so as to get TO
our usual landings, and so the boats were
part OF them besched as near the shore as
thoy could be got, while others had
10 cast anchor further out
No one, think, considered
this as alarming; II happens
now and then; hut the wind took fresh
turn and blew hurricane. The waves
rolled up bigger than l ever saw them in
the BAY before. The first we knew the
Ice WAS broken UP and the boats torn
from their fastenings. II was Impossible
| 10 get nearer the shore, for the wind came
| from that direction and blew US OF. The
! whole feet was swept out into the bay
| The boats were scattered IN every uirec-
ton. For time we drlited about help
lessly, aud then the wind moderated
somewhat and gave the water a chance 70
| freeze. That settled II. We were help-
less in the wind aud helpless without H.
1t was frightfuly cold, and mol every
boat had a full supply OF provisions.
There was nothing 10 do but STAND IL ~
| best we could, and the night was passeo
10 crouching about the fire ana noggihg
ourselves with our arms 70 keep warm
In the morning we found that the Ice was
not so thick as to be absolutely unoItak-
\ able but Just enough TO prevent US IRON
sailing. SO we couldn't get anywhere