Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-09-10
THE OYSTER TRADE.
The Season Opening Up Promising
ly-The Georgia Bivalve.


To say that the oyster came in this year
with rush might not be in keeping with
his reputation Tor dignity and sobriety,
but it is certain that his arrival was
ushered in with most interesting natu-
raj phenomena IN the shape OF the recent
earthquake. Coming on so important an
occasion he ought to be considered per-
s0nage worthy of considerable attention.
Inc fact is that he 10 weightier factor
in the business OF Savannah than most
people imagine, and he Is becoming OF
more importance every year.
During last seas0n--tnat is from Sep
TENDER, 1880, through April, 1886, the
months containing the necessary 'r'-
the average daily shipments made by the
three heaviest dealers in the city
Messrs. M. NJ. Sullivan. George A. Hud-
son and l.. SaVarese Il Bro.-were at least
600 gallons. This multiplied by 240, or,
say 200 in round numbers, the number
OF DAYS in the eight months making up
the season, would make 10000 gallons
shipped out Of the city, not counting the
amount consumed here, which was quite
as much more. All OF the dealers say
that the business is growing every year,
and they have every reason to expect that
the business of the present season Will
double that of last.
Mr.. Nj. NJ. sullivan, when asked
how oysters were coming in and how the
season is opening up, replied:
81 have no trouble at all in getting just
as many as | can handle. The crop this
year is fine both in quantity and quality.
We are getting them In every day, and
nice, big fat fellows they are. too. just
let me show you some that got in to-day
from Cedar Hammock"
''Those must be Blue Points," sug-
gested the reporter.
mo, sir; they amt Blue Points nor
sandy Hooks, nor anything else, but a
genuine Georgia planted, Georgia raised
oyster, and Just as good an oyster, too, as
grows In the United States"
Mr.. George A. Hudson says that the
oyster was in his glory during all the
rainy days during the summer; that he
never thrives so well as during very
rainy season. when the water becomes
brackish. The oyster, he saws, will be
unusually fine this season. Everything
has been in his favor and he will be big
ger aud fatter than ever.
Messrs. Savarese & Bro. agree with both
Messrs. Sullivan and Hudson, and say
they never saw finer prospect for the
oyster. They report the season as open
ing up briskly, and they are receiving
orders every day, though the season
with them, as with the other dealers, does
not reach its height until oct. /.
The dealers all insist that there is no
ground at all for the prejudice which eX-
cludes the oyster until he can come in
with an "r there"-that is, until the 'sr''
months begin. They claim that ne is
just as healthy and just as fat and nice
in July and August as be is in December,
and that people deprive themselves of
delIcacv simply on account of this I'M
reasonable prejudice.
The Savannah market supplies a wide
territory with the juicy blyalves. They
are shipped from here to almost every
town in Georgia and to many in South
Carolina and Florida. Atlanta, Ma
con, Augusta and Columbus
Of the inland towns are becoming
better acquainted with, and consequently
more fond of, oysters every year. Ship
ping facilities are improving each year,
too, and they can be kept fresh longer, and
shipped to more distant places.
Savannah dealers handle the Georgia
oyster almost exclusively. They get them
all along the Georgia coast from Daufus-
kie Island to Brunswick. Some Of the
best plants are at Cedar Hammock. Guam
titles are received here, too, from Mont
gomery, Isle of Hope and Thunderbolt,
and all along the coast. Different own
ers claim that their plants produce the
best oysters, but the dealers say there is
not much differences: that the Georgia
oyster preserves a good uniformity all
along the coast, and Is good enough from
most anywhere.
In the fish market mulIet from the Gulf
is the principal fish handled, and Quanti-
ties OF them are shipped from here TO al
most as many places as the oysters. Quite
a business is being done, too, in black
fish.