The Savannah tribune. [volume] (Savannah [Ga.]) 1876-1960, 1888-07-07
HENCE THE CLANS COME
GRAPHIC SKETCH OF A MOST
INTERESTING INDUSTRY.

stnVv Claiming Is Practfced by
the "Chuggers of New Jer-
sey-A Picturesque Scene.
n Llamming is SO great an industry that
sEbfe is on the western bank of the
AIrewsbHry, near Highlands. N. j.,
Estlement composed entirely Of clam
|lsrs and their families. The Highlands
u III an almost continuous bluff of red
PIT along the river but Parkertown is
d stretch Of low ground which makes
& into the river at point opposite the
aEthcrn end Of the Government proper
b at Sandy Hook. The Shrewsbury
ncly separates the ocean branch from
E Rainland
aEThere is a continuous activity at
Nrlzertown or Seaside, the new-fanged
Of the place, to which, however, its
Aanizens do nottake kindly for Parker
eNn swarms with Parkers. Innumer-
Sse row boats and small sailing crafts
LIZ BIT anchor. Horses and wagons are
Even right into the river and alongside
I'D sail boats, and the men in the boats
|agin at once to shovel clans into the
kgons. Meanwhile, some Of the tiny
ssscls spread their sails and glide down
ase river or men in high topboots wade
n their row boats and pull over toward
#AOotcr's Island, or diagonally across to
SSermacetti Cove. Some boats are
auled ashore and the boatmen, throw
a the clans into baskets, which,
Wen filled, they load on two wheel
Errows and trundle into the shanties
sbng shore or up the slope into the
sAlage. One young fellow turns with
81 wheelbarrow into gate about half
Ahy up the street. Seated in the space
I front of the shanty is q whole tribe OF
tanners. The clans in the basket are
.stributed, and three generations of
ssrkers start in to open and bunch them,
saile swarrhy young fellow twangs a
|8itaf and another rattles a tambourine.
'ASome Of the men have gotten out their
NC poled rakes and are claiming in
.htcr so deep that they hold the ends of
se rakes by the very ends of the handles.
18th the motion of the boat on the
ayes the forty teeth of the rakes bury
8emseEves in the bed Of the river, and
hen the men draw in the poles and
npty the contents of the row of carved
longs on to a board flush with the gun
Die, there are generally a number of
AIMS among the sand and pebbles.
his method is called chugging for
'hms and is the most general, though
Nod many clammers rake or hoe for the
valves in shallow water, using the short
8ndled rakes or hoeing up the bottom
Ad then sitting the sand through a
Nfchfork.
II There is a curious little settlement of
nm chuggers in the Horseshoe, Sandy
look. It consists Of five shanties on
bats securely moored to stakes driven in
DC sand and also attached by stout cables
ii anchors. For as the shanties are on
|1e beach, they would float away on the
agh tide or be blown out to sea in a
89e If they were not moored and an
Aored. Some of the shanties are not so
8gh as the men who bunk in them, yet
Aey have all the conveniences of house
'eeping. Several of these clam sQuatters,
they are called by the aristocrats of
Ae industry, float down in their shanties
5om Parkertown in the early spring and
4main in the Horseshoe until late in the
sll
Every evening number of weather
aimed sloops anchor in the Horseshoe.
8hey are the vessels of the men who
ledge for clans. They sail far out into
Andy Hook Bay, then furl their jibs,
haying their mainsails spread, and throw
8lt rake attached to long rope. The
Inward motion of the boat, resisted by
Dc prongs, causes these to bury them
@lves in the bottom of the bay.
Even in winter the clammers are not
lie. They break holes in the ice and
ne for clans. THIS is practiced of the
Arkertown shore and also in Sperma,
sfti Cove, which il on the beach side of
he head of Sandy Hook Bay. In this
nyc there is also settlement of clam
nuatters. In summer there is a float
III grocery in the cove, a shanty on
sDat, alongside of which the boatmen
ow to purchase provisions. The clam
aers who chug, rake, tread and hoe
bmplain bitterly Of those who dredge.
3hey say that the dredgers leave no
Jams for them. 4 chugger raker,
reader OF hoer is nowadays happy if
rs catch reaches 5000, days work
hat will stand him in couple of
pillars Aeao York Cripple.