Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-12-21

There are three distinct classes Of oystermen
operating in this locality and they are looked
after by the Governor Thomas and several small
tugs which comprise the Maryland oyster navy
The most numerous of these classes are the
canoe men. The canoe or Gunner" as the
craft is more generally called, is big clumsy
boat, long and narrow. 1t is usually operated
by two men. who use tongs in gathering the
oysters. This class is charged $3.50 each for
license by the state government, but they
have to be watched pretty close or they will
bring other means for dredging for oysters
They sell the product of their toll to the larger
boats and rarely market the oysters themselves.
The dredgers have to pay S33 each for a
license which entities them to drcdge and
scrape during the season prescribed by law
10 scrape only the license is not great.
When the oysters come from the bottom of the
bay they are covered with mud and smaller
oysters are clinging to the shells by scores.
The mud is dumped back into the water and
the oysters thrown into the hold. When this
Is full the vessel IS headed for market and then
the cullers work commences in earnest. for it
Is part of his business 10 detach the young
oysters from the parent and sort them into
various qualities. This he does very rapidly
and skillfully and by the time Washington is
sighted the oysters are all sorted and ready to
be delivered.
The proper time to visit the wharves to see
them IN their best and most picturesque light
Is at early morning when the sun is just be-
SlnHlHS 10 peep ABOVE the western horizon,
for then it is that the oyster men are busiest
Glsposing of their wares. The restaurants
hotels and boarding houses all over the city
want 10 commence the day with full supply
of oysters and wagons and push carts rattle
over the rough cobble stone pavements get
their supply and rattle away again. Lights
flash everywhere. smoking dips made of cotton
soaked In oil and stuck on great poles cast
titiui shawows of the men as they move about
throwing in baskets and haggling over prices,
while the man who will soon shout under the
windows of sleeping people all over the city
10y. Oys.! Oys..!" Is buster than any one else.
He has his great tin cans with him and bags and
shucks his oysters right there on the wharves
before he goes away. Scores of these men
cluster about before the little piles. shocking
away and singing as they shuck. Long prac-
tice in the art of shocking has made them
exceedingly skillful and they work with the
regularity of so many ingenious machines
Some are nearly asleep over their work, but
they work on increasingly until their buckets
are filled and then they rouse themselves with
the inte-minable cry SO familiar to the sleepy
denlzens of the city: ..---.
DE oyster man is passing by. Oysi Oys,i OysIi!
Here las 'em ire sh an fine
Ready fer yer dim, time"
There are idlers waiting about for an odd lob
from any passing strangers who may happen
along and desire to try few oysters fresh from
the boat. They will accommodate you, and for
40 cents will open half a bushel of fat ones as
Fast as You can eat them. As the shucker sits
on an upturned basket, shocking away, the
stranger stands sucking the delicious bivalve
from the shell, listening to a tale of adventure
IN the oyster beds, of which the shucker has a
store.