Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1893-06-30
OLYMPIA OYSTERS.
A RESOURCE THAT is BEGINNING
TO EXPAND
Early History md Development -
Fr"sc"t Outgrowth Some Ac-
count OF CLANS and Other salt
water "lish" Naturally Tribu-
tnry to Oiympin.


Present Outgrowth Some Ac-
count OF CLAIMS and Otber salt
water "lIsh" Naturally TrIbu-
tnry to Olympia.
Olympia Oysters" il legend
which grccts th" eye in all frst-Class
restaurants IN Oregon aud Washing
ton. 1t occupies the post 81 honor on
all bills OF fare, placed before the pub.
lie to tempt the opicurcan taste Of
customers, from the ans ocraiic Snion
Of the fashionable world To- the humble
chop-hou~e 81 the wayfaring tramp
The Olympia oyster is cosmopolitan in
nature, although CIrCumSCrihcd. from
circumstance. to limited sphere.
He only needs. however, opportunity
to grow and develop aud evolutc" in
TO a w":li I,uohucd deliCaCv. The
Olympia oyster Is smaller than his
Chesapeake bay cousin, and somewhat
different in flavor, but neither Of these
characteristics seem to impair his rep
utaiion, when he has an opportunity
OF cultivatIng the acquired taste"
which develops by habitual use.
These oysters were a staple ar
ticlc of diet forty or fifty years ago, or
as long rs the traditions OF the white
man extend in hygone memories, and
doubtless they furnished the food of
the aborigines for centurie. back. in
the ages Of antiquity. The Olympia
oyster VAS never placed in the mar.
Ict,' however. until about sixteen
years ago. when A. J. Burr began the
shipment OF from IL TO 20 sacks week
ly 10 Portland aud Seattle Later ON
III. X. whitehall. j. 4. Gale aud 4. J.
lAttlelohn likewise engaged in the bus.
mess, taking their product from Oyster
bay, about fifteen miles northwest
from this city, on an inlet, or arm Of
the same great inland sea, ON which
nine-tenths Of the commerce Of West.
ern Washington is done. These gen.
tlcmen possessed the enterprise To
reach out for new business, and conse-
quently Jack" went 10 San Francis.
co, and remained for several weeks
without making much progress in in
Producing the little" hard-shells to
the discriminating argonauts for
whom the best was by no means too
good. The siLe of the Eastern import
ell oysters spoke 50 eloquently in their
iavor that it was difficult to get any
body 10 ever taste n bivalve which
ranked 50 inferior in comparison.
Jack" was NJ his wits ends until ha
struck upon n scheme, which il not al
together original, was effective, and led
10 an immediate demand. lilo hired
men 10 go 10 the leading hotels and
restaurants and demand Olympia
Oysters" and make u big kick II
they were not forthcoming. The plan
worked admirably. In short time he
had establishe ed u regular trade, at 81
and " per sack. for limited supply.
Before this trade had time, however. TO
gain a permanent footing. the Morgan
Oyster Co. largely engaged in the sale
OF Eastern oysters. lowered their prices
aud finally drove out their competit.
ors, who did not possess sufficient cap
ital Tor prolonged fight.
The frs, oysters shipped were from
the natural beds. aud considerably
smaller than product now marketed.
which IL constantly improving from
tho care aud protection now afforded
them. The cultivation OF oysters IL
simple. The first object In oyster.
farming 10 tn secure . good location on
a eighty sloping Hat. with q stream OF
fresh water running through il. The
oysters are then planted" In their
new quarters. and precautions taken
against inroads from star fish aud n
variety Of marine snail that feeds upon
them. II takes them four year. "a al.
tain full size but they are exceedingly
prolific. and = single oyster will de.
post enough "sps," 20 produce from
one IN two millions Of oysters In q sin.
gle SEASON. The spat IL caugh, In the
depre..ions on thu Hats, aud when the
tide iecedes exposes u long enough In
shallow basins Of water to 10 warmed
into life by the rays of the sun. Oys.
tefs are 80 Indigenous b. the soil tia,
the oystefman hs. nothing to do bu,
scatter them ou, ~ thry will propa
gate. Ia thu course III time. ,he
hivalye has taken up his psFmanen,
ahoie. and his prolific family l. rapid
" spreading all over the available
Hats. lie may then begin t. gather
them Ia. aud " he take. up hut two
sacks day lac can be- independent az
"a King on Ice, sa the phrase goes,
which although somswhst indefinite
in form le intended 10 hs iorcible IN
expression Experience has demon
strs,ei ,ha, Eastern oysters th,iye
wonderfully on tie boil. 1T Oyster Hay
4 barrel oi oyster. can BE- turned into
= carload IN sefy icw yesF.
The oys,sfmeo 10 culling oysters
~hloh consist. Ia Separating gtowins
from the marketable oyster. casts ~,
infmsf haek iato ,hs beds. aud here :
fsmast allie provision " nature 10 T.
h. observed Tho oyster has al uppel
ani az under .,is NJ has breath
inr apparatus although be- may seem
81 ~ 90 slmust inanimsts pbjact u
he falls urspn bic back hs u likely T.
10 smoihsfel ~ ,he mui lts 10
therefore masie heaviest 80 hls undsl
slir sni ~ lhe la~ ~ gra,ila,io,
~hlle passing through lhs az. ~ ~,
drHssf hnii waief ns,uFsilg asa 90,
sigh,s hast ur uHsiss al~sys -
msin un ihe sutlsrs sni uuhke thri
t,istlsss The tlams 80 not seek q
ss,si-r if,itu puhlie gafe ~ hiding -
che sand ihsy pfsisf deep waie'
When Gee ,ils soil iu. the oyster