Evening star., 1894-02-03


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1T lA&NM ing sort When it is
tKA TTEM considered that this
HN MfHt, state produces twice
miEU as many of those
D fU' luscious bivalves as
are grown in all for
- eign countries COM
bined, 1t Will be seen that the topic Is worth
talking about The fact that the waters OF
Maryland yield one-third of the total oyster
product Of the world is not less impressive.
The total oyster product of Maryland
duri1g the present century-not counting
what has been used for lime-has been
about 4OO.OOOOOO bushels. These mollusks
have been sold in the markets for $3.50 CO.,
OOO-a sum of money over four times as
great as the entire valuation at present of
the taxable property in all the counties OF
the state where the fishery is prosecuted.
not including the city of Baltimore. The
output OF the industry is equal in value
to one-sixth of all the fisheries of the Uni
ted States combined. Nearly every part of
this country Is more or less dependent for
the abundance and cheapness of it's oyster
supply on the yield of the Chesapeake. as
are also foreign consumers Of the canned
meats.
No other state in the Union has, in pro-
portion to its area, so great an inland water
surface as Maryland. The oyster industry
Is carried on IN eleven of it's twenty three
counties In these eleven. because of the
hnumerable tributaries Of the Chesapeake
extending into land. there are few localities
removed further than six miles from navi-
gable water. thus bringing all the residents
INTO close contact with the fishery. The
latter Is the chief means of support en-
loved hyy ho
population of the eleven counties referred
70. This does not include Baltimore
The Three Branches.
The oyster markets of MARYLAND emn,ov
more capital than the fishery itself and
dive work to one-half as many persons.
Baltimore ~ the biggest oyster market in
NE world. but the business Of selling and
shipping Is conducted on a large scale In
several other towns of the state, Crisfield
coming second. The marketing trade is
divided into three branches-the raw shuck-
ing trade. the steaming trade, and the trade
IN oysters unsnucked and au naturel. The
raw shucking Is most important. Next in
point of magnitude is the steaming trade.
which Is located at Baltimore where are
prepared over nine-tenths of the worlds
product of steamed canned oysters In
Baltimore, at present. there are fifty-eight
nrms engaged in shucking oysters for the
raw trade. The shucking is performed by
. small army of $1,000 persons, mostly
men, but in some establishments large
numbers of women are employed. The work
Is fatiguing. requiring strength as we'll as
skill Accordingly the men can make more
money at 1t, earning much as s.. % in a
day of twelve hours. They get twenty
cents per "cup" of nine pints wine measure
The preserving of foods in hermetically-
sealed tin cans was begun in this country
about 1874, salmon and Holsters being
among the first products thus prepared.
In 1S4S the process was extended 10 oysters.
which were cooked in kettles. About 1StD
scalding was substituted. The present
method of steaming was devised in 1864
Twenty firms in Baltimore are now en-
gagged in steaming oysters. Small cars
filled with the bivalves in the shell are
run directly from the wharf into the fac
tory. The tracks pass into steam chests
with sheet IRON
Steaming Oysters.
When a car has been run into the box the
doors Of the latter are closed, steam is ad-
mitted and the oysters are left for fifteen
minutes. Then the chest is opened and the
car is run over another track into the
shucking room, its place being Immediately
occupied by another car. In the shucking
room the cars are surrounded by the shuck-
ers. each having knife and a can. which
hooks upon the side of the car. The steam
ing having opened the shells. no trouble is
found in getting at the meats, and the car
is soon\ emptied. The oysters are then
washed with ice water and transferred TO
a table, where other operators fill cans
with them. The cans. after being packed
In iron baskets. are again subjected 20 the
action of steam. Then they are cooled
capped and nnaly packed in boxes for
Shipment. The whole process is completed
within an hour after the oysters are de-
LyeIcd from the vessel at the wharf
The shuckers work in gangs of six or
eight, comprising sometimes whole farni-
Hes or men. women and children. Four
thousand OF them are employed in Balti-
more, mostly women and children the
work being light. They are mainly Ger
mans ana Austrians The rate OF pay is q
cents per cup or nine gallons An active
woman can earn about tJ cents a day.
rev scenes are more interesting than that
which may be observed on. a visit to the
shuchlng room of one of the canning
houses AT one end the cars of steaming
not Oysters are received. and, as they are
afI:lnSet IN long rows, the shuckers TO the
number of Gal0 or more perhaps, dressed in
more or less picturesque costumes sur
round them, and with rapidly working
meats The ar is full of the hubbub Of
foreign tongues, each shucker discusses
WITH her aeIghbCr the petty ambitions
anu Jealousies entertained. or relates the
n
however. is allowed to interrupt even for %
moment the swift movements of tbe |
knives.
tnoIsend bushels of oysters shucked
leave about LOO bushels OF shells The ;at
ter accumulate in great heaps about the |
shueking houses. The quantity of oyster
shelis landed on the shores Of Marv.1nd
ourlnS the last ninety years has been recI,-
oned at l2.bU.ovD tons-twice sufficient To |
overload and sink every sailing vessel
steam vessel. barge and canal boat in Amer
lea The weight represented is greater tha n |
the combined tonnage of all the steam YES
sels in the world. Until recently the shuck
ing firms have had much trouble TO get rid |
or the shells. Such of them as rhav couId
not give away they were Obliged to raw
Tor the removal of. In 1SS9-9O the Balti-
shells. " oi
Source of Profit.
Recently. however. the oyster shells have
become source Of profit. new demands
Tor them having arisen. In 1928 they
1etched from 1-2 cent to IL cents a
Dushel' the trade receiving s25, 900 from this
source They are shipped in enormous
quantities to other states, where they are
utilized for roads. for lime employed I'm max
ing coal gas. in the manufacture of special
grades OF iron and for railway beds. For
tne last purpose they serve almost as we'll
rs stone Ihey are also used in the c,,lti- |
Satlon or oysters, affording suita ble SIR
races rOr the young oyster .'sDat'' In ar |