The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-09-02
OYSTERS ARE In ORDER.
Yesterday the Tongers Began Work and
All Are Happy.

Yesterday was day Of anticipations.
| 1t was the beginning Of the season In
| which II Is legal to assault the secretive
and succulent oyster In his submerged bed
and to deliver him captive to the merciless
| epicuro.
All sorts of preparations were made for
| his reception. With the beginning of the
day many Of The smaller craft engaged in
"tonging," the victim hovered over his re-
treat and brought thousands of his falni.
ly from off natural rocks" where oil may
fish, or from private cultivated beds, where
tho aristrocrats of the oyster family are
nourishod to state Of delightful obesl-
ty.
Away down among the canneries wbere
tho oyster is preserved for transporta-
tion to far Western and Northern points,
machinery was polished up and all was
made In readiness for tho approaching
busy period of the season.
The advent of the oyster season will oc.
cnsion satisfaction to many. There are
thousands employed In placing this luxury
on the market-tongors. drcdgers. shuck-
ers, packers, marketers and shippers
Commander L. S. S. Turner, Of the State
Fishery force, is IN Baltimore busy sending
out orders to his deputies for tho enforce
mcnt Of the oyster law, with especial at
tention to the Gull and measure law. The
Gull law requires tho small oysters to be
left upon the beds as seed to keep up the
supply.
Many oystermen, while admitting the
damage to their industry, have been tax
ing these small oysters and selling them
by hcaping measure at reduced figure.
Only the strong arm Of the fishery force
can prevent this.
During last spring attempts were made
to carry these culls to Delaware bay for
planting. Strong appeals to tho authori.
ties were made in the interest of these at
tempts. but. acting In the interest of Mary
lands future supply, the officers have been
commanded to prevent this under strict
orders from the commander.
The measure law Is an aid to the effect
ual prevention OF this robbery inasmuch
as 1t IEsvents the use of culls by adhering
strictly TO the legal measure. Previously
the heaping, or large, measure enabled
buyers to take these culls aG o reduced
price, but there Is now no profit IN buying
them Mt the legal measure
News comes from Annapolis that several
hundred oyster boats, (which had been
licensed for longing, were on the oyster
bar in Anne Arundel county waters to-
day. Oystermcn unwilling to dispose of
their stock at 20 and 80 cents per bushel
planted the bivalves, awaiting bettor
prices. Oysters Hre reported to be in fairly
good condition, but there is little demand
ioi Vuoh aV uho DcRlbAtuS Va oho oo"'o!s
Only two packing houses in Annapolis
were purchasers, but some "buy boats
were in tho rivers anxious to secure oys.
tors at the prevailing low prices.
A dispatch from Cambridge says: About
200 oyster craft went from Cambridge,
Dorchester county, to begin their seasons
work in the Great Choptank river. In the
afternoon they returned to harbor well
laden with the bivalves which the oyster
men report quito abundant and in fair con
dlLion for the first of the season. -Four or
five Cambridge packing houses arc open
for operations, and to these tho catch was
disposed at from 80 to 45 cents per bushel.
Every one engaged in the business In Cam
bridge anticipates prosperous season.
jacob II. Lewis, collector of oyster revc.
nuo for this State, is said to have already
collected enough to pay the expenses Of
the force and make up the deficiency from
last year. Last year not enough was
gathered to pay the expenses of the oyster
boat, and the collector had to appeal tO the
Legislature for assist ance