The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-12-29
THE OYSTER INDUSTRY.
Great Destruction; Wrought by the
Storm in August.

Mr. George y. Ives, prominent
oyster and fish dealer, writing to the
Newbern Journal, complains of the
present oyster laws and the lack of in
terest displayed in this State in the oyster
industry. He adds:
eve are glad that one of our State
officials has interested himself in this i'm
portant question, and that his interest
has manifested itself in works. Prof. J.
A. Holmes sees the Importance of this
matter, and has secured the cooperation
of the United States Fish Commission
towards the surveying and mapping out
of the oyster grounds of the State. We
also note that at n recent trip of our
friend to Washington he secured the re-
tention of the steamer 'Fishhawk III
our waters, and that the steamer has
been ordered to the Pamlico Sound to
make investigations as to the cause of
the destruction of oysters in our sounds
the past few months, and to arrange for
the restocking of these waters, etc
Now this is all very laudabe and we ap-
preciate this interest. Captain Smith of
the 'Fishhawk' and all his officers are
very admirable gentlemen, and are well
qualified for this scientific work in which
they are engaged, but in our opinion the
great amount Of money which this work
will cost could be much more advanta-
geously expended. The steamer Fish
hawk is vessel carrying a compile
ment of about ten officers and about 40
men, and the cost of this equipment for
say six months service in this work
will amount to many thousands of dol
lars.
Had it not been for the storm in Aug
ust the oyster business this season
would have been of great magnitude in
this State. From three to four thou
sand people would have been employed as
'shuckers' in the canneries and by the
raw houses, and double this number
would have been engaged i'll the catching
of the oysters and running them to the
different markets. At least one thous-
and boats of MI sizes would have been
used in the business, which would have
employed several hundred thousand dol
lars of capital. and the trade of Eastern
North Carolina would have been vastly
greater than ever before known. Surely
interests of this character are worthy
of careful consideration and should be
managed wisely.
'As it is now, there is virtually no care
or management. 1t is simply go as
you please business. The only thing
which is managed is-the collection Of
tax. The law says that the oyster shall
he inspected, but the inspection is a
farce. There is no inspection. Many
thousands of bushels of small oysters are
caught and carried to markets, which
are utterly worthless. And thousands of
bushels of shells are also mixed with the
oysters. All OF these should be return
cd to the bottoms where and when
caught, TO grow and catch spawn for
future years. The law says that the
oyster shall be inspected where caught,
but this is not done in one single instance.
The Chief Shell Fish Commissioner,
however, does not fail to put in his bill
for his pay, and thinks that his salary
should be three times as much as he gets
and his deputies are no less modest.
'The steamer Lille is kept in COM
mission at heavy expense to the State,
and her services are of no practical
benefit.
THE tongers 'cllss' about dredges be-
cause they are destroying the oysters and
the dredgers are just as good ut cussng
about what the tongers are doing, and
there is lots of truth on both s'1eE.