Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-10-07
ANOTHER BIG PLANT.
Oyster Shocking in a House 425
Feet Long.
Wouid-be Negro Robbor Leads Pursucrs a
Merry Chase Property Condemned to
Make Way for Improvements New Fer
ry Slip Completed Other Items.

Oyster packing here is the most re-
cent of the large industries. Previous
to 1888 all of the large shocking and
packing houses were on the opposite
side Of the river.
In 1898. however the j. d. Armstrong
Company started. in IL comparatively
small way. an oyster shocking business
that has grown into the largest oyster
shucking and packing business south
of Baltimore
The business which was started in a
building 33Xl00 feet in size now needs
n building 33X425 feet. 1t is equipped
with ALI of the new machinery and
modern appliances used in the largest
packing houses. ! is lighted by cleo
trio lamps.
There are about 500 employees in this
oyster shocking house and about an
equal number of men engaged outside
on the rocks and beds longing and
bringing the oysters in TO the shuckers.
The capacity OF the house is about half
Il million of oysters shuckcd Il day and
tho daily expenditure of the business is
81 900.
After shocking the oysters are packed
in pals. kegs and barrels and shipped
to all States OF the Union and to Can
ada.
In order to facilitate shipments and
to reduce the expense of transporia-
ton n switch from the Norfolk and
Southern railroad is being run to the
shucking house. SO that the packages
OF oysters can be loaded directly from
the packing house into the cars. From
the tracks of that road the cars can be
| shipped so as to start on their Journey
| over the rails to any city in the coun-
| try.
This great industry is another gain
| for this town. 1t is another one of the
| heavy businesses which has been in
IN han leo
this place affords all the essential
facilities that great enterprise needs
| for the profitable and economical con-
duct of n large traffic.
| WOULD BE ROBBER CAUGHT.
About 2:3O o'clock yesterday morning
two colorcd men passing the saloon
| owned and operated by George Miles,
| in McCloud Town, heard a. noise in the
| place and on investigating found Il
negro working at the combination Of
Miles iron safe. They aroused Miles.
who lives nearby. and the three went
back to the place, the latter armed
with his double -harreled shot gun. The
robber. finding that he was discovered,
made n break for liberty and escaped
| from the house. Miles fired at the
| fleeing man twice. filling his legs full
| of small shot. which weakened his
| pace considerably
| The shooting awakened others and
| lnCS CAME Out WITH tIciI plSNpiS
| Joined in the pursuit, and at the same
| time opening fire on the fugitive. The
| negro. finding himself weakened and
| growing desperate, drew his revolver
and fired four shots at his pursuers.
neither. fortunately, taking effect. De-
spite the mans firing the enraged clti-
zen3 pressed on him and mended their
| fire until they passed Mr.. j. A. Nc
| Cond's residence. who, hearing the
firing. jumped out in his night clothes
and barefooted and pursued the man.
The crowd by that time. numbering
about seven or eight persons, rounded
| their thief up back of Mr.. 5. w. Will
sons residence, about 500 or GOO yards
| away from the store he attempted TO
enter. his legs being full of shot and
| having several wounds from pistol
| balls. BY this time something between
twenty-five and thirty shots were fired
and something near forty or fifty per-
sons We're on the scene. The negro was
found to be Wilson Cox, alias "Bigsic.
| who is wcIl-known in South Norfolk.
| The colorcd men proposed lynching
| him. but took him to the house Of
Special officer Whitehurst and aroused
| him. The latter took him to the Berk
! ley police station. DR.. Morgan was
! called in and examined CoX's wounds
| and found his legs full of shot and
that he had been hit by several pistol
balls. He was given a hearing before
Justice Tillotson yesterday morning
and committed to the county Jail to
| await the action of the grand jury.
a short while before the capture of
Cox, Annie Cuffcc. coored, was de-
prived OF Is head of fat poultry An
ME lives but short distance from
| where the store was robbed. Some
think that Cox had Il pal
PROPERTY CONDEMNED.
The commission composed of Messrs.