The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1900-03-23
Gathering Seed Oysters.

The "Narrows" at the head of tn,
bay presents busy scene this week
while the oystermen are longing seet
oysters from the channel to place OF
their beds. These grounds have beer
held by the state and were recent,
leased to Thos. O'Neill and others
and for the present all oystermen are
allowed to take young oysters to seet
their beds. Angus Mcdonald, Lou
Tullus and the Editor made a trir
there Wednesday afternoon, and found
fifteen scows whose occupants were
making the most of the short run-out
OF the tide in the day, to load up with
the seed. longs are used, and the
oysters are dredged from the channel.
Being natural spawning ground, ali
the shells, rocks and debris taken
from the bottom is covered with the
miniature oysters, which under favor.
able conditions which make the mar.
ket product in three years. They are
taken to the various beds, and there
deposited and cultivated until ready
for market.
Nearly all the oyster claims on this
bay were represented by floats and
several hundred sacks of the seed
oysters have been taken up with the
tongs every day this week. O'Neil1
& Mcdonald, Fred Stabenfeldt and
several other oystermen have two or
more crews at work gathering seed
Harry Weathere1l also has scow load
ed with two hundred sacks of seed,
taken from his grounds near by for
his beds on Oyster and South Bays.
AS the tide is right but about two
hours, the tongers must hustle, and il
is pretty hard work to handle twelve
foot pair of tongs. The men are paid
from 81 to $50 a longing. After this
week there will be little left in the
Narrows, and for several years the
oystermen must look elsewhere for
their seed.
In the bay above the Narrows. the
following have oyster claims, Thos.
O'Neill, A. L. Mcdonald, John and
Thos. Gosser, John Moran, Flerd.
Stabenfe1t, and the. remainder is held
by the state as reserve lands. Harry
Weathera1l, Chas Hillderbrand, Harry
Cox and Joe Deer own the best lands
in the main bay, and in Swindall's
Cove, the Heilberger beds, owned by
O'Neill & Mcdonald, John Seig, Tom.
Sabudcup, John Labor and Vic. Bon
nell are the main oyster shippers.
Practically all the suitable land for
oysters on the bay is now in private
hands in more or less cultivation
AT this time over one hundred sacks
of oysters are shipped each week, the
largest shippers being O'Neill & Nc
Donald with an average of seventy
sack week. The prices are $3.75 and
81 per sack, and the season will last
another month, when the beds will be
given a rest until September, during
the spawning season.
The Hei1berger beds are cultivated
on the "park" system, and are &C
knowledged to be the best in the state.
The seven acres are divided into small
plats or parks, dyked in, so that about
foot of water can be held at all
times. Here the oysters arc kept
and each plot handled as desired. In
gathering the oysters the water can
be turned off and the product picked
by hand. Another great advantage
of the dykes is to hold the floating
oyster spat and cause it to settle
within the beds, instead of floating of
with the tide, and it is thought that
under this plan it will be unnecessary
to stock the beds with outside seed
However, the oyster industry is just ir
its infancy, and those who devote
their skill and attention to the cult
walton OF the. oyster will find it {
bonanza.
We are showing regular Csc stock
ing for boys and girls. Special 15c
Just introducing these goods for tn;
factory Don't tail to see this special
| l.. M. Co.
An interesting trip for the coming
Mill, at the head of the bay. It is pro
baby the oldest water-power mill il
the state, its whip saw is now act1vel,
at work grinding out lumber IN the