The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1901-01-18
OUT OF THE DEPTHS.
Clamdiggers in New York. Bay
Bring All Sorts of Things
to the Surface.

More than half of the clans sold in the
markets of New York city come from
the lower and Sandy Hook bays. Ex-
cept when freezing weather prevails,
hundreds of boats daily drag their big
to say that here is hardly square foot
Of this sandy area which has not been
furrOwed by the clamdiggers.
Among the inhabitants of the north
shore of New Jersey there is no more in
teresting individual than the 'clammer."
f as Gar9s whs not not fnd s a1s de- ef
the sea about them to make them quite
palatable. But his stories of marvellous
catches, midnight runs to the West
Tenth street market with matches full,
and rough experiences off lee shore,
lose much of their interest when he be-
gins to tel! of the countless number Of
things beside clans he has raked up
from the sandy bottom of the bay.
The most valuable catch ever made by
one of these men was canvas belt, con-
tanning 500 sovereigns, which a Keyport
clammer brought to the surface with a
mel two years ago. Closely following
this, an old sword, crumbling in it's scab-
bard, was brought to light, and still later
a stlletto of wonderful beauty and de-
sign was added to the scanty adornment
OF the modest little home of another
clammer.
Valuable Find of Iron.
Two 500 pound anchors, each at the
end OF thirty fathoms Of chain, were tho
result of a haul made by clammer
dredging just inside the point of Sandy
Hook month ago. He sold them at
Fulton market the next day for $50.
An DID,, grizzly, weather-beaten vet
eran Of the claiming feet was asked
the other day by Mail and Express re-
porter It he had ever "raked up any
thing which he could use in his home or
on his boat.
"Nawthin' much" he said, II list took
from the bay this past summer enough
coal to keep me and me woman warm
this winter hale through. And every one
OF them dishes, pans, pots and kettles
oil stove and them lanterns got from
Dayy jones' locker.'
Hammers, monkey wrenches and ca
bles, oilskin suits, old trousers and wom-
ems dresses were among the other aro
tlc!es which, this old bayman had seen
clutches of the clam rake.
But all clammers agree that next to
the succulent bivalve, their richest har-
vest, numerically, is one of beer bottles.
On the fishing flats off the point of San
dy Hook beer bottles thrive in greatest
ABUNDANCE, mute witnesses to the habits
of 1.-The all-day fisherman" A rake when
brought to the surface a day or two be-
fore the last election contained ten clans
smuggling closely up against five empty
beer bottles. The boatman looked p1z-
zied for moment as he surveyed his
catches, and then remarked:
IL don't know whether them clans be
tainly do know how to celebrate.'
Of course, much which is raked up
from the bottom Of the bay is of little use
to the clammer, because it is found in all
stages of decay. But often the men are
fortunate enough ITO hook on to some-
tom.
Cable Lost by Upton.
Five hundred pounds of the best steel
wire cable which was lost overheard
from Sir Thomas Lipton's Shamrock
when the yacht was anchored in the
Horseshoe Two years ago, brought to a
clammer who recovered and sold it,
enough money to pay for extensive and
much needed repairs on his boat. Jewel
caught in the rakes. Not long ago
boatman brought up penknife and
5O-cent piece in one haul. A gold watch
and a purse containing three valuable
rings and five dollars in silver are among
the articles which made the heart of a
certain clammer glad during last sum-
mer's busy season.
Petri6ed clans and wood, old flint TOM
ahawks and crustaceans Of all sorts.
locked together in most fantastic shapes.
are some of the other curiosities now and
then brought to the surface. Often the
clam rake helps the sea give up it's dead.
Scores and scores Of times have it's sharp
teeth caught in the clothing of some un-
fortunate man or woman, and brought
the body once more to the light Of day.
The bodies of many persons have been
restored to friends and relatives only af-
ter the clam rake has rudely disturbed
their slumbers at the bottom Of the bay.