Evening star., 1909-09-12

go 10 the oyster beds. He Is not limited
as TO section, but his method is neces-
sarily slow. his depredations are not so
momentous those of the dredGer. No
vessel propelled by steam is allowed II
go into the oyster business. The boat
that carries the 'dredge" is sail boat,
pure and simple, and in calm weather
they idle. a. il requires a breeze 10
carry the boat and drag the "dredge.
which is dropped over the side This
dredge is a triangular affair made OF
iron bais ad having teeth 10 dislodge the
oyster, which is then swept back into a
rope bag fastened behind. When this
bag is filled the ''dredGe'' is hoisted by
a rope cable wound by means of a gas
oline engine situated about midway Of
the deck. This engine is a quite recent
concession TO the .dredger'' as In times
past they were only allowed TO lift the
"dredge'' by hand. Its use cuts the num-
ber of men engaged in half, and makes
the work much lighter for this lesser
crew.
There is wide difference between
run boats and Spectators. The
former are those which 90 out to the
working vessels and buy the oysters Sc
cured by the load or bushel. These boats
then sell them to the local dealers or
to individual buyers. The 'speculator
buys in one port and sells in another.
The cargo is sold in Baltimore hy the
bushel to the .'specuator'' and is then
brought to Washington and sold al a
profit by the "speculator'
Here is a problem for YOU said the
police officer. who knows things. Tell
me how can buy oysters at ~
cents the bushel in Baltimore and sell
them at % cents the bushel in Washing
ton and yet make a profit?
Give it up, it's too much for me-"
well. the Baltimore measure Is almost
a half bushel larger than the Washing
caught the oysters takes them To Bati-
more the "speculator' measures them by
Baltimore allowance. and then he brings
them here and sells them by Washington
measure. making almost han bushei
on every buShel which makes nice
little profit. even if he sells at the same
figure at which he bought.
OF course. the obvious conclusion is
that the oyster fisherman has been
done in n way not to be 'outdone.
One of the captains waxed loud upon the
subject:
That's the way they hog il over us.
It's easier and quicker to run in at Bal
timore, and they heap up the big meas
ure; but If we can hold out to come I"
Washington We get lot bigger price
considerin' fair measure. The Specua-
tors is out for to skin US, and they do
it, too.
However. that has nothing to do with
the men, the shipped unfortunates who
not want and do not need after the short
trip is over. And TO prove that the old
practices are sometimes reverted To.
comes respectful appearing darky to
the harbor police station not so long ago
with story of desertion He had
shipped aboard boat and had worked
term of days, and then. when he was
expecting remuneration for his services.
he was sent ashore on an errand. Upon
accomplishing this he came down to the
shore TO find that his vessel was pulling
out.
Captain" he called, "Ahs ready t go
aboa d.
We'll. as long you're ashore you
might as well stay there. replied tie
.'lord of the sea- he sailed away and
left the destitute man. The darky
tramped and managed to reach here but
with only his unsuhstantiated word he
was powerless to obtain justice. Which
goes to show that no law is so ironciad
that it cannot be punctured.
The season for dredging oysters closes
in March, but the longing is continued
until the following month. From Septem-
Der II until March i we may give. If We
are chartably disposed, an occasional
thought to the men who are out III the
cold winds and rain. the shipped men
who are dredging for oysters TO meet the
demand of the epicurean taste.