The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-07-11
BUSY DAYS THESE ON THE BANKS OF
 THE H0USATONIC

Stratford, July t0.-Everyone is busy along the river front these days ev- l cry available man having been pressed into the service to load vessels with shells for the big oyster companies. The vessels tie up as close to KneIPs Island as possible and the loading be-
 gins. When the tide recedes the load ing continues even when the vessels are entirely exposed and high and dry
 after the tide goes out. It is strenu- ous work in the hot sun, but the shel-
 lers make good pay and put in every minute possible.
 Yesterday on the upper end of the island, Capt. John Goodsell was load ing for the Sealship company, which
 is the largest buyer here this year. The schooners Anna Louise, Medora
 Fisher and Sarah Maria, the barge Capt. Moses Hyde and Columbia, Capt.
 Andy McTaggart, made considerable of a fleet for these waters.
 Further down the river the schoon- CTS Reeves, Jeffrey and Duryea were loading for the H. J. Lewis company. considered most appropriately named, is loading for the Landcraft Bros, of New Haven. Other craft have been loading continually, some for Ellsworth Bros. of South NorWalk and others for different companies.
 
 two weeks before the immense piles along the shore of Knell's Island ars removed. It is estimated that about 50,000 bushels a day are being loaded
 and taken away.
 The shells are piled on deck six or eight feet deep and taken directly to the oyster grounds where they are dis | tributed in an even but thin coating for the "set'' to stick to when 1t leaves the mother oyster. The vessels carry a gang Of shovellers to throw the car go overheard. The vessel then returns for another load Some idea of the rate of increase in the oyster industry
 may be gained from the amount of shells planted on the beds. In a few weeks at the most, these clean white shells will be covered with set looking very much like the freckles on an ur- chin's face during the semmer vaca- tion. Upwards of a million bushels of shells will be distributed from KneIPs
 Island this year. Anywhere from one
 to one hundred oysters will cling to each shell. It requires only a small
 percentage of the set to live to make
 any oyster crop of enormous propor- tions. The prospect of a heavy set | this year is very bright and one can figure in a few minutes a total which is almost unbelievable. Of course many of the young oysters die, but under ordinary conditions not enough to re- 0uC0 the prospect O1 d O0AAPO4 SAOp' There are several companies, one of
 which is the Radel Oyster company. which do not buy shells here.
 Capt Ash Bond is dtting out for
 fishing on the south side of Long Is- land and in the Great South Bay. He
 has stepped a mast in the Wild Duck
 and is busily engaged rigging her. A sail maker from New Haven is mak- I ing a new dress for the boat and Capt. Ash is weaving another gill net In ! another week he will be ready for se- rfous work and this veteran of the Sound will begin to ship big blues to l the market and perhaps some to his l friends here. He is also planning to put "crovv's nest'' on the mast head I of the Wild Duck and then vary his l fishing When the blues don't come l in he will run outside and take a few | swordhsh.
 1 Australian Charlie Griffln is sick and
 Scott Talmadge is substituting for him
 at Capt. Bonds casino on the lower dock. Charlie was recently married 1 and the cares of a family man have
 proved too much even for so husky 8 young man as the Australian cham
 pion.
 1 Capt. Byron Romer and Commodore l Frank R. Burrttt are much disap-
 pointed over the failure of the bass tc | set in here. This couple have the hall mark of every bass in the Sound and
 when they don't get them nobody 1 does. Capt. Charlie Plumb is patrol
 ing the mouth of the river daily wait ing for that school of nackerel which l sent wireless message to him the other day. So far they have failed tc
 appear It is about time for the two pound blues to show up here, but SC 1 far no one has reported a catch. Capt 1 Plumb is the scout for the lunch al | the Pootatuck Yacht ~c club which is waiting patiently with tackle all rig l ged for the coming of the blues. Af- ter his first catch the mouth. of the harbor will be alive with motor boats 1 trolling for the toothsome fish. Capt | Will Morehouse and Capt. Dave
 Hughes were out yesterday. but were disappointed. Capt. Dave has invent ed a new bait -Vhich.rhe ayers -Tiu ens