Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-01-28
OYSTER BUSINESS OF CHESAPEAKE BAY

BI FREDERIC J. HASI<IN

NORFOLK, VA, january :1.-This Is
II prosperous year for the oyster bus:-
ness OF Chesapeake Bay. oysters, Hike
cgEs. arc luxury, and people buy
them best when times are good. High
wages FOR skilled labor have creatcG
thousands Of new oyster eaters with
The result that oysters arc bringing
10 cents more n bushel than last ycur
and nearly all OF the dealers have
more orders than they can fill.
The Virginia osytermen are not liv.
ing i'm any FOOLS paradise. however
They realize that when the war is oven
I Inc or retrenchmcnt and low prices
{is coming. IT is very likely that there
country nccds: prices viii drop, and
the Chesapeake beds willie come into
direct competition with those farther
North.
Virginia and Maryland are getting
ready for this competition. The: are
cooperating for the protection ana
propagation or the oyster: they are
doing everything in their power TO
encourage deep-water planting; they
have even taken the radical step OF
repeating the law which for man.
years has prohibited any nonresident
OF the State OF Virginia from being
in any way interested in the oyster
business. This means that tho waters
OF the Chesapeake are nov. Cor the
first time. open TO exploitation by
Northern capital.
Whether Northern capital can gain
a hold here Is another question, for the
business methods OF North and South
are not the same. and the difference
has never been better illustrated than
in tho oyster business. which is BIZ
scctcd by Msson's and Dixon's line.
The oySter-takins of the North--of
Long Island Sound and Delaware Bay
IL IS scientifically exact as chemical
formula. aud as prosaic as raising corn.
Nearly all OF the oysters arc planted
then transplanted TO other beds TO be
fhttened. taken UP for market with
steam dredges. and the empty shells
pn, back in the water to plant the
mex; crop upon. II is simply a process
of farming the ocean.
Large Capital Required.
Incidentally. these operations require
a great deal of capital. and the whole
business Is controlled hy = relatively
small number OF corporations owned by
few miiliorai.es. The business II
immensely efficient and its market
product is OF the best quality. but It's
human product is few rich men and
large quantity Of cheap lanor
In Virginia and Maryland. the great
CT part OF the oysters are taken from
the natural rocks: planting Is still in
It's infancy. The oysters are lifted
from the bottom with great tonKs.
which are probably not very different
from the ones used by The man who
FIRST ate an oyster and decided. that II
tasted Ike more. Also the Chesapeake
business is from business point OF
view. sadly scattered. There are no
less than loo separate and independent
concerns in the business Of buying
and selling oysters. And they do no,
generally own the boats that bring
them the oysters. These are the prop
a bushel for collecting the oysters
and bringing them in. And the boat
owners do no, take the oysters on,
OF the ocean. They buy them from
the tonSers. and these tonEers are
also Independent, operators. each own
ms little watcrside property and
his boats and ,ongs.
IL is estimated that the oyster bust.
ness OF the Chesapeake Bay region
supports 100000 people. and practical
~ all OF these. except the negro shuck-
ers. are Independent owners OF some
longing OUTFIT. And even the nero
owns his freedom. for he works by
piece and may come to work when
he Is broke and leave when he is fush
"a privilege dear to the darkcy heart |
Thus tho oyster business Of the
Chesapeake has been controlled and de-
reloped for the benefit OF the oyster
man rather than the oyster The
Northern beds have produced more
pounds OF oysters to the bushel. but
the Chesapeake has produced more in.
dependent and moderately prosperous
human beings
Smnll Owner Protected.
All the laws or Virginia and Mary
land have been drawn with the pur.
pose Of protecting the small and in
dependent owner. The law which kent
out nonresident capital. and which |
was repealed last year. IL typical. An
other law prohibits the use Of any
power excep, sails in taking oysters off |
'he natural rocks. and this has no pur-
ECONOMY WILL RIFLE AT