Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1936-11-01
Toms Coue Oysters Fauored
By Epicureans World Ouer
Chincoteague Island Likewise Is Kno,or,
for Hardening T,oo of Largest
Shocking Plants.

usually included an overnight stay.
Then came the era Of engine boats"
with more or less regular schedules
for the transportation of mail, pas
sengers and supplies, and the air so
filled with the hum of motors that it
seemed as if a perpetual swarm Of
mosquitoes were buzzing about.
Within the last quarter of a CEN
fury, mainly through the vision and
persistence Of John B. Wheaton, one
Of Chincoteague's native sons and the
descendant of one of its first settlers,
Chincoteague has been connected with
the mainland by modern draw
bridge. This resulted in not only
oysters, but fish, clans and other types
of Chincoteague's briny treasures being
trucked over it directly to the hos
telries in New York, Philadelphia,
Wilmington or farther afield. Aero
plane transportation. a strange mod
ern anachronism, has often been
quite casually employed within the
past few years for special de luxe
orders by Chincoteague's packing
houses.
Bridge Damaged by Storm.
With their bridge not yet back in
commission because of the damage
which was done 1t by the fierce gales
which ravagaed Chincoteague this past
September, this sturdy island and its
people have met their emergency
while the Virginia State authorities
have been proceeding as rapidly as
possible with the repair job by press
ing into service all manner of the self
same craft which they were once
solely dependent. Gamely, too. de-
spite the fact that this same coastal
storm drowned out 10000 broilers and
an equal number Of ducks which they
had turned out to fatten upon their
lush marshes, the Chincoteague Island
ers are saying, well, praise be, it's
been warm Fall. SO We haven't been
unduly pushed in getting out our
oyster shipments"
Most of the homes upon Chinco-
league face upon the water, as you
might expect. They are nearly all of
frame, have tidy look and are kept
neatly painted, just as are their
owners boats. Driving up one street
and down another at sunset in the
soft Autumn air and stiffness which
is so restful after the rush and roar
of urban life, one is reminded of the
ship-shape trigness of New England
transposed to warm and mellow
setting.
Each family seems either to have
its own private oyster or claiming
or fishing grounds, or to be employed
by some one who has, just as each
household appears to have its own
boat, as well as its own dock. A dock
and a car appear TO be twin neces-
sites on Chincoteague, where an
oyster-shucking plant or fishing
weir are the family's stock in trade.
From the early days of its settle
ment land holdings have continued
unlnterruptedly from one member of
family to another. Just recently,
In a lawsuit pertaining to a con-
tested title, deed for a piece of
property inscribed upon an ancient
and yellowed sheepskin was pre-
sented and accepted as evidence.
Sea Captains Known.
Chincoteagues insularity may have
prevented it from giving to the Nation
great warriors, poets or painters, but
the fame of its oysters has gone far
and wide. The names of Chinco-
leagues sea captains have also been
known throughout the seven seas for
their maritime achievements. Her
boat builders, too, have had reputa-
tons far beyond their native State.
Ira Hudson's manufacture and paint
ing of decoy ducks, geese and brant
is an unrivaled industry in itself.
Another unique native industry which
grew to be the greatest one of its
kind in the United States, and has
shared honors with the fame of its
oysters, is the wild water farm inaugu-
rated by Joshua Wheaton, another
worthy descendant of the islands
first settlers. Geological gardens ev-
erywhere have been supplied with its
rare specimens and they have been
exhibited widely. Mr.. Whealton's
successor, Thomas j. Reed, specializes
in training wild ducks, who respond
to their names and perform various
tricks. And so, if you "wanta buy a
duck Mr.. Reed can supply you with
trained wild one from Chincoteague,
by way of showing you that Chinco-
league raises super-ducks, as well as
oysters.
The exact date Of the settlement of
Chincoteague is not known. Some
300 years ago four brothers from
England, by the name Of Wheaton,
were driven ashore by a storm on the
coast Of Maine. One married and
settled there, his descendants con-
shutting a large and prosperous fans
lily in Eastern Maine today. The
other three continued southwark, as
planned, but were overtaken by
another gale and sought shelter on
an island inhabited by friendly In
dams, whose chiefs name was Chin
co-teague. One Of these brothers
finally made his way to the mainland