Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-09-25
Karrick Urges Shutdown
Of Oyster Shocking Plant
District Facility
Under Attack by
Health Service
BY EMERSON BEAUCHAM

ny EMEAoVN nEAUChAMR
District Commissioner David
B. Karrick today recommended
a complete shutdown of the city
owned oyster shucking house on
the Municipal Wharf.
The shocking house was the
prime target of a blistering
Public Health Service attack on
the Districts shellfish santa
ton program last March.
Mr.. Karrick's proposal is the
second move in two weeks to-
ward bringing the shellfish pro-
gram up to PHS standards. The
Commissioners earlier SEIZED.
uled q public hearing on pro-
posed shellfish regulations for
10 am. October IA.
The Public Health Service
gave the District shellfish pro-
gram a rating of 25.7 out of a
possible 100 in its inspection.
A score of 10 is required Tor
PMS Endorsement. and a rating
of 80 is recommended.
Found Below Standards
In particular, the health
service found the shucking
house so far below the STAN
dards required that the
only recommendation it is pos
sible to make would be com.
plete renovation of the present
plant or the construction of q
new one"
Mr.. Karrick said he had de-
cided the expense of renovating
or building a new facility would
be "unwarranted and unrea-
sonable." He estimated it
would cost minimum Of 81, 500
and take four months to put
the shocking house in "rea.
sonably satisfactory" condi.
ton.
He announced his decision
at press conference attended
by Health Director Daniel L.
Finucane: William H. Cary,
chief Of the Food and Public
Health Engineering Bureau;
Cabell Gwathmey, director of
licenses and inspections, and
William Heath. Highway De-
partment engineer.
Based on Report
Mr.. Karrick's decision was
based on report by DR.. Finu-
cane, MFR. Cary, Mr.. Gwathmey
and Assistant Corporation
Counsel c. Belden White II.
The Commissioner pointed
out part Of the wharf will be
demolished to make way for the
new Southwest freeway and the
new Washington Channel cross
ing. The rest of the wharf. he
said. including the shucking
house, will be inaccessible while
the road construction is going
on. Construction is expected
to begin next July.
Mr.. Karrick recommended
the shocking house be closed
on the effective date of the
proposed new shellfish regula.
lions, which he predicted the
Commissioners will approve
after the October IA hearing.
Asked why the shocking
house could not be closed inn
mediately. Mr.. Karrick said
that might work an unneces.
sary hardship on boat owners
who tied up at the wharf, get
their oysters shucked at the
city-owned facility and sell
them from their boats. An es-
timated is boats use the shuck-
ing house.
Opposed by Boat Owners
Boat owners have complained
that it is unfair to deprive them
of their only means Of getting
oysters shucked. They say
there is little demand for oys.
tiers in the shell but a good bus
mess for shucked oysters put
up in jars.
p Mr.. Karrick said his pro-
poSal would not affect the right
of boat owners to tie up at the
wharf and sell shell oysters,
crabs and clams-at least as
long as the wharf is in existence.
Presumably the beginning Of
freeway construction would put
them out of business.
Plans for replacing the wharf
have not been made. Mr.. Kari
rick said building a new wharf
would depend on how much de-
Ynand thara iS, for one