THE OYSTER-INDUSTRY. 61 



25. EAELY OYSTER TRADE AT NEW HAVEN. 



Abundance of otsteks in fokmee days. — New Haven is one of the principal depots of the oyster-trade 

 in Connecticut, and in the United States. Witli New Haven, however, 1 inchide Fair Haven, South Haven, West 

 Haven, and Milfoid, since the business all around and off the mouth of the hariior is substantially united. 



From the earliest times the borders of the Quiuepiac river, on the eastern boundary of the city of New Haven, 

 have been the scene of oyster-operations. Shell-heaps along its banks show how the aborigines sought in its waters, 

 season after season, the best of bivalves, and the earliest settlers followed their example. Natural beds of oysters 

 were scattered over the bottom of the whole river for three miles, clear up to the North Haven salt meadows, and 

 at intervals along the eastern shore of the harbor, where favorable coves existed. At all points these mollusks were 

 convenient of access. The result was that the raking of oysters iu this river, and along the eastern shore of the 

 harbor at its mouth, which was a free privilege, was early adopted as a business by many persons who lived near 

 the banks, and a considerable retail peddling-trade was thus kept up throughout the neighborhood, in addition to 

 the home-supply. Wagon-loads of opened oysters iu kegs, traveled iu winter to the interior towns, even as far as 

 Albany, and thence westward by canal. 



26. ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOUTHERN TRADE. 



Importation from New Jersey and the Chesapeake. — It came about, that among the first places in New 

 England to import oysters from New Jersey, and then from Virginia, to be transplanted for additional growth, was 

 Fair Haven ; and ii is probable that far more oysters were brought there from the Chesapeake twenty years, or 

 even ten years ago, than now are. At that time a large tleet of Connecticut vessels was employed in this trafiic 

 every winter, and some stirring traditions remain of perilous voyages during that icy season. They were better 

 oysters that came in those days, also, than now. While a large majority of these cargoes were at once sent into 

 the current of winter-trade, and distributed to customers all over the state (for no other harbor fattened 

 "Chesapeakes" to any extent), a quarter or so of the whole season's importation was regularly bedded down, 

 in Aprd and May, to supply the summer and fall demand. The favorite bedding-ground then, ns now, was "The 

 Beach", a sand-spit running off into the harbor for more than a mile from the Orange (western) shore. This is 

 hare to a great extent at low tide, but covered everywhere at high tide, and is the best possible place for its purpose. 

 The ground on this beach rents at from two to five cents a bushel, according to location. Those occupying the 

 Beach each year — in 1879 they were 23 in number — form themselves into a mutual protective association, and 

 jn-ovide watchmen who never leave the ground. Formerly these watchmen lived in boats housed in, but now, upon 

 opposite extremities of the Beach, jiiles have been driven and two houses have been built, where these men live, and 

 whence they walk or row about day and night to guard the property. They go on duty at the time of the first 

 planting, and remain until the last oyster is gathered, a period usually about nine months long. Their wages are 

 only .§40 a month, and it would seem to be an extremely tedious duty ; yet there is no lack of volunteers for the 

 places. But I have shot ahead of my subject, in following out this matter to its present status ; let me return to a 

 past period. 



The Virginia trade began about forty or fifty years ago, Captain Merritt Farran having been the first man to 

 bring them. His cargo was a sloop-load of about 600 bushels, profitably sold. The trade rapidly grew into 

 immense proportions. Just when it was at its zenith it is hard to say — jn-obably about thirty years ago— and 

 it was then very profitable. The Fair Haven establishments had branch-houses iu all the inland cities, as far as 

 Chicago and St. Louis, and it was reported that the profits of a single house, from 1852 to 1S56, amounted to 

 $25,000 a year. Levi Rowe & Co., alone, in 1S5G, are said to have employed 20 vessels, and 100 openers, and to 

 have sold 150,000 gallons of oysters, while companion -houses shipped from 1,000 to 1,500 bushels per day throughout 

 the season. In 1S57-'5S, according to De Broca, from 200 to 250 schooners were employed in supplying the 

 establishments of Connecticut from the Chesapeake and Fair Haven, which alone, he says, made use of 2,000,000 

 bushels, but this undoubtedly was a large exaggeration ; one-half of that would certainly more than cover the facts. 

 Half a dozen years later, when De Broca wrote, the decline was very perceptible. 



De Broca's description of New Haven in 1802.— Some extracts from Lieutenant De Broca's report, made 

 iu 1862, to the French government, upon the oyster-industries of the United States, and re])rinted in the first 

 report of the United States Fish Commission, will present interesting, if not wholly trustworthy, reminiscences of 

 New Haven at that time, where Lieut. De Broca is well remembered. This writer says : 



New Havcu, the capital of Counecticut, ranks next to Boston iu importance, iu the oyster-trade. The husiness is divided into two 

 distinct branches, the culture of oysters and the various occupations connected with their transportation to the towns of the interior 



Th(^ principal plantations are situated in the bay. Commencing at a short distance from the head of the great pier, they extend over 

 a distance of aliout three miles, almost without interruption ; on the one hand to the southern part of the saody point, and on the other to 

 Morris creek, always leaving free the channels of navigation leading to the harbor. 



