THE OYSTER-INDUSTRY. 



169 



Oyster-packing in Maryland, season 1879-'80 — Contiiaued, 



" Baltimore is the only place where tiu cans and wooden cases are used to any extent, shipments from other 

 cities being made almost exclusively in bulk — in barrels, half-barrels, and kegs — and it was thought better merely 

 to ascertain the cost of these without giving their number. 



CuAEACTEEiSTics OF THE " OTSTER-SHUCKEES." — " xVs shown bj the table, there are 6,179 males and 2,460 

 females employed in oyster-shucking in Maryland. During the season they receive as wages $777,779, this being 

 an average of only $90 00. Very few of the shuckers are regularly at work, and while in one week an expert 

 hand may make from $8 to $15, during the next week he may be idle. 



"Of the 6,179 males, nearly all of whom are employed in the 'raw' trade, about three-fourths are negroes, 

 the majority of them being comparatively steady workmen, while the whites are more generally disposed to be idle 

 and intemperate. The few whites in the business are generally of a very low class of society. Within the past 

 year a few females have essayed to shuck raw oysters, but their number is still very small, and will probably so 

 continue, owing to the nature of the work. The 2,400 females are all employed in the steam oyster-houses of 

 Baltimore. They are mostly white girls of from sixteen to twenty-five years of age, the i)roportion of older ones, 

 as well as of colored, being small. These girls are almost without exception of foreign birth or parentage, the 

 largest proportion being of Bohemian origin, with Irish probably coming next. Few American girls, however jioor, 

 will consent to engage in this occupation, as in it both sexes must mingle indiscriminately, without regard to color, 

 class, or condition. Owing to the thorough steaming the oysters are very easily opened, and the amount of physical 

 labor required is comparatively light ; but during busy seasons the work begins about daybreak and lasts until 

 dark, and is of course exceedingly fatiguing. An industriou s hand can make from 75 cents to $1 a day, but from 

 the great irregularity in their work they are probably not engaged over one-half of the time. 



"Considering the class of the people employed in the packing-houses, I do not think it safe to estimate" more 

 than an average of two individuals dependent upon the wages of each shucker, at which rate there are in Maryland 

 17,278 people dependent upon oyster-shucking. 



The oyster-packing firms. — " It may be well to say that there are about 225 men composing the 95 

 oyster-packing firms of the state. A noteworthy fact in this connection, is that the large majority of them are 

 of northern birth, and many of them, especially those in Crisfleld and the smaller packing towns, reside in Maryland 

 only during the oyster-season, returning every spring to theu' northern homes. 3Iore oyster-packers have come 

 from Connecticut than from all other states combined. It is a somewhat singular coincidence, that both Mr. C. S. 

 Maltby and Mr. A. Field, who respectively established the raw and the steam trade, were both originally from 

 Connecticut, and both are still living, the former in active business. There are about 1,125 individuals forming the 

 families of the oyster-packers. 



" During May, June, July, and August the packers of Baltimore are engaged in canning fruits and vegetables; 

 and the same girls who in winter shuck oysters, in summer pare peaches and other fruits. The male shuckers of 

 Baltimore, as well as those of the cities in lower Maryland, having no regular employment in summer, work at 

 whatever odd jobs may be found. 



The manufacture of cans and cases. — "The manufacture of cans and cases, an important industry in 

 Baltimore, is so largely dependent upon oyster-packing, that an effort has been made to oV>tain some .statistics 

 pertaining to it, although the exact figures will appear in the census of manufacturing industries. About $250,000 

 is invested in the business, which gives employment to 400 men (on oyster-cans), whose wages for eight months 

 amounts to about $100,000. This estimate is based on the number of cans used, as shown by the returns from the 

 packing houses, the workmen being paid so much per 100 cans. It was very difficult to obtain any satisfactory 



* Subtractin;; from this, cost oflabor and packing-cases, abont $1,827,000, gives the original cost of these oysters, $2,166,848. Add to this the value of the oyster 

 "plants" sent north, $103,276. and you get .$2,470,124. This is not quite the whole product of Maryland waters, however, and in my general summary I place $2,500,000 

 as the total value aunuidli' of the state. — E. I. 



