.' 



196 THE FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



obtained a load for their sailboats, proceed at once to the city and deliver them to the dealer, by whom they are 

 employed to buy or with whom they have contracts. The measure, in this transaction, is the same box as before, 

 but the price has nearly doubled, holding all last season at 75 cents a barrel. While the gatherers are i)aid per 

 measure for what they catch, the profits of the boatmen are divided among the crew by a 'lay' arrangement of 

 sharing, by which the crew pay provision bills and receive 60 per cent, of the proceeds. Of the owner's 40 per 

 cent, remaining, the captain gets 10 or 15 per cent, additional. In a few cases the captains own their vessels, and 

 prefer to hire theii- crew at $20 or $_'5 a mouth. There are only two or three men in the whole crew of an oyster- 

 boat." 



Mobile oyster-boats. — "They are small, light-draft vessels," says Mr. Stearns, "ranging from 3 to 20 tons in 

 size and are rigged as schooners or sloops (not much attention being given to the matter) in the common American 

 style. They are arranged so as to have as much deck and hold room as possible for the oysters ; therefore, their 

 cabins are small and uncomfortable. From the cabin bulkhead to the mast the space iu the hold is uninterrupted, 

 except by the center-board case, and there the load of oysters is carried. It is not often that the deck is heajied 

 with oysters, but the clear, roomy space is useful in culling and handling the oysters as they are received and 

 discharged. These vessels are not-graceful or pretty, for their light draft (not more than 2 or 3 feet) and full lines 

 destroy all intentions in that way. They are rather cheaply and roughly built, too, but as they are not intended 

 for or used in rough water, they will last almost as long and earn (^uite as much money as finer and more costlj" ones 

 would. Twenty thousand dollars would buy the whole fleet, and another $20,000 represent all additional capital 

 invested." 



■ Sale statistics for Mobile. — Trustworthy statistics of the production of Mobile bay are not available. 

 About 20,000 bushels I estimate as the sales of planted stock, and I consider that 00,000 bushels would cover the 

 whole consumption at Mobile. 



This yields the following approximate returns to the respective classes engaged: 



40,000 bushels "reefers", at 15 cents a bushel profit, gives catchers |6, 000 



40,000 bushels "reefers", at 13 cents a bushel profit, gives carriers 5, '^00 



40,000 bushels ' ' reefers ", at 15 cents a bushel profl t, give shippers 6, 000 



The first value of this 40,000 bushels of " reefers", therefore, is $6,000 ; the second, $11,200 ; the third, $1 7,200 ; 

 and the retailer probably receives $25,000 or more iu dealing out to consumers. The value of the 20,000 bushels 

 of plants is about $17,500 to the planter and $20,000 to the wholesaler. For our purpose we may take the carriers' 

 price, paid by the dealer to the carrier and the planter, as otxr estimate, and say that the total first value of the 60,000 

 bushels is $28,700. The report of the board of trade, that in 1878-'79 business in oysters to the amount of $95,400, 

 and iu 1879-'S0 to the amount of $111,000 was done, no doubt represents sales additional to the strict limits of our 

 inquiry in this matter. 



Oyster-trade of Mobile. — The oyster-dealing, wholesale and retail, and restaurant business in Mobile 

 no doubt supports 100 families, chiefly of colored persons, or at least forms an important part of their annual 

 resources. Many of these are oi)eners, who work by the piece as work offers. Mr. Stearns refers to them in his 

 memoranda as follows : 



The oysters, having been depositefl in a pile in the dealer's warehonse, are next taken in hand by the "openers", who are placed in 

 a circle aronnd the pile, each with his stool, bucket, and oyster-knife. These men are principally negroes and Creoles of the worst 

 character, who find it hard to obtain other employment. Still they are very expert at opening oysters, and often make fair wages. The 

 knives used by them are all of steel, about six inches long, with heavy, flat handles, and wide, thick lilades, rounded at the end. To open 

 an oyster it is held iu the left hand, lower shell down and lips outward, and the shells are quickly pricil o])cn at the hinge, the upper shell 

 being thrust off. One more stroke severs the oyster from the lower shell, and into the bucket it goes, liquor and all. Some kinds of oysters 

 cannot be easily opened in this way, so they are broken first on the lip edge and entered from that side with the knife. The majority of 

 Mobile oyster-openers are very quick while opening either of these ways, but are probably more practiced iu the first. The shells are 

 thrown one side in a pile, and the "openers", if left to themselves, will throw away many good, unopened oysters, in order to hasten 

 through their barrel, if they are opening by the barrel, or to get rid of small oysters, if they are opening by the gallon; therefore, it is 

 necessary to have a man employed to watch them and j)revent this waste. 



When an "opener" has filled his bucket he takes it to a clerk to be emptied into a strainer, when the oysters are measured and placed 

 to his credit. 



The customary price paid for opening oysters is 35 cents per barrel, or 20 cents per gallon. At certain times of the year a barrel 

 of oysters in shell will yield more opened oysters than at others; for instance, iu the fall hardly two gallons are obtained, while iu the 

 winter and spring two to three gallons are taken from one barrel. 



As soon as the oysters have been opened, measured, and drained of their liquor, they are emptied into a large vat that has a strainer- 

 like bottom, and are kept cool by means of ico until needed for shipment or canning. To be shipped to any place not far inland, they are 

 usually placed iu cans varying from one to ten gallons, according to the order, that are not hermetically sealed, but are kept in cont.act 

 with ice. To be shipped to more distant parts they are placed in square cans, containing from one quart to one gallon, and are hermetically 

 scaled. This manner is more costly to the purchaser, but is the safer way, for oysters so put up will keep a long time. 



Pickling oysters has been of some importance here, but there is very little done at it now. The method of treatment was, first, 

 to steam the oysters, and then to place them in small, square tin cans with spiced vinegar, the cans afterward being soldered up air- 

 tight. It is said that this business failed because of much poorly prepared goods being put on the market. Iu pleasant weather, when 

 the gatherers can work and the boats can easily get to the city with large loads of oysters, the Mobile market becomes overstocked, and 

 it is then dilficult to dispose of the catch at any price; but in stormy and cool weather the market is good, for then but few boat-loads 

 come in, partly owing to real difiiculties and partly to the indolent indisposition of the oystermen to work when discomfort attaches to it. 



