200 THE FISHERIES OF THE UNITED STATES. 



say tbey mnst have higher prices than formerly, on account of the growing scarcity of oysters, and the longer time 

 it takes to get their load. Many more are oystering now than before the war. 



At the levee opposite, or just below the famous old French market, is the other and greatest oyster landing- 

 place, mustering about 205 boats, with 61.5 men or more in the crews, and the picturesque scene I have heretofore 

 described. The estimate of annual receipts there at present gives 50,000 barrels, or 125,000 bushels, commonly sold 

 at §2 to $3 50 per barrel. All of these come from westward of the delta, and being larger and finer are, as a rule, 

 bought by the saloons and restaurants, and served to their customers on the shell. 



WnARFMEN ON THE LEVEE. — A j^eculiar feature of the business on the levee, consists of an organization of 

 wharfmen, who form a species of close-corporation to do the work of carrying the oysters from the boats to the 

 wagon of the purchaser, who pays them 15 cents a barrel for the service. The boatman having sold his cargo, 

 he then has no further concern : his boat being taken in charge by the carrier, who might be called a 'longshore man, 

 and who delivers all the oysters and sweeps the vessel and i)uts her in proper condition for the crew. While there 

 is no society of these carriers, strictly speaking, they manage to make their business a close-corporation, since no 

 one is allowed to discharge a cargo of any kind from the luggers — oysters, oranges, or fruit — except one of the 

 members of the body. There is a man who is called the foreman, who receives all the money for the carriers and 

 who divides the proceeds equally among the different carriers, but just how this is regulated, as well as many other 

 of the details of this quasi-organization, is kept as mysteriously secret as possible. The body is an old one and 

 now consists of about 50 men in all, mostly Sicilians and low-grade Italians, and, as near as I can judge, the annual 

 receipts for the carriers amount to about $35,000, levied on the oysters, oranges, melons, and various fruits. 8ome 

 j-ears ago the city designated a man to act as foreman, and he held the post for twenty-two years, not giving it np 

 until his death, when he was succeeded by his son, who now has the place. The system is beginning to be felt as 

 an unwarranted incubus on the trade, and a monopoly which should be opposed. In consequence it doubtless will 

 soon be broken up, and each purchaser will land his own oysters," or the boatmen deliver them to the wagons at 

 less cost than now. The levees are lea'sed by the city to a firm, who collect $20 a year wharfage from the luggers. 



Shipjients of oysters FE03I N^EW ORLEANS. — The shipment of oysters inland fi'om New Orleans has 

 hitherto been of very small account, and principally of fresh oysters. Now, however, at least two canning 

 establishments have been started in the city, which make a large item in their general preserving business of 

 cooked and hermetically sealed oysters, prepared substantially as in Baltimore. Several brands have been put 

 upon the market with good satisfaction, selling at $2 50 per dozen two-pound cans for first quality, and $1 80 for 

 second, and at $1 10 for one-pound cans. About $100,000 worth of these canned oysters are said to have been 

 put up during 1880, nearly all of which wei-e taken by the trade of the city and immediate neighborhood. The 

 capital invested is, perhaps, $75,000, but is ai^plied to shrimp-, lobster-, and fruit-canning as well as oysters. In 

 these establishments only about 30 male adults are employed, the ojieners being giils, about 100 in number, all 

 white and chiefly German and American in nationality, who are paid from 4 to 6 cents for each kettleful, a "kettle'" 

 holding two quarts. Work is irregular, because of the difficulty of getting oysters in sufficient quantity and when 

 needed (owing mainly to the indisposition of the oystermen to work in bad weather), and the total earnings of the 

 openers and employes during the "oyster-run" in the factories, will probably not exceed $20,000. These factories 

 have not been long enough in progress to furnish more exact information than is here given. Their capacity 

 is far in advance of their present product, and they anticipate a highly successful future, confident that they can 

 secure the trade of the lower Mississippi valley, to the exclusion of oysters canned in northern cities. 



Statistics for New Orleans. — In summary, we have the following statistics for New Orleans: 



Total numbor of boats employed 165 



Value of same $1^,750 



Vahie of shore-property ami tools, about |d;5, 000 



Total number of oystermen 1,300 



Numl>er of shoresmen 100 



Annual proiluet, about bushels.- 29r), 000 



Value of same, about §200, 000 



Average price per bushel, about $0 70 



Number of carriers 50 



57. OYSTBR-INDUSTEY OF TEXAS. 



Receipts at Galteston. — At Galveston, Texas, the receipts of oysters are composed in the main of small, 

 medium-flavored -stock, obtained in Galveston bay and brought to the city in small boats. Mr. F. F. Ainsworth 

 writes me, also: 



A cousidevable number are received by steamers, being brought in sacks from points to the west of Galveston, such as ludianola and 

 Corpus Christi. A few are brought also from Morgan City and points on the Louisiana coast, these last being very fine and of good flavor, 

 bringing rather better prices. 



