516 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



Recapitulation of Maurice River Cove oyster fleet by home ports and rigs. 



Number of vessels. 



Schooners. Sloops. Total, 



Tonnage. 



Schooners. ' Sloops 



Baltimore, Md 



Brideeton, K.J 



Camden, N. J 



Crisfleld, Md 



Newark, N.J 



Perth Amboy, N.J. 



Philadelphia, Pa 



Somers Point, N.J. 



Tuckerton, N. J 



Wilmington, Del ... 

 Unclaissified 



Total . 



131.50 

 . 547. no 



825. 87 



805. 19 

 13. 25 

 14.53 



8.65 

 23.90 

 14.32 



87.28 



9.04 



131.50 

 , 612. 30 

 917. 81 



18.26 

 8.65 



23.90 

 819. 51 

 100. 53 



14.53 



19.02 



Personnel, wages, ete. — The men who compose the crews of the vessels 

 are usually native-born citizens of the State. They range from 16 to 

 .50 years of age, the majority being from 25 to 40 years old. Those who 

 live in the towns and villages throughout the counties of Cumberland 

 and Cape May are generally experienoed oystermen ; but in the spring, 

 when the demand for help is greatest, large numbers come from the 

 northern part of the State and are frequently inexperienced in the busi- 

 ness. The oyster captains term them " brickyard men." 



Shipping agents sometimes come from Baltimore to engage berths 

 for men from that city and offer to supply crews at reduced wages. 

 The rate quoted for this class of help in the spring of 1893 was $17 per 

 month. The regular oystermen have an unconcealed dislike for this 

 kind of competition. The rate of wages customarily paid to expe- 

 rienced men is $35 per month for common hands and $50 per month, 

 and upward, for captains. When the vessels are engaged in taking 

 up oysters from the planted grounds for market, they do not ordinarily 

 require more than from 4 to 6 men in a crew, including the captain, 

 but this number is generally increased to from 5 to 7 men during the 

 planting season in the spring. 



The captains do not all work for wages ; many of them own vessels ; 

 but in practically all of the localities directly interested in the oyster 

 business there is a class of men who do not own vessels and who rely 

 upon earning a living at "oystering" for wages by the month, either in 

 the capacity of captains or as members of crews. They are, in oyster- 

 men's vernacular, termed "monthlies" or "monthly men." These men 

 have acquired by long experience and training a thorough knowledge of 

 all the details of the work, which gives them a decided advantage over 

 others less experienced and enables them to command higher wages. 



Dredging apparatus. — The apparatus used by each vessel consists 

 chiefly of 2 winders, usually of iron, 2 dredge chains, and 2 dredges. 

 As a matter of fact, nearly every vessel is supplied with 4 dredges, but 

 only 2 are used at a time. The whole equipment for a vessel of the larger 

 class costs, when new, about $100. The winders have 2 iron cranks 



