THE OYSTER INDUSTRY OF NEW JERSEY. 481 



qnite expensive, costing- $45 or more when new. Tliey are ordinarily 

 propelled by oars, but are also provided with a sprit sail, and have a 

 sciuiitar-sliaped centerboard. Tlie luast is placed well forward, as in 

 a cat-rigged boat. Tlicir carrying capacity is from 10 to 20 bissbels of 

 oysters. They were designed originally for a gunning boat in which 

 to hunt ducks or other sea fowl, and seem to be more suitable for that 

 purpose than for oywter tonging. They are not much used in the oyster 

 fisheries, except at Barnegat. 



Large sail boats are used for towing the tonging boats and carrying 

 oysters. The majority of these are cat boats about 23 feet in length, 

 and similar in construction to those used in the Kew England States. 

 They cost about $500 each. Sloop-rigged boats are used for the same 

 purpose. They are usually 25 feet in length, and sometimes cost as high 

 as $800. The cat and sloop boats have a round bottom with center- 

 board. In addition to these there are a number of sharpies (found 

 chiefly at Barnegat) of the Connecticut pattern, about 23 feet long and 

 costing $200 each. Thej' are propelled by sails mostly, but frequently 

 with oars. Some of the larger cat boats and sloops are used during 

 the summer for carrying pleasure parties at Atlantic City. The tong- 

 ing boats are not strictly confined to the "garvey " and ''sneak box" 

 ty]ies, but sharpies and other sailboats are used for that purpose, when 

 not too large. 



SHARK RIVER. 



Shark River is a broad, shallow stream connecting with the ocean by 

 a narrow inlet at Belmar. It was, at one time, considered important 

 on account of its natural adaptability for the cultivation of oysters, 

 but in recent years the shifting sands of the coast have had a gradual 

 tendency to till up the inlet, thus impeding the free circulation of tide 

 waters, until the river has degenerated into what is now little more 

 than a large pond. Sometimes the inlet closes and the water becomes 

 almost stagnant. 



The character of the bottom is diversified. There are extensive flats 

 of mud, smaller tracts of sand, and considerable areas of nitural oyster 

 beds. The oystermen believe that if the inlet were dredged to a depth 

 sufficient to admit light- draft vessels, and properly secured by bulk- 

 heads to prevent the sand from drifting in again, the river would 

 become very valuable for oysters and fish. 



An act was passed by the legislature in 18G1 i)roviding that the free- 

 holders of the county (Monmouth) should appoint commissioners whose 

 duty it should be to survey the bottom of the river, within certain 

 specified boundaries, and stake it off in lots or subdivisions not exceed- 

 ing 2 acres each, and lease them at public sale to tlie highest bidder 

 for the purpose of planting and growiiig oysters ; that no person should 

 own more than 2 acres, and no comp.iny more than 5, for a period of 

 not less than one year or exceeding five years; that after the necessary 

 expenses imiDosed on the commissioners by the act and compensation 

 F 92 31 



