THE OYSTER INDUSTRY OF NEW JERSEY, 497 



Bivalve has been recently given to this locality; it was formerly called 

 Long Reach. Extending along the bank of the river for nearly a 

 quarter of a mile is a row of oyster houses, some 25 in number (exclu- 

 sive of stores and other buildings), provided with wharves and railroad 

 platform. 



A spur of the Central Railroad of New Jersey connects Bridgeton 

 and a number of other localities interested in the oyster industry with 

 Port Norris and Bivalve, furnishing convenient means of travel to the 

 oystermen and shipjDers living in the various towns and villages along 

 the line, and also speedy facility for transporting the oysters to market. 

 The resident population of Bivalve is very small, there being only a few 

 families. The large number of men who may be seen there pursuing 

 their vocation come not only from all parts of Cumberland County, but 

 from each of the other counties to which allusion has been made. 



Bivalve is interesting in many respects. In all its appointments it is 

 extremely characteristic of the industry to which it owes its existence. 

 Formerly the nearest post-office, telegraph office, and not many years ago, 

 railroad station also, were located at Port ISTorris, 1 mile distant. Now 

 this unique business center has all of these conveniences, as well as many 

 others. There are stores at which the oystermen may be furnished with 

 clothing, supplies, outfittings, implements, etc., necessary to their occu- 

 pation; blacksmith shops, where oyster dredges, chains, and various 

 other appliances are made and repaired, and where a great deal of work 

 in the line of ship smithing is done; and marine railways and dry dock 

 conveniently located. The requirements of the large fleet of vessels 

 centering here engaged in the oyster industry furnish employment to a 

 considerable number of men in the various auxiliary trades incidental 

 to it, especially through the winter and early spring, and to some extent 

 during the entire year. But the work of repairing aud painting ves- 

 sels is not all done at Bivalve. So much of it requires attention at the 

 same time that it would be impracticable to accommodate the whole 

 fleet at this place. Consequently a number of other localities on 

 Maurice River, and also at Cohansey and Dividing creeks, where many 

 of the vessel-owners and captains live, are j>rovided with marine rail- 

 ways and other facilities adapted to the needs of the oystermen, 



Maurice River, which emi)ties into Maurice River Cove, is a compar- 

 atively small stream, furnishing navigable communication to a number 

 of towns and villages along its banks, as far inland as Millville, about 

 15 miles from its mouth. These localities are usually interested in the 

 oyster business in one respect or another, either as places of residence 

 of the oystermen and oyster-shippers, or as the hailing ports of ves- 

 sels. The more important of those on the east side of the river, after 

 leaving Millville, are Mauricetown, Dorchester, Leesburg, Heislerville, 

 and the oyster- shipping center called Maurice River. From Bivalve 

 the river pursues a wiiuling course through the marshland to the cove. 

 Looking toward the cove the view is at times rendered picturesque by 

 the white sails of hundreds of oyster sloox)s sailing up and down 

 p 92 32 



