CONNECTICUT: NEW HAVEN AND VICINITY. - 325 



fur trade also claimed the attentiou of New Haven merchants. No sealers have been owned here 

 for 7nauy years past, that fishery being carried on from New London and Stonington. 



At present almost the only fishery engaged in at New Haven is the oyster fishery. Some 

 lobsters, about 100,000 pounds yearly, are taken off New Haven Harbor, and a large seine, nearly 

 a mile long, is sometimes set for menhaden. The fish markets of New Haven are supplied from 

 New York, Boston, Gloucester, and Portland. 



109. THE OYSTEE INDUSTRY. 



HISTORY: IMPORTATION OF SOUTHERN OYSTERS. The oyster business is fully reported by 

 Mr. Ingersoll. He says: "New Haven is one of the principal depots of the oyster trade in Con- 

 necticut, and in the United States. From the earliest times the borders of the Quinepiac Eiver, on 

 the eastern boundary of the city of New Haven, have been the scene of oyster operations. Shell- 

 heaps along its banks show how the aborigines sought in its waters, season after season, the best 

 of bivalves, and the earliest settlers followed their example. Natural beds of oysters were scat- 

 tered over the bottom of the whole river for 3 miles, clear up to the North Haven salt meadows, 

 and at intervals along the eastern shore of the harbor, where favorable coves existed. At all 

 points these mollusks were convenient of access. The result was that the raking of oysters in 

 this river, and along the eastern shore of the harbor at its mouth, which was a free privilege, was 

 early adopted as a business by many persons who lived near the banks, and a considerable retail 

 peddling trade was thus kept up throughout the neighborhood, in addition to the home supply. 

 Wagon loads of opened oysters in kegs traveled in winter to the interior towns, even as far as 

 Albany, and thence westward by canal. 



"It came about, that among the first places in New England to import oysters from New 

 Jersey, and then from Virginia, to be transplanted for additional growth, was Fair Haven ; and it 

 is probable that far more oysters were brought there from the Chesapeake twenty years or even 

 ten years ago than now are. At that time a large fleet of Connecticut vessels Avas employed in 

 this traffic every winter, and some stirring traditions remain of perilous voyages during that icy 

 season. They were better oysters that came in those days, also, than now. While a large majority 

 of these cargoes were at once sent into the current of winter trade, and distributed to customers 

 all over the State (for no other harbor fattened 'Chesapeakes' to any extent), a quarter or so of 

 the whole season's importation was regularly bedded down, in April and May, to supply the 

 summer and fall demand. The favorite bedding ground then, as now, was 'The Beach,' a sand- 

 spit running off into the harbor for more than a mile from the Orange (western) shore. This is 

 bare to a great extent at low tide, but covered everywhere at high tide, and is the best possible 

 place for its purpose. The ground on this beach rents at from 2 to 5 cents a bushel, according to 

 location. Those occupying the Beach each year in 1879 they were twenty-three in number 

 form themselves into a mutual protective association, and provide watchmen who never leave the 

 ground. Formerly these watchmen lived in boats housed in, but now, upon opposite extremities 

 of the Beach, piles have been driven and two houses have been built, where these men live, and 

 whence they walk or row about day and night to guard the property. They go on duty at the 

 time of the first planting, and remain until 'the last oyster is gathered, a period usually about nine 

 months long. Their wages are only $40 a month, and it would seem to be an extremely tedious 

 duty; yet there is no lack of volunteers for the places. But I have shot ahead of my subject, in 

 following out this matter to its present status; let me return to a past period. 



"The Virginia trade began about forty or fifty years ago, Capt. Merritt Farran having been 

 the first man to bring them. His cargo was a sloop-load of about GOO bushels, profitably sold. 



