144 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
The shore industries . — Two shore branches of the fishing business occupy the 
attention of the people of Alabama; these are the wholesale trades in oysters and 
fish, which are carried on at Mobile. 
The wholesale oyster trade consists of several branches: the shipment of oysters 
in the shell; the shucking of oysters for shipment in ice in buckets, half-barrels, bar- 
rels, etc., and the packing of shucked oysters in hermetically sealed buckets, holding 
from 1 to 4 quarts. As shown in Table 39, eight firms were engaged in the oyster trade 
in 1889 and 1890. These handled 78,076 barrels of shell oysters in 1890, for which 
$80,292 was paid; the shell and opened oysters sold for $132,627, giving $52,335 as 
the gross profits of the industry. Other details of the business are brought out in 
Table 39. 
The fish trade was engaged in by four firms in 1889 and 1890. In the latter year 
2,348,270 pounds of fish were purchased, at a cost of $123,838; these were sold for 
$165,503, so that the gross profits of the business were $41,665. Other features of 
this branch are shown in Table 40. Some firms devote attention to both oysters and 
fish, and in the separation of these two trades in the tables it has been necessary to 
make an arbitrary division of persons and property. The tables should therefore be 
considered conjointly. 
39. — Table showing the wholesale oyster trade of Alabama in 18S9 and 1890. 
Designation. 
1889. 
1890. 
Number of firms 
Number of employes 
Value of property 
Cash capital 
Wages paid to shuckers and others .. 
Oysters bandied: 
“Reefers” bbls.. 
Value paid 
“Cullings ” bbls.. 
Value paid 
“Plants” bbls.. 
Value paid 
Total bbls.. 
Value paid 
Value of products as sold 
Enhancement in value 
8 
85 
$19, 600 
$19, 200 
$24, 969 
50, 797 
$44, 178 
7,815 
$8, 597 
8, 655 
$17, 110 
67, 267 
$69, 885 
$116, 960 
$47, 075 
8 
95 
$20, 050 
$23. 100 
$28, 454 
58, 825 
$50, 001 
9, 113 
$10, 015 
10, 138 
$20, 276 
78, 076 
$80. 292 
$132, 627 
$52, 335 
40. — Table showing the wholesale fish trade of Alabama in 1889 and 1890. 
Designation. 
1889. 
1890. 
Number of firms 
Number of employes 
Value of property 
4 
13 
$8, 725 
$21. 000 
*3, 904 
2, 039, 520 
$108, 287 
$146, 186 
$37. 899 
4 
14 
$8, 850 
$22, 500 
.$4. 067 
2, 348. 270 
$123. 838 
$165, 503 
$41, 665 
Wages paid 
Fish bandied pounds. . 
Value paid 
Enhancement, in value 
