46G 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
operation and several in the process of construction. I have 56 acres of hard-hottom oyster ground 
which I was unable to use, owing to its beinw infested with starfish, and I could not keep them off 
until I put steam in my boat ; then I cleared them all away, and in doing so, I cleaned the bottom to 
such an extent that it received the young oyster spat, aud now the ground is covered with oysters and 
free from starfish. When I commenced to rig my sloop into a steamer, the rest of the oystermen 
laughed at me and said I was a fool; but after they found that I could catch more oysters than they 
could, they went to the legislature aud had a law passed to prohibit steam dredging on natural oyster 
beds. But instead of destroying, I claim that the use of the steamers will create natural beds, which, 
I think, I have fully demonstrated by cultivating the 56 acres of ground mentioned above. 
The Early Bird was 31.4 feet long, 13 feet beam, aud 3.4 feet deep; she measured I 
only 7.08 tons. After serving 17 years in the oyster industry she was accidentally jj 
burned in January, 1889. L. 
11. Increase in the steam oyster fleet . — Immediately succeeding the introduction of \ 
steam in the oyster fisheries of Long Island Sound a considerable number of oyster Ij 
steamers were built, and in 1880 there were six in the State of Connecticut, the largest I 
measuring 29.71 tons net; in 1883 there were 31. The following table shows the j 
increase since 1883: ; 
Tear. 
‘Xo. of 
vessels. 
Cargo 
capacity. 
Aggregate 
tonnage. 
1883 
31 
Bushels. 
27, 225 
715. 11 
1884 
40 
36, 720 
1, 004. 80 
1885 
48 
47, 725 
1, 306. 18 
1886. 
53 
53, 325 
1, 498. 23 
1887 
57 
61, 685 
1, 689. 13 
1888 
58 
63, 770 
1, 759. 26 
1889 
57 
62, 225 
. 1,744.08 
* Including three vessels under 5 tons each year. 
12. Size of steamers . — These vessels were then, as now, small screw boats, resem- 
bling the steam tugs used for towing vessels. The steamers recently built, however, 
ditfer greatly from those in use in 1880. The largest was then less than 30 tons — the 
average about 15 tons. Now the average exceeds 30 tons, while the maximum size is 
147.85 tons gross, or 73.93 tons net; several others are nearly as large. The dimen- 
sions, etc., of the largest steamer are: Length, 83 feet; beam, 20 feet; depth, 6 feet; 
cost, $16,000; carrying capacity, 2,500 bushels of oysters; fishing capacity, 1,800 
bushels of oysters per day from grounds 35 feet under water ; crew, 8 men for ordi- 
nary work ; cost of fuel, water, and oil, about $ 100 per month.* 
The average size of steamers built during the 5 years ending in 1889 is about 48 
tons; length, 65 feet; beam, 18 feet; depth, 5.6 feet; capacity, 1,700 bushels; cost, 
$10,000 ; crew, 4 to 6 men. 
*As illustratiug tbe difference in capacity for work between sailing and steam vessels, it is con- 
ceded that the steamer above mentioned can dredge as many oysters in one day as can be taken by a 
medium-sized sailing vessel, with a crew of 3 men, in 70 days, working in the same depth of water, 
35 feet. Considering the great difference in the working power of steam and sailing craft, it is not 
remarkable that the “natural-growthers” raised serious objection to the employment of the former on 
the public beds as soon as their capacity was demonstrated. The legislature compromised in 1879 by 
permitting steamers to dredge 2 days in each week throughout the year; but in 1880 dredging on 
public beds with steam was prohibited. 
