Captain Peter Decker introduced steam power to Oyster cultivation in outfitting his sloop, the Early Bird, according to a 1901 NY Times article, with a steam powered dredging apparatus in 1872. This was technology innovation that put Norwalk on the map for a few years. The oyster industry in South Norwalk was very important, at least to the United States Bureau of Fisheries, in 1881:
The next point is the very important station known as Five-Mile-River or Rowayton, where the cultivation of oysters has been systematically pursued for many years. In all, at present, there are about 35 planters or firms, and nearly or quite as many families are supported. The little creek-month is perfectly filled with oyster-boats, and the other conveniences of this pursuit. I find upon my list of the oyster-fleet 28 sloops and sail-boats, which belong here, some of them very large and well built. I estimate the value of these “sail” and the other floating and shore-property at Rowayton, directly concerned in the oyster- trade of ‘the port, at not far from $30,000.
Rowayton produced, in 1879, which was considered a very poor year, something near 50,000 bushels. How far beneath occasional crops, if not beneath the recent average, this is, is shown by the statement made to me, that about five years ago a single dealer in New York city bought 32,000 bushels of Rowayton oysters. Little of the stock raised at this point fails to reach New York, and within the last three years Rowayton has supplied a large proportion of the oysters sent to Europe, partly by direct shipment. Like all other parts of the East river, the oysters are sold here wholly in the shell; and almost always by the barrel or bushel — the selling “by count” belonging to the region further west and to the Long Island shore.
SOUTH NORWALK. — Just eastward of Rowayton lies the city and harbor of South Norwalk, one of the most important oyster producing localities in Long Island sound, as well as one of the “oldest”.
The bay at the mouth of the Norwalk rtver is filled with islands, which protect the shallow waters from the fury of the gales. This whole bay, in old days, was full of native oysters from the sound, all the way up to Norwalk itself. Long before the elaborate means for growing oysters, at present in vogue, were thought of, therefore, Norwalk supplied the people of that region with fine, large, natural oysters, just as it had for centuries been a storehouse of shellfish food to the Indians, the remains of whose feasts and feasting- places are still to be found. -
About forty years or more ago, however, the natural beds in the vicinity of Norwalk harbor had become so depleted that they no longer afforded to anybody employment that amounted to anything; nor was it until toward the year 1850 that any transplantation of seed, or anything in the shape of the propagation, was attempted. The business of oyster-growing here, therefore, which at first sight seems of immemorial age, is only about thirty years old. The history of its growth need not be given here. It will be sufficient to publish the statistics I have accumulated in regard to the present status of the business at this point.
The principal planters and shippers at South Norwalk (with which I inclnde its suburb, Village Creek) are the Hoyt Brothers, Graham Bell, Oliver Weed, C. Remsen, Raymond & Saunders, Peter Decker, the Burbanks, and several others who raise more than 1,000 bushels a year. In addition to these there are many men who have small beds, which they keep increasing as fast as circumstances permit, and who make a part of their living by working at wages for planters whose operations are more extensive than their own. There is one firm, for instance, which employs the services of 18 or 20 men nearly all the time, and in some seasons largely increases this number. These smaller planters sell their little crops of from 100 to 1,000 or 1,500 bushels to the half a dozen shippers, chief among whom are the Hoyt Brothers and Mr. G. Bell, wisely preferring cash, at a small discount, to the trouble and risk of themselves taking their oysters down to Now York, or elsewhere, in hopes of a slightly larger price. During the present season (1879-’80) the price paid at the boats has averaged about $1, taking little and big together. The culling, as a rule, is done afterward, and the prices the shippers have received, after culling and packing, have been as follows — it is understood, of course, that these are sold in the shell and shipped in barrels, going chiefly to
- New York :
- Per hundred. Per barrel.
- Extras $1 40 $5 25
- Box 90tol 00 5 25
- Culls 45to 50 425
- Cullenteens 35 4 25
- Barrels are valued at 25 cents each.
The total number of bushels produced in 1879 (to which time my statistics refer for the sake of completeness), as well as this year (1880), makes a sum which is asserted to fall far short of what is considered an average or a high estimate. Nearly every man said to me: “Well, this year was a poor one.” How much of this is to be attributed to modesty and a timid desire to belittle the figures, and how much is truth, it is hard to tell. I am inclined to think it pretty nearly true. Prices, at the same time, are much lower than formerly, owing to the unusually poor quality of the oysters of these waters this year and last; but I do not think that this is a permanent depreciation in fatness and excellence of taste (as I fear is the case from Stamford to Port Chester), but only a temporary misfortune. Between scarcity and inferiority, the oystermen of Norwalk find themselves much less cheerful just now than they are wont to be. The total production of this locality, during the season of 1878-’79 (the present season, 1880, will probably be found not greatly to differ from it), is given at about 65,000 bushels.
These oysters, as I have said, were the property of 50 planters, which gives an average of 1,300 bushels to each one. It is probable, however, that as many more persons got their living out of these oysters, from first to last, so that I do not hesitate to say that 100 families in South Norwalk and its immediate vicinity, are supported by the cultivation and sale of oysters there. The estimate of 200 families, which I have often heard made, is undoubtedly too high. This question is ever a hard one to answer, because, in many cases, the head of the family depends only partially upon his professional means of support, the attention he pays to it and the income he derives, varying
with each good or bad season. Most oystermen are also farmers or fishermen. Many of them, also, keep summer hotels, and thus add largely to their income during the dull season at the beds.Every supposed available spot for oyster-operations, probably, is now set apart for that purpose, not only inside of the Norwalk islands, but also in the outside waters of the sound off the mouth of the harbor. Only a portion of this is in use, however ; in all, about 680 acres out of 2,300, in round numbers, which have been designated in Norwalk harbor. The average production at present, therefore, is less than 100 bushels to the acre of land actually cultivated, and only about 28 bushels to the acre of bottom held for the purpose of oyster-cultivation. I see no reason why future years ought not to see ten times as large a proportion.
The fleet of Nonvalk used by the oystermen in their business, consists of 2 steamboats, a dozen sloops, and about 30 sharpies and sail-boats,jjf less size and value than the “sloops”, most of them being without decks.
Besides this there are skiffs innumerable. This disparity in the number of large sloops between so important a place as Norwalk and some of the small ports westward, is explained by the fact that the planters here do not often themselves take their goods to New York.
What shall be given as the amount of the investment at South Norwalk is a difficult question. The answer can hardly be more than guessed at. There are several large warehouses and offices devoted to the work.
Extensive wharves have been built, and arrangements for landing are made. There are 25 or 30 “arks”, as they are termed, or floating oyster-houses, made by housing in half a canal-boat, a scow, or some old hulk, and there is an extensive outfit of boats and tools. I jndge that the following table represents nearly the truth of the case:
- 2,300 acres ‘oyster-ground, worth $6,000
- Shore-property for business- use 10,000 “
- Arks” and scow-bouses 5,000
- Sloops and other boats 25,000
- Steamers 0,000
- Floats, dredges, tools, etc 3,000
- 55,000
This, of course, leaves out all estimate upon the value of the oysters now upon the beds, or the money which has been spent (and sunk) in improvement, up to this time. This is a matter which it would be exceedingly difficult to ascertain, and of small importance, because constantly varying and undecided. I suppose about $50,000 a year are reinvested in the beds at Norwalk, counting the time of the planters as so much money ; if it were cash expended, however, instead of their own labor, they could not follow it. Fewcan afford to hire help, except occasionally, for a few days at a time. Wages, in that case, are from $1 to $2 per day.
