The Exploitation and Absurdity of New York's Oyster Industry

This chapter explores the exploitation and over-harvesting of oysters in New York, highlighting the impact on different communities. It discusses the inequality and absurdity of laws preventing slaves and servants from accessing oysters, as well as the ongoing conflict over oyster beds between New Jersey and Staten Island. The chapter also delves into the unsanitary sewage system and the conditions in which oysters were kept in the past.