THE IRISH MOSS

In the early days during World War II we were quite concerned regarding a strange man walking down the road and around our shores. Naturally, we all thought “this man is a spy”, however, on making inquir- ies, we found he was here from Quebec getting information regarding the Irish Moss situation. It turned out to be quite an exciting occasion for this little settlement, however, for many years there were thousands of dollars worth of moss collected and sold here.

After a big wind storm, the shore around the Cape would be piled high with this moss, and people of all ages and sexes were there, even the children would run down at low tide and earn most of their spend- ing money.

At first they had a large building situated on land which we called the “neck of the beach”, but as it was too sandy for the large vans to drive in, the building was moved to Murray Harbour where the pavement was right up to the door.

It was very healthful work in the warm sunshine and the salt water sea breeze. The moss was brought home, and spread out of doors to dry

in the sun, then it was hand screened to kelp and other foreign matter, weighted in, then sold, then pressed into bales and shipped to New Bed- ford, Massachusetts.

The company sent their own vans to transport the moss. When we’d purchase our jello or gelatin, we would realixe that the very moss from our own shores was returning to us in a different form. Now the

moss is extinct here. INDUSTRIES

At one time a brick kiln was operated on the farm now known as the Chapman farm. Hon. Daniel Davis of Charlottetown built a large lob- ster factory on Beach Point, with a large dwelling house and store attach- ed. This factory was managed by a Malcolm MacFadyen from Peter’s Road, and employed a large number of natives. The men worked during the winter manufacturing the cans for the next seasons pack of lobsters Carcasses of meat had to be bought, cut up and cured to be used by the workers, and sold to the fishermen’s families.

Malcolm MacFadyen built the factory at Beach Point and Daniel Davis bought the factory when he left.

There was also a ship yard erected on the beach where a large number of ships were built. After they were completed, they would load

them with lumber and they would set sail for England,vwhere the lumber would be sold to buy supplies. Fire destroyed the factory once, but it was

re-built. When it caught fire the second time, they discontinued the busig ness.

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