Daily Republican., 1885-04-21
A New Enterprise
ITS FUTURE PROSPECTS.

ilD ~ CltE L IlODI EOlL
Among the many important ac,
passed by the Legislature at tho recer
session was one incorporating the wi
mington OIL and Leather COMPANY. a
enterprise belonging exclusively I
residents Of this city. Last week th
subscribers to the stock held n meetin
and elected the following board Z
directors
Y. James Belt, II. G. Conrad, s. /
West, John Wainwright, and B. +
jackson. who organized by selecting z
James Belt as President s. l.. West
Vice President Henry G. Conrad
Treasurer Is. +. jackson, Secretary
The purpose of this company is {,
engage In porpoise fishing on III,
Atlantic coast, and in utilizing the pro
ducts for the highest marketable value
The history of the formation of tn.
company is interesting, and as 1t II
probable that IL will ere long become
prominent in this community as one ol
Wilmington's many and varied indus
tries, the following facts are given
Something over year ago a gentleman
residing in this city, seeing q school oil
pCrpoises tumbling about In the waters
OF the Delaware bay, made some inquiries
about them, and found that the fish, II
indeed 1t can be. called fish, is cos
mopolite among other denizens of the
deep. 1t Is a native of all climes, and
is found on every shore and about the
mouth Of rivers and inlets, in sounds
and hays.
These facts led to other inquiries as
to the value Of these huge fish, as a
commercial product, and IL was ascer.
tained that they could be utilized for .
number Of purposes. 1t was found
that the flesh was coming into use az
food. that the oil is of the finest and
most valuable quality, and that leather
OF the best and most durable kind,
which brings the highes. price, can be
mado from their skins Investigation
showed that the difficulty which had
bea: experienced in taking these very
valuable fish had in a great measure
retarded tie development of this high
ly important industry, and hatalthough
company had been formed, and was
operating at Cape May, there were
many things which coD bined to pre-
vent its becoming Rs profitable as II
should be.
The gentleman whose attention was
thus attracted to this matter spoke of
his observations to several gentlemen
In this city, and after the matter had
been tho:oughly cannssed it was re-
solved 10 organize a company, and
inquiry developed the fact that for the
past seventy-fve years mum bers Of
men on the South Atlantic coast have
been engaged in taking porpoises. with
an annual catch of not less than n
thousand during the season, which ex-
tends from the first OF Novemb ber to the
first Of April, and that the fish taken
were of the largest and finest quality.
Colonel Wainwright then opened cor
with parties residing on a
strip of land extending about fifty
on the North Carolina coast, and after
a number of letters bad passed, de-
to visit the place.
He eft this city January 4th, and
proceeded by rail t9 Elizabeth City, n.
C., where he took sail boat. Will ioh is
used for. the purpose Of carrying the
mail, for his destination near Hatteras
inlet. He found the people hospitable
in every respect, and that the Island
contained four small post-otiices, Hat
terae, Buxton, Kenekeet and Rodanthe.
There are something over Thousand
and they are almost isola-
ted from the rest OF the world. Schools
are unknown, and but few of the people
can read or write.
They are their own physicians, and
graduates of medical colleges, or attor-
neys ut law, have never even visited the
place consequently the residents are
healthy, ard law suits are among the
things of which these primitive people
have yet to learn.
There are no regular preachers, Dut
the people are mostly Methodists ano
hold meetings among themselves. They
are moral, strictly honest and do not al
low liquor to be sold on the Island
Their principal food is obtained by
hunting and fishing, but fig tree'
abound, and there are a few apples
pears, peaches and other fruit. AT thii
place Colonel Wainr!Rbt found a maj
named Urias O'Neal, with whom he hat
been corresponding, AID who received
him In the most hospitable manner
Mr.. O'Neal gave him every possible
In formation concerning the catching o
the fish, ard before the Colonel left th,
place be had made arrangements will
Mr.. O'Neal to act as the superintendent
and have full charge OF the tshini
operation In the event CT q company be
ing formed.
After his return to this city, Colone
Waipright made known the result o
his visit to the other gentlemen interest
ed in tho matter; and 1t was determined
to organize q company. Exclusiv
| right was secured to over fifty miles o
the beach, and application made to tn
Legislature of this State for a charter
which was granted about two week
ago. The capital stock of the compan.
Is represented by 10000 shares OF ~
par value, of which 1000 shares ar
being sold at IS each to obtain o work
ing capital of $40, 100, which will secur
to them the necessary buildings, boats
steam rendering watts, presses and othe
machinery necessary for the successfu
prosecution of the business. Over 90
of these shares have already been dis
posed Of, snd the money paid into tn
treasury.
The Wilmington Company will fis
Exclusively with large snrf boats an
seines, but 1t is probable that larg
steamer will be procured, and fitted W It
refrigerating apparatus, for the purpos
of conveying the choice portions Of tn
meat to New York and Philadelphis
The trip can be made to the latter cit
in two days, and the meat delivere
in o perfect condition. During last fal
white tho Cape May Company was 1
full operation, 1t was discovered tha
lporpoise flesh was savory to the tast,
land it soon became popular and !
lgreat demand. The juicy red mes
which Is taken from beneath layer {
fat next to the skin, Is pronounced b
Iepicures to be more palatable tina
any porterhouse or sirloin steak eve
cooked. In APPEARANCE 1t resembles bee
but is more solid, and of finer grail
and very tender.
Some parties who ate of 1t last ia
say that it tastes like vension, and thi