The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-06-25
THE OIL WORKS.
Interesting Process OF Making OH Out
OF Fish Heads.

A reporter was entertained at the
works of the Columbia OIL and Guano
company THE other day, and the process
of making OH was thoroughly explained
Ito him by the accommodating manager,
Mr.. II. ]. Gorman.
The fish offal ds delivered at THE factory
In boats, arranged for 1.-THE purpose, which
pass under the dock and unload by means
of large buckets let down from above
Through trap IN the floor of the dock.
The offal ds hoisted TO THE third floor,
where Vt is dumped into large steam
tight steel retorts. II Is during the pro-
cess OF unloading from the boats that
there ds some little opportunity for odors
to arise, particularly IL the boats are
not always kept as clean as they should
be. The offal itself is brought fresh from
THE canneries daily and there can be
only tine ordinary smell that is noticed
about a cannery.
The steam rdtorts, where the offaa Is
cooked, are run under 40 to 90 pounds Of
steam pressure from eight to ten hours
for each charge. The oil Is drained from
the retorts into separate tank on the
second floor, where 1t Is again cooked
under 60 pound pressure. From this tank
the oil goes into THE u'efiner, where 1t Is
blown through finely perforated steel
sheets. From THE refiner the oil passes
into settling tank from which 1t Is
barelled bor shipment. From the time
the offal goes into the reitorts until the
finished OH is barrelled and THE FERTILIZER,
manufactured from the residium matter,
is turned into the bins none of the mate
fial ever sees daylight. 5
The matter remaining tn tine retorts,
after Ithe oil Us drained of, is forced into
the large Fertilizer drum, which Is built
with double wallis, or an Inside and out
side Jacket. Between these two Jackets
steam constantly circulates and on the
interior set of paddles revolve which
agttates the matter for about an hour,
thus thoroughly drying the matter and
producing a first class clean fertilizer.
The offensive gases arising In the fer
Itilizer tank are conducted Through large
pipes Ito the furnace where they are con-
srned The gas and steam from the
cooking retorus are forced through a 300
foot coil Of pipe and thence into steam
trap where the steam condensss and re-
turns to the boilers, and the gases are
carried through other pipes into the fur
mace and burned.
This Is one of the finest p.ants In the
OOuDlIy diu WHt tIBlHt6 are on Vne tuOBt
modern design, smooth working and al
most nolseless, and second TO none in
the city.
The odors about the factory are about
the same as from the cooking salmon in
IL cannery. The ofnaq is brought daily
from all of THE uprtver canneries ON pas
senger boats, and from all of THE city
canneKes, so that Ut goes into THE factory
fresh. The plant Us now prepared to take
cure of all OF the refuse from an OF the
cannedes within reach and are ready TO
put their goods on the market.
The oil produced has clean color and
ls used with the best results on the en-
gtnes in the plant. A bottle Of 1t, sew
eral months old. when uncorked ematted
no UNPLEASANT odor.
The guano, or fertilizer, is manufact-
red into two grades and is of the very
best grade.
Many OF the neighbory in the immediate
neighborthood say that they notice no dis
agreeable odors from the Oh factory amy
more than from the canneries.
A few more entegprising manufacturers
are needed in this city TO produce more
wsa1ah for the community.