Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-12-09

WIG screeIe, eiIieu5 lakes. These flake:
are about 215 feet hing and about 90 in
ches wide. Fish which are seven or eigh,
| inches long are put up in mustard and
are knoN IS "mustarGs The smaller
| nsh are known as oils Up to this
point the process for preparing first for
safdlnes, seems every where TO be the
same. Beyond this point the processes
differ greatly both in American and in
foreign countries. Ii is claimed that the
best sardines are TO be made only by dry.
Ing the fish in the sunlight and in the
open air, after they have been sailed and
ana washed rs above described. Then after
oelng dried they should be placed in wire
| baskets. few at time, and immersed for
TWO or three minutes in vats of pure olive
oil heated to a high degree. The object of
enls, aside from cooking, Is to drive ont
ohe water lefs in the fish. and TO allo "
me OIL IN some degree to take its place
After this is donei the fish are packed
horizontally in the well known little tin
boxes, until the boxes are flied. when the
spaces are filled by pouring in melted
butter and oil, afGer which the boxes are
sealed and packed for market. 1t is
doubtful il genuine melted butter is nov
oil being used instead There are several
iorelgn factories, and few in America,
where the above process is followed in
other particulars.
There has always Ieen difficulty in get
oihg uniformly good results in sun dry
ing, especially in the moist climate of the
Maine coast although the same difficulty
is experienced abroad Almost without
exception, sardine packers have been
compelled to provide means for drying
by artificial heat, and good results have
been obtained With rapidly increasing
supply and under the pressure of share
competition, prices fell level with and
even below the cost Of production Nat
urally if not wisely, manufacturers have
been seeking to cheaper cost Cotton
seed oil has gradually taken the place of
olive oil.
1t is charged that this is purely a
Yankee trick. But investigation shows
that the use Of cotton seed oil Is quite as
general in Europe as in America, and
that the objection to its use arises more
from prejudice than from sound basis,
provided, however, that only the best
grade OF cotton seed oil be used.
While it is undoubtedly true that sar-
dimes put up in strictly pure olive Oil
are better, it must be remembered they
cost more and it must be conceded that
those put up in cotton seed oil in the
best possible manner, are only slightly
inferior, and ara wholesome and nutri-
tious article Of food.
The next step in the cheapening pro
cess was perhaps more serious in its ultt-
mate effect upon the business. To meet
the constant clamor fer low priced
goods, several factories, at home and
abroad, adopted the plan of cooking the
fish on flakes in hot air chambers instead
of frying them in Oil. But these changes
and Innovations have afforded only
temporary relief All methods of reduc-
ing cost, have been pushed to the limit
except on the line of labor.
A cut down inGwages was made in
Eastport and in Lubec during the past
summer, 0S95) and partial strike
resulted. The wages paid boys and girls
for dressing the fish had averaged from
$3.50 to $500 per day. Sealers had
received from $500 to s. 90 per day.
Other help had been paid in about the
same proportion. The manufacturers
took the ground that wages had been too
high. The employees replied that the
work lasted but Il few months In the year,
and was intermittent even in the packing
season.
While it is true that wages paid at
PASSPORT and at Lubcc were rather above
wages paid at similar other factories in
the State, the force and truth of the re
joinder must be admitted. The effect of
the strike was to materially lessen tie
output of sardines for the present year,
but was finally settled and work was
resumed at the old scale of prices. The |
sardines are sold by agents who handle |
them on commission. When the consign-
ment is landed on the wharves of the |
transportation company the agent may be |
drawn upon for part of the value of the |
shipment. This arrangement in some
instances has enabled the canneries |
to carry on more business than would |
otherwise have been undertaken. 1t may
also have been an indirect cause of the
rapid increase in the number of plants |
From these or other causes, the combined |
capacity of our sardlne factories seems to |
be greater than the demand, and prices |
have gone very low.
But this great industry, backed by |
Maine money ana Maine enterprise Will |
not die, nor will 1t long langush. When |
once 1t receives a decided check, a careful |
analysis of the situation will reveal a way
by which it will rise TO greater prosperity |
than it has yet achieved. The fears that |
the fish would become extermnated do |
not seem to have been well grounded and |
the Legislature has wisely guarded |
o gaiust this by close time from Dec. 10 |
to July II of each year, so We need have
no fears of the supply failing
IT an out side observer, who claims to |
have no definite practical knowledge Of |
the business conditions which govern the |
sardine business. may he allowed to make |
suggestions the writer would say that !
the quite general custom of initiating the |
French labels seems TO him to be alto |
gether wrong. The first point should be |
to acquire and control the American |
market, and the manufacture OF supe |
rlor and distinctivcly American product |
should be the first step in this direction. |
An independent reliable trade should be |
undertaken and built up for an American |
brand Of goods, and its claim en- the |
public should be based solely on its ex- |
cellencc above all others We cannot |
deny the fact today that certain French |
sardines are superior to ours. But it IS a