The record-union., 1897-08-18

ries about twenty men and a generous
supply of boats She steams along the
mudbanks that the menhaden frequent
until a broad stretch of grease on the
surface of the water is sighted Then
the purse nets are set and the draw
is made. When the first draw comes
on board there is an exciting moment
for everybody, from skipper to scullion.
The number, weight and fuIlness of the
fish are carefully noted, and the
prophets make their predictions for the
season accordingly. If the fish are run
ming We'll, the nets will be jammed full,
for there is no kind of fish that herds
more closely than the nenhaden. When
a big school is struck there is lively
work with the nets to land as many Of
them as possible Often the fish run
close in shore, and then boats are sent
out from the steamer to set the nets.
The menhaden steamer may be two
months in filing it's hold, according to
the 'fshermans s luck that it has. AS
soon as it is loaded, however, it steams
away to a fish factory, it matters not
which one, for all the thirty-five fac
tories now in operation along the coast
are under the control of the Menhaden
Fish and Oil Association, otherwise
known as the Menhaden trust.
The work that goes ON at the fac
tory is different from that seen in any
other industry, and a few Of it's novel
features are shown in the accompany
ing cuts, which were made from original
photogra phs taken at the factory in
Liverton, r. l., the largest in the coun-
try. AS soon as the steamer anchors
alongside the wharf a big elevator shaft
is let down into her hold. This shaft is
fitted with scoops set on endless chain,
similar to the arrangement used in
hosting grain These scoops take up
the fish by the bushel, and it is
pretty sight to watch their glistening
sides and the flash of varied colors as
they move in endless procession up the
long incline.
Inside the factory the fish are dumped
into huge tanks and steam cooked for
a number of hours. Then they are put
in big presses, which squeeze out the
oil into long pans. The oil is graded
according to it's color and thickness.
The refuse or guano left after the oil
is pressed out, is mixed with sulphuric
acid in the proportion of ffty-two gal
Ions of acid to 1000 tons of scrap" in
order to fix the ammonia 1t is then
spread out on a. great drying lot, seven
acres in extent, and is treated exactly
like hay, being turned, raked into piles,
and loaded into wagons which convey
it to cars for shipment to the great fer
tiizer factories. Nearly every fertilizer
manufactured in the country uses this
fish product in the preparation of its
patent manureS on account Of it's rich
ness in ammonia and phOsphoric acid.
the two most valuable ingredients for
the restoration of land.
All the oil made in the different fac
tories scattered along the coast from
Maine to Newport, n. c., is sold by one
firm in New York. This arrangement
is the basis of the charge that the
menfaden industry is in the hands Of
a trust Last year there We're forty
six steamers and forty-five sailing YES
sells engaged in catching menhaden.
The number of men employed was p
115, and the number of fish caught was
estimated at 401 ,425, 600. The yield Of
oil was TAI $50 gallons, or an average
Of 4.3 gallons per thousand. The capital
invested was computed at $1.376, ,5OO.-
Cleveland Leader.