The Republican journal., 1899-09-14
Names Sardine Industry.

Business.
The sardine industry of Maine is con-
fined almost entirely to Washington coun-
ty, and principally to two towns of that
namely, EastpOrt and Lubec; al
though there are factories in Pembroke,
Bobbinston, Milbridge and Jonesport
There are prob ably about fifty factories in
all. employing from one hundred to two
hundred and fifty hands each, from four
to tive months in the year. The canning
season commences the latter part of July
and ends the first of September. Nearly
all the sardine factories in Maine have
recently passed into the possession of one
of two great syndicates, known as the
"Sea shore and The Standard. These
syndicates have bought the factories at a
fair and equitable valuation, have made
additions and Improvements to nearly
every one of them and have built several
new ones. In nearly all cases, the for
mel prOprietOrs have been hired as man.
ayers, and the former employees retained.
Only time will prove whether the forma-
ton of the syndlcates will be blessing or
otherwise, but this can be said truthfully,
large sums of money have been brought
into the towns where the factories are
located, yet the plants all remain and are
employing more labor than ever before.
The value of the total output of the sar
dine factories of Maine has averaged about
-. 600 600, for several years, but under
the impulse OF the syndicate the :output
will be increased while the price will not
be decreased. The objects Of forming the
syndicates are for the purpose of paying
a uniform price for fish during the season,
of buying supplies IN large quantities and
at the lowest possible prices, of selling the
goods without the intervention of brokers
or commission merchants; in fact, of re-
ducng the whole great industry to d
perfect system, with uniform prices for
fish, supplies and labor, and a unifol m
price for the goods when packed. 1t is
estimated that the total output for the
present season will not be far from l, 300,
600 cases. Allowing 800 cases as a car
load 1t would require 3 ZOO freight cars of
ordinary size to convey the sardne pack
to market. OF course large part Of the
output will BE oIwarded TO market by
boat, as formerly, but rates have already
been made by He new railroad, that, with
the time saved transportation, make
shipment by rail fully as advantageous to
all concerned as shipping by water.
The process of parkiuu sardines is es
sentialiv the same in all factories. and tor
the benetir of those vho have never visited
a cannino factory we will present 4 brief
description Of the mOdus operandi.
The fish. which are only the ordinary
herring. are caught in sejnes scattered all
alone the coast from Nilb1idge to Rob-
hinsto1, a distance nf aho,,t a hundred
miles The spines are made bv drivinq
noles inn the Garth at some noinf mean. the
Shore where tbe tide abhs and flows
These ,ules are circular in form with the
axcanri,,, of tho na,+ ax+andinn toward
tbe sbora which nrocaads in q STRAIGHT
line The fish are arrested in their proc
ress bv the netting and will swim rnund
and r9nnd for hours in the seine without
1indino the outler a1thongb if stands wide
omen. The seines are visited every morn
mo bv boats and the fish secured The
boats sail directly to the factories. leaving
50 many hoosheads at one and so many at
anotheT aecordino to their capacitv.
The first process in canning is to cut open
the fish and this is done in the basement
by bows The work is not particularly
clean. but the boys make rood paw and
that is what thew are after. After the fish
are cut omen they are thrown into tubs
containing a strong brine, where they
remain about twenty minutes. The fish
are then laid on iron crates and convened
TO an immense oven. where the crates are
laid on revolving shelves. In about twenty
minutes the fish are thoroughly cooked
and are ready for hacking. There are two
methods of backing. one in oil. the other
in mustard. The ground mustard is mixed
with vinegar and comes in barrels contain
ing forty gallons each. Cotton seed oil is
used. and that also comes in barrels OF
forty gallons each AS a general thing
the cans are made at the factory where
they are used. One hundred cans OF
those packed in oil make a case. while
fifty cans of those packed in mustard form
a case. Girls generally do the hacking,
About a gill of oil is put into a can and
then the baked fish from the ovens are
carefully packed into it and the cover
snapped on.
This work is done very fast and the girls
make good wages Almost everything in
a sardine factory is done by the piece and
by rapid work excellent wages are made,
Girls can make from l.5O to $. 90 per
dav. Bows can make from 81 % to 81. Is
per day. while those who seal the cans
can make from 50. 50 to $500 per day.
The sealing of the cans is the most difficult
part of the work. The sealer sits in front
of little furnace where his soldering iron
is heated bv burning gas. The solder