The Rise And Decline Of The Olympia Oyster 



into use, which made the transportation by water slow 

 and inadequate. Communication by phone, wire, or mail 

 was as easy as from town. By opening at the beds the 

 oysters were delivered in the shell directly to the plant, 

 opened, and the shell left handy for use on the beds, 

 leaving only the finished product, the oyster packed 

 ready for the market, to be delivered by truck to the 

 point of shipment. 



So, the J. J. Brenner Oyster Co. met these new condi- 

 tions by the construction of a fine new modern plant on 

 the shores of their own beds near the head of Oyster Bay, 

 where they are carrying on their business, producing and 

 marketing a fine product, and are a substantial factor in 

 the oyster business. (See picture). 



The Olympia Oyster Co., Inc., from the beginning 

 was in the front ranks in its packing house program. 

 They owned substantial oyster beds, were progressive in 

 the development of Olympia Oysters, and operated their 

 own boat to transport their oysters to Olympia where 

 they had constructed an opening house on Fourth Street, 

 only one block east of the J. J. Brenner Oyster Co. plant. 

 Here, also, in the earlier days the water ran under their 

 plant, which was constructed on piling. They also had 

 their private dock for unloading their oysters. The "Old 

 Timer" Geo. W. Draham w^as president of the corpora- 

 tion. He also had dreams of having the latest equipment 

 known to the industry for the sanitary and efficient 

 opening, washing, and packing of Olympia Oysters. 

 These dreams were realized when, in 1924, a concrete 

 building was erected and equipped with the latest and 

 best known machinery used in an opening plant includ- 



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