164 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



rendering at Wallingford ; lie bad a load of wbite-flsb carted to bis fac- 

 tory from Branford, 16 miles distant. At nigbt, after bis men bad left 

 tbe factory, be cleaned out bis tallow tanks, steamed bis fisb, and ex- 

 tracted tbe oil ; bis experiment was satisfactory and tbe process was 

 immediately patented. Tbe priority of bis discovery is cballenged by 

 Mr. D. D. Wells, of Greenport, wbo claims to bave used tbe process for 

 some years previous to tbis time. After securing bis patents, Mr. Hall 

 visited numerous "pot works," wbicb bad by tbis time been establisbed, 

 for tbe pur[>ose of introducing bis new metbods. At tbis time be also 

 secured a patent for tbe process of drying fisb scraps upon platforms by 



solar beat. 



The inception of the oil business in Blaine. 



227. Tbe first factory in Maine was built by a company from Rbode 

 Island, in 1864, at Blue Hill, and tbe next by auotber comi^any from 

 Kbode Island, at Bristol, on Jobn's Bay, tbe same season. Operations 

 being successful, borne parties in Eootb Bay, Bristol, Bremen, and Soutb- 

 port went into tbe business. In tbe spring of 18G6 eleven factories were 

 built, all using steam. Tbis may be regarded as tbe beginning of tbe 

 industry in Maine on a scale at all in ratio witb its capabilities. 



Erection of factories in Maine. 



228. Tbe following table, taken from Mr. Maddock's pampblet, gives 

 tbe dates at wbicb tbe factories of tbe several firms named were buiU', 

 and tbe cost of tbe same. Tbe titles of some bave since been cbanged 

 by incorporation witb otbers, cbange of ownersbip, &c. Of tbe eleven 

 factories specified before as built in 1866, one bas been burned, and two 

 absorbed by now existing corporations. 



Date of hiiilding of faciories in Maine. 



Tbe original investment of $260,500 bas been increased, as sbown by 

 tbe report for 1877, to $1,083,612. 



