HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN MENHADEN. 491 



4. Tlie Cumberland Bone Company^ s u'orls. 



The following account of a similar establishment in Maine is taken 

 bodily from the report of Boardman & Atkins. The facts appear to have 

 been compiled from an article iu the Lewiston Evening Journal, for 

 August 17, 1874. 



" Tbe Cumberland Bone Comj^any, whose works are located in Booth 

 Bay, is more largely engaged in the use of fish-scrap in the manufacture 

 of commercial fertilizers than any other company operating in this 

 State. Tbe worlis of this company, formerly located in Cumberland 

 County, were removed to Booth Bay in 1873-'74, and altogether occupy 

 sis buildings for the various purposes connected with their business. 

 Tlicy use South Carolina phosphatic rock, Nevassa, ground bones, fish, 

 scrap, sulphuric acid, salt cake, and a slight amount of deodorizing 

 compound. The phosphatic rock is heavy and solid, of a grayish color, 

 in lumps of all sizes, and is bought by the cargo. The Nevassa is red- 

 dish brown in color, quite fine, a little lumpy, but not at all solid, and 

 is a sort of guano from an island of the same name in tbe West Indies. 

 These two are ground together in tbe proportion of two parts of the 

 former to one of the latter; being ground to a tine powder which is of 

 a grayish cinnamon-brown color. Tbe fish-scrap used by the company 

 is iuruisbed by the Atlantic Oil Works, whose establishment is situated 

 very near the works of the former company. Before being used it is 

 treated with the deodorizing mixture — a substance of a very faiut yel- 

 low color, of which, judging from its appearance, one would say that 

 gypsum might be tbefoundation. This mixture ismadeinoneof the build- 

 ings of the company provided with a furnace and the necessarj' tanks 

 or retorts, and its preparation is a secret process, understood to have 

 been invented by the president of the company. It is said to have been 

 thoroughly tested and to work well, and it is thought will come into use 

 generally among the companies that handle fish-scrap. At present a 

 good many of them are troubled with injunctions because of tbe stench 

 arising from the accumulated scrap, which is constantly giving off its 

 ammonia. After being treated with this deodorizer the scrap is placed 

 pi barrels, and is quite iuoflensive, a slight odor of ammonia being ob- 

 servable. Bones are ground raw ; to get them tine enough they go 

 ilirough several mills, but they are not reduced near so fine as tbe phos- 

 l)hatic rock or Nevassa. The company sell large quantities of this bone 

 meal as feed. One of the buildings of the company is used for tbe man- 

 ufacture of sulphuric acid, of which sulphur and niter are the principal 

 ingredients. Salt cake is a residue from tbe distillation of niter as car- 

 ried on in the acid works. Tbe mixing of tbe ingredients into super- 

 pbosi)hate is perfornied iu the mixing room, an apartment of the main 

 manufacturing building. Over a circular floor, about eight feet in diam- 

 eter, revolve horizontally several arms with breaks and scoops attached. 

 Ingredients are poured upon the floor, the arms revolve, dense fumes 



