28 U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES, 
was in 1871, and the shipment abroad that year amounted to 30,000 
cases. 
Of the 35 canneries on the Columbia River in 1881, it is said that 
about one-half had been established by the Hume brothers. G. W. 
and William Hume were partners in the firm of Hapgood, Hume & 
Co., on the Sacramento River, and established the first cannery on 
the Columbia. ny 1881 William was the proprietor of two canneries, 
one at Astoria, Oreg., and one at Eagle Cliff, Wash. R. D. Hume, 
a third brother, in the same year had a cannery in operation on the 
Rogue River, and established three others, one at Eagle Cliff (then 
owned by Wiliam Hume), one at Rainier (then belonging to Jackson 
& Myers), and one at Astoria. The fourth brother, Joseph, came to 
the coast in 1871 and some time later established a cannery on the 
river. 
One of the pioneer canners on the river was the late F. M. Warren, 
operating as the Warren Packing Co., who established a cannery at 
Cathlamet, Wash., in 1869. The same company is still operating 
the plant. Later another cannery was established at Warrendale, 
Oreg., and it also is still operated by this company. Mr. Warren was 
the inventor of a retort, patented on April 10, 1877, which was in use 
by the principal canneries on the coast for a number of years. 
John West was another pioneer. He built a cannery at Hungry 
Harbor, Wash., about 1869. In 1881 he moved his plant to West- 
port, on the Oregon side of the river. Mr. West was the inventor 
of a packing machine for placing the fish in the cans. 
In 1871 the firm of Megler & Jewett established a cannery on the 
present site of Brookfield, Wash., and named it in honor of Mrs. Meg- 
ler’s birthplace, North Brookfield, Mass. In 1876 the plant was 
greatly enlarged and J. S. Megler bought out his partners and took 
in Mr. Macleay, of Corbitt-Macleay, wholesale grocers, of Portland 
and San Francisco, and changed the firm name to J.5. Megler & Co., 
under which title it still operates. In 1879 Mr. Megler bought out 
this partner and owned the plant until his death in 1915, since when 
it has been operated by his widow. 
The first soldering machine used on the Columbia River was in 
this plant, while the steam box and lacquering machines were first 
put in use on the river in this plant. 
In 1874 the Adair brothers, 8S. D. and John, jr., erected a cannery 
at Astoria, the second one to be built there. Before packing began, 
A. Booth, the well-known Chicago fish dealer, and progenitor of the 
present Booth Fisheries Co., acquired a half interest in the plant, 
which was then named A. Booth & Co. John Adair, jr., was the 
manager. The brothers established canneries on the Fraser River 
and in some seasons exchanged places in operating on the two rivers. 
5. D. Adair sold out his cannery on the Fraser and bought one on 
the Colur ia and operated it under the firm name of 8. D. Adair 
& Co. After selling out his interest in A. Booth & Co., S. D. Adair 
formed a partnership with Wm. B. Adair under the style of S. D. 
Adair & Co. in 1881. The brothers were active in the industry for 
a number of years. 
J. O. Hanthorn, under the firm name of J. O. Hanthorn & Co., 
established one of the largest canneries on the river at Astoria in 
1876. He invented a rotary can washer for washing cans after they 
were filled ready for soldering and before the tops were put on. 
