164 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



rendering at Wallingford ; be bad a load of wbite-fisb carted to bis fac- 

 tory from Brauford, 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 Greeuport, 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 purpose 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 Maine. 



227. The first factory in Maine was built by a company from Ebode 

 Island, in 1801, at Blue Hill, and the next by another company from 

 Kbode Island, at Bristol, on John's Bay, the same season. Operations 

 being successful, home parties in Eoo^b Bay, Bristol, Bremen, and Soutb- 

 port went into tbe business. In the spring of 1866 eleven factories were 

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

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



Erection of factories in Maine. 



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

 tbe dates at which tbe factories of tbe several firms named were buiK., 

 and tbe cost of the same. The titles of some bave since been changed 

 by incorporation with others, change of ownership, &c. Of the eleven 

 factories specified before as built in 1860, one has been burned, and two 

 absorbed by now existing corporations. 



Date of 'building of factories in Maine. 



The original investment of $260,500 has been increased, as shown by 

 tbe report for 1877, to $1,033,612. 



