THE MENHADEN FISHERY. 



367 



"The blocks were 5 inches wide on the inner face of the press, 4 inches on the outer, and 

 4 inches thick. The spaces between the pieces were one-half inch on the inside of the press. The 

 plan shows a top view. There was a large follower made to fit snugly into the press, and the power 



was applied by means of a 20-foot lever. The press was found to work admirably, and Mr. Tuthill 

 at once built a larger one and arranged with one of the largest Long Island factories to press their 

 scrap for one-half of the oil obtained by pressing, he to furnish himself and press, and they to 

 furnish clium and the ba'anse of the labor. 



"It is reported that he made $1,800 in five weeks in this way. 



"Soon all the factories began pressing their scrap, and in 1858 the first steam-works with 

 hydraulic presses were built at Greeuport, known as the Atlantic Oil Works. In 1860 the Narra- 

 gansett Works were built on ISTarragansett Bay. At first they used very coarse mauila cloths or 

 blankets for pressing, putting a shovel of chum in a folding so as to make a sort of bag, and three 

 of these were placed side by side and pressed at once. They put about 80 to 100 tons pressure, 

 and got about the same amount of oil to the barrel of fish as now. 



"One of the. first steam-factories on the coast of Maine was owned by Wells, De Blois & Co., 

 and located at South Bristol, about 1863. 



"At first pogies were taken by the farmers along the coast by means of drag-seines, and used 

 almost wholly for manure. They had a whale-boat to shoot the seine, and would row along looking 

 for schools of fish, or more frequently would wait for them on the shore, and, making one end of 

 the haul rope fast as the school came opposite the beach, would surround them with the seine 

 and haul them in by hand. When ro wing along shore with seine in the boat, they would, on see- 

 ing a school, land a man, who would make one end of the 60-fathom haul-line fast on shore; two. 

 would row the boat, and one man throw seine. Men living near the shore would often have three 

 of the "gang'' working on the farm, while one would stay on the shore and would call them when 

 a school put in an appearance. 



"As early as 1S20-'30 a small schooner was used for carrying and shooting the seine, and the fish 

 were taken aboard instead of being hauled clear up on shore, and sold to the farmers at 15 cents 

 per barrel. These schooners were generally from 5 to 10 tons burden, and would carry from 50 to 

 150 barrels. They used seines from <><) to 100 fathoms long and 30 to 50 feet deep. 



'The practice of using schooners to carry fish to any point where the vessel could go for a 



