Cordwood was used for fuel. Scows with sails were sent to the heads of the rivers where wood was brought down from "the forest" and loaded on them.
At the temporary Ketchum's Camp factory the fish were pulled up on the shore in haul seines. After that they were caught in purse seines operated from sailing vessels.
It had been found, as previously explained, that by cooking the fish much more oil could be extracted. The fish were boiled and then dipped out with dip-nets and put in what was called a press. Burlap was then placed over the mass of fish, and then boards on top of that. The boards were then pulled down tight with a screw-jack.
After the oil and water had been pressed out, the residue of fish was spread out on the wharf in the sun to dry. To hasten this process the mass was turned over and over by men with pitchforks. Acid was sprayed on the "green scrap" to kill the maggots. It usually took about a week to change the menhaden from the raw state into oil and guano.
The following government report is probably the first of the menhaden industry of the Chesapeake and its tributaries. It is dated 1869.
Men employed on vessels fishing 12 Vessels employed 4 Men employed making guano 9 Fish taken 3,000,000 Oil made 200 bbls. Guano made 300 tons
In 1873 Reed's factory on Point Pleasant burned. The next year he built another factory on another point on Cockrell's Creek on a spot where a windmill for grinding corn had been previously located. This location was known as Windmill Point. Later the village of Reedville grew up on this small peninsula.
By 1874 the manufacture of menhaden oil and guano had become identified as one of the important industries of this country. The annual yield of the menhaden oil now exceeded the whale oil (from American fisheries) by about 200,000 gallons.
By 1878 the menhaden industry of the Chesapeake area had grown considerably according to the government report of that year:
Men employed on vessels fishing 286 Vessels employed fishing 78 Men employed on shore 201 Fish taken 118,309,200 Gallons of oil made 234,168 Tons of guano 10,832
The next advancement in the industry came when steam cooking superseded the use of the kettles. The first steam factory in Virginia was built by Elijah Reed in 1879. The first fishing steamer used in the business in the Chesapeake, _Starry Banner_, was purchased by him in Rhode Island. This steamer's capacity was one hundred and fifty thousand fish.