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EARLY HISTORY OB BILOXI CANNING INDUSTRY
1881 - lts85
Source:	Vajor	W. T. Walthall staying at Beauvoir to assist
Jefferson Davis in the writing of his memoirs reportedly published in "Biloxi Herald" of Oct. 10^ 1885
The Biloxi Canning Company, the pioneers in this industry, began work in lfi8l«rxhey®^ave a factory on Back Bay the buildings, wharves and machinery of which cost about 500.00. The company now consists of Kessrs. William Gorenflc. the manager, F. Wt Elmar^ C. F. Theobald and Charles Patten afur they have now about	of capital invested.
Their trade in raw oysters is carried on from the 1st pf September to the 15-thwOJweL'ay, and in the "coved" or processed oysters for"'a Eout two months in the spring.	»	mm,	,
The shrimp season lasts for only about ^x yppkn —*-h.p.. springT but for rather more than two^pjjjjpJ^s^JLn the autumn, ceginning early in August an^ endine about the middle of ^sjUPi.er. The shrimp in their season are found in great quantities on the coast east of Biloxi Bav, but disappear almost entirely at the close of both spring and fall seasons.. The canning of them has been found very profitable—as well as that of the oystef_.
This company employs thirteen boats which operate regularly between the factory and the reefs near Cat Island and the Louisiana £pa’S-t“*	V- J*“~	-n—■
The oysters have been taken from the reefs, however, so recklessly and wastefully that an exhaustion of the supply at an early date is apprehended by Mr. Gorenflo. Under this apprehension he has bought an island in B.a£l£«»Bay~with the view of planting extensive beds around it for a permanent supply.
Kr. Gorenflo has taken out a patent for a yPQii^,.Jii.^ng^0£or ^ sfrGlWUcans, but this is the subject of a law suit now pending in the courts with the owners of a prior patent for a cloth lining known as
r._-<---nnni -hit— n_
the llDunbar_.PajgjiLJl
The Bilpjci Canning Company-employs altogether about laypersons. Their business is judiciously managed and they are believed to have been very successful, except in some experiments in the canning of faults and vegetables, which has not been found profitable.
The other	factories have	been	established,	both on the	front	or
Gulf side of the peninsular, since	the above described went	into
operation; that of Massxs^Lopez, BuatjrisSons .__&£&*, Yho_en;5?L right to u?e the Dup.bar Patent, and thaFoFlhe sas Cs^n^g Co^., near Poin.t~Cadet, but we have been able to learn veryTlTtTg or the operation of either.
According to Cant. _Ernes_lJ)ejmo.r.t e, about 1873 the old^Ploneer CanningJ^o. started to can.J^.S.ie.rs and shrimp at their plant on Biloxi
Bay. Thouns^uer	away while	this company	was	learni
to perfect the	best method of	cannimT^Tafmv?	r"of
vas carried bn by top^aSrTSBSa^a then by tJS^hSr-D^.tS'