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OQ493eZ. ELMER, DU"A^„ MAYCOCK. GORENFLO In lE~~	A	2
Tvelve years ago (in lS80) the firm of Lopez, Elmer & Co..—vhich is nov knovn as the Biloxi Canning Company, vith W. A. Gordon, of Nev Orleans, as president, and C. F. Theobald, C. E. Theobald and Chas. Patten as the other officers—vas the first to engage in the business of canning oysters	and shrimp at Biloxi.
The gentlemen	composing this firm vere L.	Lopez, F.	W. Elmer,
W. K. M. Dukate:, James Maycock and Vfm. Gorenflo.
Prior to the establishment of this firm a fev oysters in the shell had been shipped from Biloxi to other points in the state, and to Memphis, Tenn., but this vas the extent of the oyster business at that time.
Neither of these gentlemen of the pioneer	firm	knev	anything
about the business	of coving oysters, but they	vere	satisfied that
money could be made out of the business, and the company vas organized vith a capital of only $8,000.
DUKATE LEARNS AT BALTIMORE
A member of the firm, W. K. M. Dukate, took a trip to Baltimore, and being of an unusually observing turn of mind, and quick to "catch on” to the points of the business, he purchased the necessary machinery and other appliances for successfully conducting the business, and Biloxi had her first factory for the canning of oysters and shrimp.
The affairs of the nev concern prospered from the first, notvithstanding the losses sustained by inexperience and lack of knowledge of the business, and in 1881* Messrs. Lopez and Dukate vithdrev from the firm and established another packing house, vhich is nov known as that of Lopez, Dunbar’s Sons & Co.
In the succeeding year (1885) the Barataria Canning Company, another large concern, the membership of vhich is composed of Nev Orleans business men, vas added to the list, and since that time the Seacoast Packing Company, nov ovned and operated by Lopez, Dunbar's Sons & Co., and the firms of Wm. Gorenflo & Co., E. C. Joullian & Co., and J. T. Maybury have engaged in the business, representing in the busy season anaaggregate capital of from £160,000 to '^175,000, and employing over 1200 people, vith a pay roll vhich vill foot up quite £20,000 a week for labor and rav material, vhich is paid in hard cold cash, and put in circulation each week.
Product ion in Past Sea son
The total outnut during the past season of the three largest factories, Lopez, Dunbar's Sons & Co., Earataria Canning Co., and Biloxi Canning Co., is 200,000 cases of oysters, 15,000 cases shrimp, and 5,000 cases figs, the valuation of vhich in round figures at the market price is $350,000.
It may not be generally knovn, but it is a fact, nevertheless, that outside of Nev Orleans, Biloxi is the only plsce in the United States vhere shrimp are packed, and they are shipped to all points throughout the Union, and over one-half of the pack is shipped to Durope.