The Cairo evening bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1868-1870, 1869-01-14
We CENTRAL ELEVATOR At CAIRO
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A few months ago m,essrs. buckingham, o
the central elevator, Chicago determines
upon the erection of such grain elevator
in Cairo IS they conceived might serve thu
purpose Of the grain trade already finding it
outlet from the Northwest by way Of the Mis-.
sissippi river. Gentlemen of known energy
and means to determine upon thing were to
accomplishit.
The elevator building Originally erected
| as a government warehouse) is $50 feet rail-
road and river front by a depth of ninety feet.
1t is supplied with four towers, two of which
are already finished and at work. Each Of
these towers cover eighteen bins twenty-four'
feet deep and nine feet square, making total
of seventy-two BINS of acapacty of three
thousand five hundred bushels. Communities
ting with these are thirty-six storage bins ten
feet deep, and the same Dimensions otherwise.
The total storage capacity of the building is
thus shown to be two hundred and ninety-two
thousand bushels
The cars of the Illinois Central railroad run
within two feet of the line of the railroad
front In the track are fixed four pairs of
scales, one pair opposite each tower, so that
the car in gross, may be weighed on its arri
val, From the cars, in this position, the
grain is shovcled by six men to each car, into
hopper or reservoir which has its mouth
almost at the car door. From this hopper
the grain is elevated u hight of about fifty
feet, and from that altitude distributed by
means of pipes or conductors to the various
bins. The length of the elevator legs, is fifty
feet. Through these pass an electric belt of
about two feet width one hundred feet in
length and containing one hundred buckets, |
each bucket capable of lifting about two gall |
Ions of grain. The entire belt passes over
The pulley four times every minute, carrying
with it at least twenty bushels grain every
revolution, or about eighty bushels per min
ate. If it be preferred that the grain pass
lirectly from the cars to the barges in the
liver, it is discharged when elevated upon
road belt running fore and aft and this belt
onveys it directly to n large hopper in the
ear. This hopper, when filled is emptied,
n an instant, into the shipping bin. Here it
J carefully weighed and admitted to the
chute leading to the barges. Grain from the
ins, when it is desirable to ship it, is dis
harged at the bottom, upon conveying belt
INNING fore and aft in the basement. BY
MS means it is passed to the hopper at the
'ot of the elevator. From there il Is disposed
in the same manner that grain is /: that is
ischarged directly from the cars
The boiler and engine rooms, at the upper
I'd of the building, are very complete and
can, as they must remain while under the
pcrintendence of that accomplished engi-
'er, mr.. w. V. McGee. The engine is
impact, woodworking, and of really sim
g design. 1t was manufactured at Fishkill
anding, New York, and is the only engine
the kind west of the Allegheny mountains.
Is power is seventy-fve horse.
This engine drives shafting that extends
ie full length Of the building, $50 feet, and
regarded as ample TO keep the entire ma
hinery in operation at the self-same time.
When the magnitude Of the building and the
'pacities of the elevators are considered, It
'oks like the merest folly to supposo that the
over is reposed in that little "contrivance,"
set it all in active motion.
The work has all been done under the d.
,ction of mr.. Niles L. Wickwire, who has
ished it forward with vigor that at once
lows his ability to grapplc with big jobs.
a two weeks the entire establishment will II
nished, and passed over in complete order
} the hands of the owners.
The propretors are messrs. j. * +. Buck
gham, gentlemen well-known everywhere
the Mississippi Valley. The establishment
i'll be placed, however, under the supervision
mr.. C. p. Buckingham, a brother, we be- :
eve, and one of the most accomplished and
'ergetic business men connected with the
-ain trade of the northwest. {