The Portland daily press., 1872-09-23
The Canned Corn Trade.

The preparation and preservation of sweet
corn for the domestic market and for expor-
tation, has become in this State, most i'm
portant industry. There are several firms in
Maine, engaged in this manufacture, besides
John Winslow Jones, whose business is on
scale muchlarger than that ofany other person.
He has factory at Bridgton as large as that
at Falmouth; and has also, factories at Farm
ington, Yarmouth and at Kendalps Mills, and
salmon and lobster factory at Bay Chaleur
and another at Restagouche. All these es-
adjustments afford profitable employment to
great many people. At the Falmouth fac
tory, besides corn, beans, tomatoes and pick
les are prepared on large scale. The beans
are the largest and best Limas 1 ever saw,
grown in the neighborhood, and brought to
the factory by largestwo horse teams
1t is interesting to inquire into the details
of this important industry, and to note its eff
feet upon the interests of the community
where the factories are located Their infu-
ence is very good in the matter of Temper
ance. "Do you never have drinking men
here?" 1 asked of the Superintendent.
Sometimes; but never if we know it. As soon
as we learn that man drinks, we discharge
him; and we very soon find out the fact"
''How do you discover it?" eve soon see
that they are unreliable. The men sleep
here upon the premises, in a great apartment
prepared for that purpose, like vast ward in
a military hospitaD and we very soon find
that the drinking men annoy the
Others by talking at night ard joking and
singing songs, perhaps, so that the men can
not sleep. We cannot get on with drinking
men. Everybody knows about here, that we
don't want men who drink at all; they are
unsteady end unreliable. When men apply
for employment, we ask, ''dO you drink? ?'
"Yes," q man said, "a little, not much"
"Then we don't want you" 'What do you
undertake to say that man shall or shall
not drinkY' .'Not at all, men can drink if
they choose, but then they can't work for US
if they use liquor: We don't want such men
and won't have them"
The amount of ready money distributed
among the people of a large neighborhood by
these factories, is very considerable The
farmers obtain very good prices for their corn,
tomatoes, beans and cucumbers-al cash.
The corn is four cents a pound-green-
equal to two dollars and twenty cents BUSH
el of fifty-fiye pounds, out it is twice as heavy
ots ~ VOuiu pO vi 81 III may Dt COuSlucTtu dS
equal to four dollars bushel for dry corn.
Beans are ten cents quart, green, equal to
three dollars and sixty cents bushel, which
is as good as five dollars bushel dry, be-
cause they shrink so much. Then the great
number of work people-men, women, boys,
girls, earn good wages, all cash, making in
the aggregate, large sum, every dollar of it
being clear gain, the produce of work-no
Outgo to them for stock in trade.
The leisure season is employed in prepe ring
for active work. Vast numbers of cans are
made and piled up like hay in great masses,
ready for ''the season." They are corded up,
ready for use, like the wood-at railway sta
tiOns for the locomotives. These neat tin
vessels are made upon the premises, by ma
chinery invented for the purpose, so that they
are turned out finished, more rapidly than so
many paper boxes, though they are made
perfect in every part. There is no danger
that any imperfection can escape detection,
without gross carelessness, because the slight
est defect is easily discovered instantly, when
the cans are put into the boiling water, as we
saw in tws instances. A workman seized u
hot can and threw it out upon the floor; we
asked the reason-''imperfect," was the an
swer, and we plainly saw the steam coming
out Of small puncture, not larger than would
be made by small pin. Nothing that is not
absolutely perfect can pass here.
Every days work is finished every day; no
thing is left over until the next day. At the
end of each days work everything about the
premises is thoro Ugly drenched, secured and
cleaned with brushes and brooms and a de-
luge of water. This is necessary, because
this sweet corn would otherwise ferment and
become sour. The smallest quantity OF this
material left over adhering to any of the ap-
paratus, would become sour, and might affect
the flavor of the next days goods therefore,
everything about the factory is cleaned in the
most careful manner every day.
This canned corn business was begun in
very small way, by an uncle OF John Winslow
Jones, who prepared a little as an expert
ment many years ago. 1t was found to sue
ceed; and so the business has grown in many
parts OF Maine to very large proportions, and
will continue to increase, as there is hardly
any limit to the demand. Canned corn goes
into every part fthe world. 1t is found on
all vessels bound on long voyages, as partsof
the provisions of the ship, it is good for the
health of the crew and keeps them in good
spirits and good temper. 1t is found on the
tables of all good hotels, and in vast num-
Der of private families, even in New England,
where the corn is produced. 1t is now sold
at so low rate that it is considered rather an
article of necessary food than luxury.
1t is most interesting and satisfactory to
see new branches of industry coming into the
State. The prosperity ofthe community and
the happiness of the people rest on work;
and he is benefactor to society who opens
up any new mode of giving employment to
the people. A work shop with even one
steady, industrious man in it, is a pleasant
thing to see; this man is working not only
for himself and family, but for the State and
nation as well. Every blow he strikes adds
to the wealth of the community and to the
general prosperity. The steady, sober work.
ing man ought to be happy in the thought
that he is truly public benefactor-that
society is the better for his having lived in it.
The keeper or promoter of rum shop, on the
contrary, if he has any conscience, any right
thought and feeling, must be tortured by the
reflection, that every day of his life he is a
curse to the nation--that every blow he strikes
is knell to somebody's welfare and happi=
ness, and that he lives only on the misery
and wretchedness of his fellow men; that
success in his accursed trade involves ruin
to bis neighbors and friends. N. ID.