The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-03-27
4 STRANGE METAMoRPEosIs.,

4 STRANGE METAMORPHoSiS',
The Blockade Runner Trtstram eh
DIV Converted into O Floating RefriSe-
rator-Hcr Eventful History anu
Eauipment rs the Pioneer Fessei "a
the Fresh Meat and Fruit Company
A Jew days ago an cdd-looking Grail, WIN
long black hull, Two smoke stacks, DO" re-
sembling The heads Of the tlmous torpeao-
cigar boals, and stern not unlike the TALL OF
| tsdpole, steamed up the harbor. This was
the once celebrated blockade runner 'Irls-
| Tram Shandy,n which piled between Charies-
ION and the West India Islands. She maze
many successful tlips. but was finally cauehL
ON the night after The evacuation oil Cnarles-
ton by lhe Confederates, at which Time sne
came into port She was OF course cohnsca'-
ed hv the United States Government, and was
at fl.st fitted up as gunboat, was armed ior
Tho nursult of othtr blockade runners, anu
her name was changed TO the BOXER" Alter
tho wsr. abe was sold to the United States
and West Indies Fresh Meat and Fruit Re
frigeratng Company, OF Philadelphia VINO
changed her name to the FIRE Fly" lana
aupd her up for the transportation OF iresn
meat. fruit, &C., from Philadelphia 10 the
| West Indies.
While on one of her usual tripst to Havana,
faw DAYS ago, the Fire6y encountered very
stormy weather, and besides exhausting her
amply of coal, was slightly Injured, which
caused her to put into her old haven for fuel
and repairs. She has received supply OF
coal and the necessary repairs, and Will re-
eume her voyage about noon to-day. sne ID
now living at Fraser's wharf. Her commander
ls Captain Henry Denison, who ls also 'ne
president of the company. Her nrst omcer is
Mr. Edward T.. Haines, TO whose pains-laking
conr.e cav the readers of The NEWS are indept-
ed for the facts which follow.
The Fire Fly has on board 10000 pounos
ot freah beet. which represents 100 head OF
slaughtered cattle, 5000 pounds OF mutton,
and 10000 pounds Of poultry aud game DE-
aides large assortment of fruits, vegetables
and oysters. The meat Is kept perfectly fresn
and sweet during the whole voyage. Indeed,
IL can be preserved unlDjured for three months
or more. and the process by which 1t Is thus
rendered Impervious to the touch OF time Is
extremely simple and interesting. Both lore
and aft of the engines the hold ot the Vessel
| ia SEALED on al! sides with alright planklng.
Between the planking and the hull ana dech
of the vessel there IL space OF ABOUT one
foot. This space is filled and packed win q
combination of charcoal and hair, which Is
used for lis qualities as a non-conouctor
of heat. Within the apartment formed oy
the planklpp described are placed series OF
transverse beams, which divide 1t Into sec
tlons two feet apart, while ut The emo, near
est to the engines of the vessel, is placed q
com mon air fan, and al the ether Is refrlge-
rator containing several hundred pounds OF Ice.
The meat 10 be preserved is placed fat upon
the transverse beams, and the fan ls reVolVed
by steam at rate varying from nine hundred
| to three thousand revolutions minute. The
fan creates steady current oil air, which !s
forced through trongh.ike wooden pipe 10
the end of the refrigerator opposite the meat
chamber. Passing over the Ice the air ID
cooled and relieved Oils impurities, and ho"s
through an opening b .ck into the meat cbam-
ber, over and under and ar, und aud about The
| meat on 10 the ian again, where 1t Is sent
forward over the same course, performing
th. Journey In exactly four minutes, or less,
according t. The speed OF the ian. The cold
mir absoros and carries of all Of The destruc'
tive gases which generate In the meat cham
Der, and keeps the meat sweet and fresh. In
the chamber the therm ometer stands usually
at ,hlrty-two degrees Fahrenheit, and vlsitoE
descending IRON the warm sunshine upon the
! vessels deck, soon begins 10 shlver and wish
himself out of the depths. The meat, instead
| OF being rendered colorless, as 1t is by con-
tact with Ice, retains iis natural color and
bleeds freely when cut. As was before said,
the ship contains Two meat chambers, one
forward and the other aft. They are entirely
separate from each other, and each uses from
two TO three tons OF ice per day In Its refrige.
rator.
Tue process OF preservation is an American
invention, conceived BY man named Bray,
who sold out the exclusive right of his patent
TO Captain Denlson, and retired to England.
The company, of which Captain Denison Ia
president, is represented In Philadelphia by
Messrs. Duncan & Poey. II has large ware
house In that city, In which meals and fruits
of all kinds are kept fresh for an indefinite
length OF time. The company have agreed to
produce during the coming fluit season fruits
which were plucked and stored away last
year. which will he so perfect that they can
not be distinguished from fruits OF the same
| Kind grown this year.
On her return trips The Fire Fly carries to
Philadelphia cargoes oftrophlcal fruits picked
In a ripe state, which retain their natural
flavor until eaten. Tropical fruits brought
TO this country in the ordinary way have TO
bs picked before they are fully ripe, which
causes them 10 lose much OF their flavor. The
company are now building three 6rst-class
steamships for exclusive use In the traffic de-
scrlbrd Captain D.nison has given some
OF his beef to the hotels of this city for trial,
aud those who have eaten OF 1t pronounce 1t
to be very good.
AMUsEMENTS AHEAD.
| Tho amnaomsnt arason Ia about TO reopen