The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-09-19
A New Rice Mill.
A LOCAL IMPROVEMENT.
From the Plaquemines Sentinel

From the Plaquemines sentinel.l
We are pleased to state that Mr.. John
b. johnson, an energetic and most es-
Unable citizen of this parish, has COM
ple5ed his new rice mill at POint-a-la-
Hache, to be known as the Courthouse
Rice Mill, and commenced the work of
hulting and cleaning rice for shipment,
last Monday, the 1st inst.
An inspection Of this new rice mill
throughout, in company with Mr..
johnson, displayed the fact that in all
of its appointments it is perfect, and
amount Of business.
The building is three stories high,
with a front of one hundred feet to
fifty feet in depth. 1t stands imme-
diately on the bank of the river, not
far from the parish Courthouse. In
point Of location it could not be more
convenient for receiving rough rice
from boats, or for shipping the same to
market, as the distance to the edge of
the landing is not more than twenty
five or thirty feet. Besides it is the in
tentiOn of Mr.. johnson to cover even
this short space with good shelter,
thus enabling the handling of the
grain without hindrance or risk from
inclement weather.
The mill is moved by a beam en-
gine, OF parallel motion, West Point
make, 55 horse power, is foot driving
wheel, and runs steady and smooth,
| without any perceptible jar or noise,
with sixty pounds of steam, The boiler
| is of Boston Machine Company make,
80 feet long, 48 inches diameter, having
| two 164 inch f1ues, and is a superb
piece of manufacture of the kind.
| In the mill there is one large stone
huller and six FOUNDERS, or mortars.
These Founders combined, have the
! capacity for holding nine barrels Of
rice as it comes from the huller. The
Founders, and ali the machinery nee
essary to run the mill, with the excep-
ton of the engine, boiler, etc, were
Foundry, corner Girod and Dryades
streets, New Orleans, and in point of
workmanship is highly creditable to
that fourishing institution, and done,
too, as Mr.. johnson says, at fair, mod
crate terms. si ......,
Besides a full complement Of fans,
boilers, and a brush, the mill is prOvl-
ded with five elevators, extending from
the ground floor to the third story, and
they work like a charm. / .-..s
In preparing the rice for market it is
first lifted by the elevator-that grain
pump-in the condition as it comes
from the thresher, from the ground
floor, and passed into sbOlter on the
third floor, where all the trash, bits Of
grass and stalk, which invariably &C
passes to the huller, which cracks the
outside husk or hull it is then shifted
through two fans, which strip it OF
these husks from these fans it is pour
ed into the six Founders, where the
perpendicular iron pestles, by their up
and down motion, manage to break
from the grain the inner skin or hull,
accomplishing this from thirty. to sixty
minutes, according to the quality OF
condition of the rice; then to another
) bolter it is taken, and from this through
two fans again, when it is deposited IN
, a cooling room, as it hats become in Its
passage through the Founders some
what heated, and must be allowed tc
cool in order to harden for the burnish'
J ing touch of the brush, from the cool
, ing room again it goes to a bOlter, pass
ing instantly through two more fans
, and then to the brush which polishe!
| it's pearly surface; then from the brust
? into the final bOlter, which is subdivl
+ ded into three wire compartments, o.
sifters, the full unbroken grains,, o.
: number one rice, dropping through thC
( sitter with the biggest holes, the mex
t grade; or No. 2, having fallen! through
: the middle sized sitter, and No, 8, o
t the lower grade, previously througl
: the smallest sized sitter, each grad
e passing down wooden pipes into sepa
a rate barrels which, as soon as full
S are headed, weighed, and marked TO
e shipment. +. a-: sfss.:s T. ..s.sz.- s-.
S AlLof these various manipulations o
: the grain, from the time it passes il
e its rough condition as 1t comes frron
o the hands. of the thresher into the frs
:, bOlter, until it is deposited in the ban
d rel to be weighed and marked for ship
o ment, are performed ina smooth rapi
g manner by the several subdivisions Q
e machinery, all of which act harm onious
= ly and with but little noise.
:, The marketable quality OF the rlc
IS milled by Mr.. johnson is first class
/ The amount of rice cleaned in twenty
g four hours is one hundred and tWent
h barrels, and the whole establishmeI
N is operated by seven men, one of whOl
e is clerk His rates for cleaning al
10 three-fourths of accent per pound fC
70 first quality, and half q cent for secon
II quality. 4 ,s. ss,5 s,s gEga ss.ss -. ss5.: = .
a Attached to the mill is a warehous
1t EWell ventilated and perfectly dry,
+ which Mr.. johnson can store 5000 bal
lc rels of rice, He has, also, other ware
2 house room, belonging to his old mil
= and which is only few PAGES to tt
" rear of the new one. All farmers. wi
le agree to send their rice to him to /
i milled, will be furnished with GOO
h sacks free of cost. He will also pr
Jr vide. substantial barrels, in which
re ship cleaned rice, at city prices sr-s
TO In this connection it can be mel
er toned that Mr.. "A. Socola, the extel
lie sive rice dealer of New Orleans, 1873 an
r. 40 Old Leyee street, has presented M
n, johnson q handsome sign, about for
" feet in length, bearing the name of tt
it. Emill, to be placed on the building from
ct ling the river. This is certainly, an a
"a ceptable present, and one Worthily b
OF slowed. t##Bz n4 -+.G4 IT, syzs5@ ss5
us improvements like this new rice m
a deserve enc0urag agement, for they a
he investments of capital and skilled lab
th for the public benefit. The man WI
o. at the risk of his own fortune, and Il
IN expense of his time and labor, engag
re i'm an undertaking Of q character
10, meet public wants. deserves TO be a
a. plauded and to enjoy a. fruitful rewaI
n 1t is unnecessary for us to say an
lie thing in behalf of Mr.. johnson to t
on people of Plaquemines parish for he
he 7 native here, and to the manor borI
q. and has grown to prime manhood, al
y, the upright, popular character he 81
,ly tains is a better commendation tn
d. any which might be offered here, Su
sr- cess attend him.
sss ----aasu
II RooT CRoPs. Root crops, viii
9ss pass rapidly through the various stas