New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-12-17
Remarkable lnventiOR,

during tn0 paSb 10" eeks car At the
Seventh street dencsy has attracted much
onrio.s sttens'cn. and 1T iscertainly worthy
o. description, 90 having great interest to
that portion Of the public who confess
weakness for fue fruits. The car has the
external appearance =. conMen freight
nossr, but its weight Is about 4OOO pounds
more. and it is built ON passenger trucks.
It consists Of refrigerator on wheels, such
- has never been seen here before. Tho
outside is of wood: Nextto this 10 an inch
thick wall of felt. Next 10 layer of pow.
dered charcoal, four inches thick, extend.
ing all around the entire car, and then is
the interior lining, which 10 Of galvanized
iron. Protesting downward for three
feet from the roof, running the full length
Of the car and extending about half Of its
width, 10 . box, which 10 provided with
three openiDgs ON the top Of the car, and
which y capable. of holding moro than Q
ton Of ice. Tho doors to the cal. and the
doors to'the ice box are 30 tightly clamped
BY patent fasteners ~ - completely exe
Glade the air. Small pipes near the roof
carry. air very gradually from the ice box,
where it IL admitted in small quantities to
tho car proper, and BY its condensed condi-
ton il sinks to the q ZOE and dkseps the car
Tho purpose Of this car is to inaugurate .
now ere n the transportation Of perishable
goods. On September q this car, loaded
with 1000 pounds OF fine California
grapes, in boxes, left San Francisco by
passenger train, and arrived nero week
lister Since that tine it has been
opened daily for removal of . portion of
the fruit. and yet the temperature has
never been above 800 and the grapes arc
= sound a. they we're on the day they
were picked. 1t seed not be remarkodt that
California produces the fnest fruits of the
world, and how to bring them to the East
In good condition has for years been prob
lem at which hundreds have been working.
In order to get them to st. Louis il has
been necessary to pich them. when halt
ripe, and then rush them through by pas.
senger train Ut expsnse of $500 freight per
Car. the outcome being not ut all satisiac-
tory. By this new arrangement they can
be gathered ripe, carefully picked free
from inperfections, carefully handled and
then sent through leisurely by freight train
ut tho expense of $3.50 per car freight
This trial Car demonstrates the success of
the invention beyond doubt, and fruits
which have hitherto been considered too
delicate for shipment can now be brought
by slow freight l. may be wondered how
any profit is possible with such an immense
item Of freight. This is easiiv explained.
In the California grape season, which ex-
tends over many months, grapes cen be
had ct one cent per pound. A car will hold
Is 900 pounds, independent of boxes and
ice. 1t costs about $3.50 to pick and pack
them. It costs $3.50 freight by freight train
to St. Louis, or $500 by passenger train, or
one-third moro to New York. At whole
sale here the grapes sell for twenty cents
per pound, yielding handsome profit. In
other fruits the difference in price 10 even
greater. The wonderful California veeeta-
bles can be brought here under like circum-
stances. Salmon. eggs, etc., can also. be
prohtably shipped. In tho car nov here
Wa brought . large quantity of luscious
Califofnis strawberries, which were in per,
feet condition when taken out. The car
uses about three tons Of ice in 4 trim by
freight train, requiring replenishing twice.
There 10 NOS the enahtest moisture iueide.
and handkerchief rubbed on the galvan.
lied iron lining remains perfectly dry,
Whlch accounte for the excellent preserve
tion OF fruit. Tho waste water from the
ice-box 10 carried OF BY patent arrange
ment tbot prevents inGress Of air.
Taken as whole the invention 10 some.
thing wonderful; and an examination of
the car will repay { trip to the Yards,
Some New York and California capitalists
have taken hold Of the invention, sctive
among whom 10 Hon. A. T. Spots, son. in
law OF OK Mayor Brown. q 30
The oar was built at the Central Psci6c
,hope st Sacramento, and marv others like
u are already in operati0n.-N Louis Re.