The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1877-12-07

"iaipat u'Ciy tDlutU III lic tuiols L Hc
working hours are from Monday morning
to Saturday night without intermission,
and the number OF men given employ,
ment variously ranges from 70 to 100
according TO the demands of
trade. The employees OF the works are
paid promptly every week in cash-a
feature that speaks well for the financial
cOkdition Of the company. We venture
the prediction that. bat few OF our citizens
comprehend the enormous capacity
which the works possess tor the manu>
.aCture OF boxes and baskets, and the fol.
lowing statement will therefore appear
somewhat startling TO those not acquain-
ted With the facts.
PRODUCING CAPACITY.
The material from which the boxes
and baskets are manufactured is purchas- |
ell at various points both up aud down |
the Mississippi and Ohio rivers by men
thoroughly acquainted with the kind and
quality of timber required.
During the spring and summer this
lumber is rated here as it may be need.
ed. The past year j,0OO,0 900 feet of pc.
plar, 100000 feet of cottonwood, and
1000, 900 feet OF oak and cypress logs
were rated down the Mississippi and
Ohio rivers, and worked up into the neees-
sary shape tor use. The company now
have stored in their yards about 100000
feet of material placed there for the pur-
pose of seasoning.
The BOZ DEPARTMENT,
Throughout the winter the works are
engaged almost exclusively in the manu-
| facture OF cracker boxes as the fruit sea-
son being over there is in consequence
no demand for baskets. The principal
room used for the preparation OF the
lumber for this use contains large
amount of valuable machinery,
constructed especially for the
purpose for which it is
here used. As we have before stated the
timber is received in logs, and entering
the building We are first shown large
saw which cuts the log into boards,
which are al once taken to the yard and
stacked where they remain for from six
to eight months. When the lumber has
become sufficiently seasoned it is brought
70 the mill and run through the planer
which removes the rough surface, from
whence it proceeds to the cut of saw and
is cut into the desired length; then to
small circular saws for sizing 1t. and to
the hand matches for tOngulng and
growing. The lumber is now ready for
the hands OF the packer who packs itinto
bundles and it Is ready for shipment to
the cracker manufacturers throughout
the country.
THE BASKET MANDATORY
at present not in operation, as the fruit
season Is over, and the company are
now exclusively engaged in the manuiac.
DRY of cracker boxes. The modus ops
erandi by which the strips from which
the fruit baskets and boxes are made Is
materially the same, in the primary
preparation, as that given above, with
tie exception that the logs are cut into
blocks Is inches in length and are imme.
diately ready for use without seasoning.
These blocks are then placed in
what is termed cutting machine, where
rs it slowly rerolves, a stationary knife
running parallel with the timber cuts it
into the required thickness, operating on
the same principal as knife in the
hands OF person pairing an apple. An
ingenious device receives the lumber as
it comes from the machine cutting 1t
into the necessary width. The thickness
of the material thus cut varys from I to
III G Of an inch, 1t being intended only
for use in the manufacture of fruit has.
kcts; the same kind OF Il machine intend
ed for heavy work being used in the
manufacture OF slaves. These strips are
now ready for use. and are packed the
same as the cracker boxes, ready Tor
shipment.
THE MOTIVE POWER
necessary requires the use of 8 boilers
and two engines, the latter being respcc.
lively Of 80 and 90 horsepower, IN elev.
ator running from the mill to the engine
room, a distance OF probably 200 feet,
carries all the saw dust and useless strips
necessary for fuel.
That portion o, the works devoted
to the manufacture Of barrel-heads Is es>
peclaly interesting to the visitor, because
Of tho rapidly and popularity OF the pro.
cess by which the heads are made. The
heading, In pieces about Is inches In
length by 9 inches In width, first pass
through planer. Three OF these arc
then placed perpcndcularlyin machine
between two clamps, which revolve,
bringing The edge fths heading IN con,