The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1877-09-01
THE BROOK RICE MILL.

Yesterday, at the invitation of its genial pro-
prietor, we were passed over the floors of the
rice mill OF Mr.. Columbus FL. Allen, situated on
TohouDitoulas street, near Lafayette street It
was established in 1878. and is called the Brook
Mill after valued friend. and not, as might be
thought, in token Of latent love of purling
waters and of rural associations. Among the
young men who came in at the folding of the
vulture's wing over the South. Mr.. Aliens name
Is conspicuous. He is a native Louisianian and
O soldier. On the memorable 14th of September
he was on duty as Captain of the Allen Guards,
and on the 9th of January in command as Col
onel OF the First Jefferson Battalion; and
throughout the initial troubles of our era he
has taken an active part in the performance of
public duty.
BY dint OF skill. industry and energy, and
more than these-suceess. Mr. Allen will COM
mand prominence. The breaking up of the
flow of commercial and Industrial disasters
has set in. and the prospect has dawned of a
bright future. of which he is a part. The ma
tional eagle seems to have taken full possession
OF his eyrie; everywhere are Indications that
the old bird means to run the country straight
forward in the interests of prosperity and pro-
gress, as we'll as patriotism and peace-this en-
pGssGnt.
LIE bTO0k MILL IS all lHSblbublOu, aDOuU 25U
barrels of clean rice the daily product Of the
mill-the yield Of about 500 sacks. received In
hull beautiful engine. clean and cylindered
to a charm, is. perhaps. the most attractive of
the specific objects in view. Tho tumult Of the
many driving processes all simultaneously in
progress; the vast variety of machinery, all
pushing as if in desperate race with time; the
rushing tide Of rice poured through conveyors
n elpyatorg from Hoor f1nor n boo al, ,vo;,
to new and more advanced receivers, we found
an entertainment vastly pleasant and instruct
i've: and without much cost of time or space we
may take our readers through.
The sacks are emptied into the hopper. which
is an improvement of Mr. Allen. It cleans the
hull or beard by rapid circular movement Of
cylindrical wings located in it's centre, an d does
the first staging to the rough. Thence by m
elevator 1t is whipped to the third floor and
passed into the rough rice screen. Here the
agitation is intense-straws and unclean refuse
are cast out The smaller grains of the staple
pass on unhulled. while the rest is taken up by
conveyor and carried to machine called the
stone. It's process breaks away the fibre of the
hull, and another elevator then carries 1t to an
upper 1oor for tanning. It comes back to the
shakers, OF which there are two, the name de-
noting their purpose: and thence is distributed
among the Founders. twelve in number These
initiate the bran formation: afterward a con-
veyor carries grain and bran, all mixed, to the
bran box; thence up again by an elevator to
the bran screen. At this stage the clean rice is
cast on the floor for cooling while the bran goes
down through cylinder and is sacked Again
the clean rice is taken up and goes to the brush
which polishes the grain; thence to the clean
rice screens of which there are Nos. and 2, dif
ferent in size. 1t is here barreled These rapid
and tumutuous processes, from hopper to
barrel, occupy twenty-four hours: and IA Mr.
Allen is always on time and keeps abreast Of
the most urgent haste Of planter or merchant.
no one has long to await his crop In choice new
barrels. ready for any market near or remote,
We desire only to give our readers a general |
idea of the measures and means incident tn
rice cleaning. and some impression OF an es-
of the first order. conducted, under
The strictest business regulations with efficiency
and success; atiunde. the extreme accuracy of |
Ehese descriptions Is not insisted upon.
The intelligent reader. whether of inventive |
acumen or not. will hardly doubt that the genius
Of invention will speedily work out other and |
forms in the mill problem; that i'm |
in machinery which shall reduce /
5he number OF stages in the march to finality, |
~ ohh' eiesa1oFs anu conveyOrS may be less In |
and the processes culminate under
simpler and even more rapid. forms is a mat
er only Of time: while it may be incontinently
assumed that the young, capable and energetic
Of the Brook Mill will keep in the
1an of progress
The rice industry is rapidly advancing from
7ear to year in Louisiana, and the quality of
he staple gradually improves. The grain, now,
or richness and fullness is unsurpassed by any
n the world; while fields of finer perfection \
wait its future. Whatever other Industrial
orms capital may take when It comes to flow in
tides to Southern centres, as it will,
he enlarged and perfected culture of this
avorite staple will find attention. Let only the
ide of circumstance flow on.
Eyrichs