The Portland daily press., 1880-02-21
STEAMSHIP BROOKLYN.
The First Cargo of Fresh Beef for Eng.
land

yesterday afternoon there gathered aboard
the steamer Brooklyn, of the Dominion line. a
party OF Portland's representatives to examine
the new and patented process for p,eser wing
fresh meats while being transported from this
to the Old country. Among the party were
Collector Morrill, and Messrs. True Smith and
Moulton, as well as other gentlemen conneot-
ed with our custom house; ex-Gov. Perham:
Mr.. Scanlon, agent for David Torrance &,
Cos Mr.. Cramp, one Of the directors of the
dominion line and of the firm of David Tor.
rance g Co.; Mr. Holmes, of the firm of Strou,
Holmes of this city; (. P. Farrin eton.
and other we'll known capitalists and ner.
chants,
The inspection Of that part of the shin de.
signed for carrying the beef was carefully al.
tended and fully explained by the patentt @,
who was present, Mr.. Joel Tiffany, assisted
by Mr.. II. f. Starbuck of Chicago, who has.
under the direction of Mr.. Tiffany, prepared
the Brooklyn for the reception of her first
cargo OF dressed beef for England.
Many people enormously suppose that the
process OF preserving the meat consists in re-
ducing the temperature to or below the freez-
Il.
1any informed the gentlemen that his idea
was similar to that of natures, that by con-
slant agitation of the air and the absorption
of the impurities collected, meats or fruit
could be preserved for an indefinite length Of
time. With this end in view he had first in
troduced his arrangement into railroad cars
and ii had proved highly successful. The
idea is simply this: The room in which the
meat is placed is air tight, or nearly SO, and is
supplied with galvanized iron pipes which
traverse the entire length of the apartment.
perforated at intervals on each side and open
at the ends. Through these pipes constant
current of air is keptin motion, being diffused
about the meat through the perforations and
falli ig to the bottom of the room as it is dis
placed by the rising OF warm air from below
The cold air falling is then drawn back into
the other end of the pipes laid level with the
floor, passed around large ice chest and fin
ally through that part of the pipes which is
embedded in the ice and, by contact with the
moisture generated in the inside of the pipes.
las moisture gathers on the outside of
a goblet containing ice water), is purified
and again circulated through the meat.
This occasions fresh supply of dry air about
once In every two no rs and preserves uni
form temperature of about 40o above zero.
The water which collects on the inside OF
the air pipes and arrests the impurities is con-
Quoted away by means of small cutters, while
in purifying the air it also absorbs all moisture
from it and leaves the same sweet and dry.
The above plan has been in operation on
freight cars for some time and has proved
highly successful in preserving even the most
perishable of fruits.
= The explanation was listened to by those
present with marked attention and after the
curiosity of the visitors had been satisfied they,
by invitation of Capt. Lindall, true British
tar from bunt to -lewline, retired to the cabin
and partook of lunch. After the viands had
been removed. several toasts we're given of a
nature encouraging to the projectors of the en-
terprise, winding up with a toast proposed by
Mr. Cramp, of David Torrance & Co., "Pros
perity to the fair city of Portland,'' to which
Hon. Lot M. Morrill, responded in an appro-
pirate manner and spoke feelingly of the init
mate commercial relations existing between
Great Britain and America. Indeed SO firm
had the connection become said Mr.. Morrill,,
"that no disruption could possibly occur as was
demonstrated by the Geneva award few
years ago."
Mr. Morrill's remarks were listened to with
profound attention by all the gentlemen pres
ent and at the close of his speech a spontan.
eous outburst of applause broke forth from
both English and American representatives at
the tables. The occasion will long be remem-
bered by those present as a memorable,
quite as much for the pleasant feeling en-
gendered as well as the occasion of the ship
ping of our first loa of fresh meat to England.
Mr. Starbuck will accompany the Brooklyn
on her voyage to note the effect on the meat
during the passage, in order to correct any en-
ror that may have occurred in SO suddenly pre-
pairing her for the reception of cargo of This
nature, the entire preparations having been
made since Tuesday last The Brooklyn was to
sail at a. IN. this morning.