Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-04-22
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IS II BETTER THAN BUTTER7
CONGRESSMAN AIKEN TELLS US ALL ABOUT
OIEOMARGARINE

oLEoMARGARINE.
To the Editor Of the News and Courier: Your
editorial of the 18th just provokes an article,
not with disposition to strike back, but to
edify upon the manufacture of oleomargarine.
The question of the adulteration of food is
perhaps legitimate one for Congressional
legislation, and through that channel this ar
ticle of oleomargarine has been brought be-
fore two of the Congressional committees
manufactures, and agriculture. Wherever
manufactured each State requires that every
kit containing it shall be plainly marked
"Oleomargarine," before being exposed for
sale But no State can by law require the
manufacturer thus to mark it when he ships
and offers it for sale in another State, and
hence Congressional interference is asked to
prevent its shipment across State lines unless
plainly branded.
But to its manufacture. Every one who
has seen inside of beef knows that in the
region of the heart of fat beef there is a
considerable quantity Of fat and that the
"paunch" is enveloped in thir film which is
known as the. "caul fat. From these two
sources come the material from which oleo
margarine is made, the simple process of which
is as follows:
This fat is washed, first in lukewarm water
and then in icy cold water to harden it. Then
being cut into small pieces it is thrown into
hopper resting over a mammoth sausage
cutter, which receives it rapidly, mastcates it
thoroughly and discharges it into a large
caldron, or series of caldrons, that are kept at
uniform temperature of 1120 Fahrenheit
This degree of heat melts the fat and tallow,
separates them from each other and from the
fbrine or other solid matter contained in the
caul. The fat is the lightest ad floats above
the melted tallow, and is drawn off by means
of syphon into large troughs in an adjacent
room kept at a uniform temperature of about
80 degrees, in which temperature the liquid
soldi6es or becomes crystalized into sub
stance resembling granulated tallow.
In this room is large table covered with
frame of moulds about the length and width
and half the thickness of the old-fashoned
brick moulds. In each mould is laid piece
of clean, heavy cloth or duck, and the mould
filled with the granulated substance. Wrap
ped in this cloth, making block about the
size of thin brick, each mould is laid upon
the follower of press until nearly covered !;
then a. sheet of galvanized tin is laid over
these, and another layer of cloth-blocks, and
then tin and so on, alternating until the pile is
about as high as bale of cotton, and two
thirds as long. Steam is applied, and the
pile of blocks is subjected to pressure OF
from 1900 to 700 pounds to the square inch
Each little block is pressed to about halt
inch in thickness, the residue being pure stear
inc, which is packed in hogsheads, and sold
chiefly to candle manufacturers. The pure
oil is caught in gutter that encircles the
press, and carried ofby pipes to another por-
tion of the building. The oil is as translu-
cent as the white Of an egg, and perfectly
tasteless, smacking neither of lard nor tallow.
In the room to which the oil is taken stands
churn, capable of holding 625 pounds of the
mixture-500 pounds Of this oil and 125
pounds of fresh milk. The dasher is vertical
with horizontal paddles, and is whirled by
steam. In the churn is placed whatever OF
coloring matter is needed to improve the color
of the mixture. The churn stands upon a
pedestal about three feet high, and has, near
its bottom, faucet. After the mixture is
churned for ten minutes, looking identically
like cask of egg custard, the faucet is then
opened and portion of the mixture is flooded
into large box lined with metal, and con-
tanning about two, perhaps three bushels OF
crushed ice. AS the churn empties its con-
tents into the box, couple Of stalwart men
keep the ice and mixture moving by stirring
them together with strong hat-tined forks,
and by the time the churn is empty the box
is full of a CONCEALED substance exactly like
fresh yellow butter, and the ice has been en-
tirely absorbed.
This box on small wheels is rolled off lad
emptied into horizontal trough, through
which runs an axle with fattened teeth pro-
iecting from it, and as the axle revolves these
teeth press or work all the water out of the
substance or mixture; and from this trough
it is taken by hand Gts first handling) and
thrown upon large table, backwards and
forth, upon which, by means Of cog gearing,
runs heavy iron fanged roller, which works
it that much more, and presses all the water
out upon the table, which being slightly in
cl;ned allows the water to run off. At this
working it is salted, and handled by turning
it around and around so as to present every
possible atom of it to the pressure of the
roller, that it may be deprived of all its
water.
From this table it is thrown by hand into
fue leading to room below, where it is
packed into kegs, marked and shipped.
When it is sent to Charleston the euphonious
name of Oleomargarine is left off; your green
grocers and ripe grocers buy it and sell it as
butter, and your citizens eat it and enjoy it
! as "pilt edge Goshen"