Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1881-02-17
CANNED GOODS.

cess--NOw One of the Largest Industries vi
the Country The Articles Canned anu
Where They are Sent.
The American process of canning ARTICLES
Of food. and thus keeping them in good
condition for an indefnate period, had like
many other great ideas, u very small begin
ming. 1t was first tried in the kitchen OF
private house, by man who was working
on the theory that fruits could be preserved
by Theoretically sealing them in air-tight
cans. His calculations were found to DO
correct, and for some years he kept his Sc
cret to himself, amassing thereby large
fortune, until finally the process became
generally known, and began to be adopted
all through the country. 1t was first in
tended only for the preservation OF fruits,
but it was found that other articles could
be kept equally as we'll, and so from this
experiment has grown one of the largest IN
dustries in the country, representing mil
lions of dollars in capital and employing
thousands of people of both sexes in rails
ing and preparing the different articles to
be thus preserved. The business is now
not confined to any particular locality, but
is carried on in all parts of the United
States, as we'll as in the different countries
of Europe. 1t would be impossible to go
into minute detail concerning SO extensive
an industry; but brief history of its origin
and growth, together with something of its
present fiourishing condition, may serve to
give our readers some idea of its magnitude
and Importance.
The business is entirely an American idea,
and originated in the city of Baltimore some
forty five years ago. The gold fever of 1Si9
in California gave to it its first impetus in
the large quantities of canned goods sent
west for the use of the miners. The war
of the rebellion largely increased the sale
of these goods, but it is only within the
past four or five years that the business has
assumed its present extended proportions.
Goods are now canned in almost every large
city of the United States, though the bulk
of the trade is confined to eight, Baltimore
taking the lead So extensive has this in
dustry become that it would be impossible
to give any estimate of the amount pro-
duced, but an idea may be formed concern
ing it from the fact that some 5000, 600 cans,
to be used for this purpose, were manufac-
tured in Boston alone during the past year.
Some establishments, which can vegetables
and the like, employ thousands of persons
ticles during the producing season, and in
the winter are engaged in the manufacture
! of the cans themselves. Probably no bust
ness has become as widespread in so short
a period as that of canning fruits, for it is
now carried on all over the country, and is
continually increasing. In the past year
Baltimore, which seems to be so located as
to obtain the largest and readiest supply OF
| fruits and vegetables at less expense than
| other cities, put up last year some five mil
| lion cans of peaches, tomatoes and corn ter
million cans of fruit, and nine million cans
| of vegetables, besides immense quantities
of fish, oysters, and other shellfsh, the
season for these latter articles ending just
as the vegetable time begins.
| The goods now canned are numberless
from the primary idea of simply preserving
| fruit, almost every conceivable article Of
| food is treated in this maner. Oysters
clans, Holsters, soft and hard shelled crabs
are now universally canned, while among
the newer articles in the vegetable line are
string beans, pumpkins, squashes, succo-
fash, pineapples, and the like which KEEP
all their original flavors, and can scarcely
be distinguished from the article freshly
taken from the ground. Salmon and mack
erel, chickens, turkeys, and other fowls are
also kept for long time in this manner
though they are more perishable than fruits
Shell fish canning has been in operation fol
many years, and is now extensively carrieC
on, there being nearly 200 establishments
in the city of Baltimore alone engaged ex.
clusively in packing and handling oysters
CLAIMS, and the like.
In the line of fruits there are blueberries
strawberries, raspberries, blackbe1ries, cher
ries, damson plums, ounces, grapes, april
| cots, &c. These goods are generally put
up with two dozen cans in case, and the
number of different brands is surprising
| There are fifteen trademarks in peaches
three of cherries, four of tomatoes, three of
peas, five or six of corn, and so on. There
is also an extensive sale of Boston baked
beans, which are sentaway in q semi cooked
state, and although inferior to the genuine
New England article, fresh from the oven
are very palatable, and enormous qualities
are sent West, and, in fact, to all parts OF
| the world. Besides those above mentioned
are numerous fancy goods, such as plum
buildings, sardines, Canton ginger, salad
dressing, shrimps, soups, &c, an assort-
ment of which is found on the shelves OF
every large grocery establishment The
prices of canned goods naturally fuctuate
with the supply and demand, but, all things
considered, they are comparatively low
cost Some of the recent quotations show
the price of peaches at $1.2O per case fol
two pound cans, each case containing two
| dozen cans: tomatoes, IS cents for same
weight cans; corn, $1.7O; while different
kinds of fruit range in price from 80 cents
| to So per case.
In the vicinity of Boston there are nu-
| merous establishments devoted to the can
| ming of green corn, and, as this process is
similar to that to which all articles of pre-
served food are subjected, description Of
| the method will serve as an example for the
rest. The corn is planted expressly fol
| this purpose, and when it is in condition tc
can it is stripped of its husks, after which
it is thoroughly wiped to remove the silks
| 1t is then moved along to another set Of
| hands, who, with knives used for this pur.
pose, cut off the kernels from the cob. This
work is done over large wooden hopper
there being generally four hands at work a
one machine, and the corn is allowed tt
drop through into tub. When this is full
it is taken to another room, where it i.
weighed out in small quantities. eacl
amount Just sufficient to fill can, the corr
being forced into the press which operates
very rapidly. The cans are then tax
en- to the soldering room, where eacl
is carefully wiped and the top is solderet
on, small hole being made in the cover t.
allow the escape of air; The next step il
the cooking, which is done by placing tn
cans in wooden watts, filed with water ant
kept at the boiling point by steam heat
After being cooked while, the cans ar
taken out, the air holes are newly opened
and they are subject to thorough shaking
to force out the air, which operation i
most important. After this the corn i
again cooked, the cans are sealed air. tight
and they are then ready for market. Al
articles are treated in a similar manner
with the exception of preparing them TO
the cooking process, and when finishes
they are practically imperishable, as the
will keep for years in any climate. Al
through Massachusetts, there are extensiv
vegetable canning establishments, as We
as in other parts Of New England, and with
in the past few months the business has in
creased to marked extent in the State @
Maine, especially in corn.
SO worldwide has become the reputation
of American canned goods, that there
hardly nation on the globe that does nc
use them They are invaluable on the ship