Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-10-13
ARcoLs.
Their Manufacture in Los Angeles to
Cream OF Tartar-The Amount
Made-But Two Factories in the
State.

A reporter of the HERALD visited the
establishment of P. Ranzoni on Alameda
street, at the old Bernard place, on
Thursday. Mr.. Ranzoni occupies the
cellar under the Bernard residence, now
used by A. Valla, where the argols are
obtained. The rear of the brick build.
ing, the front of which is used as the
United States Bonded Warehouse, Is
used for their refining. Mr.. Ranzoni
commenced the business in this city
about three years ago at a wooden build
ing on Alameda street, near the present
electric light works. His business was
for long time small, but gradually in.
creased, until he was compelled to move
to his present spacious buildings.
The argols are obtained in peculiar
way, not very well known, many peo'
pie believing that they are white pow
der found sticking to the inside Of wine
casks. Such is not the fact. A rope,
about the size of bale-rope, is hung in
the cask, and the argols, which are OF Q
brown color and attach themselves
to the rope, are, after sufficient mum
ber is obtained, put through process
which turns them into cream of tartar
This process is secret, and we are MOI
allowed to divulge its methods, but VI
to this present season the argols hav,
been shipped to New York overland il
a crude state and there manufactured
This season arrangements have beer
made to make the tartar here. An acre
Of grapes made into wine will product
fifty pounds Of argols. which can be re
fined into twenty-five pounds of cream
of tartar. The use of the wine from
which the argols is obtained costs abou
three cents a gallon, and about 27,00(
pounds, or nearly fourteen tons, are
made during the season, which would b.
about seven tons Of cream of tartar
The season commences in January and
lasts two months to go through the pro
cess; after which four months more are
required to dry and pack the tartar fol
shipment. This requires considerable
capital, about 5000 being at present
invested in the business. Business il
now rather dull, and has been since July
LIST, but in less than two months more
about eight men will be at work. Argol;
are worth about 10 cents per pound in
New York, while after refining they
bring about twenty cents As the rein
ing is inexpensive except as regards time
it is the part Of wisdom to do the rein
ing here, as now contemplated. A full
carload has been annually sent to New
York via Deming, but this amount viii
probably be increased when the new re
fining machinery is in operation in Jan
uary next The shipments are made il
sugar barrels. It is a notable fact that
notwithstanding the numerous vineyards
and wine cellars in the State, there il
only one other argol and cream Of tartal
factory on the Coast, that at San Fran
cisco. Los Angeles is up with the times
and probably more profit Is made out o
the product here than in the metropolis
Of the State. Mr.. Ranzoni also informi
us that argols and their refined produc
from France. Notwithstanding freight
and duty, sell in New York for fifteen
cents per pound, Eve cents less than
the Los Angeles product. Yet We shiI
there constantly at profit, showing ths
superiority Of the Los Angeles product
Otherwise coin would not have been in
vested in the business since 1880. II
also shows that our county and Stat
can compete with European grape-grow
| ing countries in every product OF tn
grape. A sample Of these crude argol
can be seen at the HERALD office. The,
look like piece Of brown moss, ans
very unlike the genuine cream Of tartar