Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1884-01-09

lnree QlIefent klllVS OIL lullDer aTe
used in the manufacture of the boxes.
Common boxes are made from bass
wood, brought in heavy boards from
the northern part of the state. 1t is
then recut, planed, grained and stain
ed, in order to give il a cedar-like ap-
pearance. The best wood is red cedar,
which is grown on the sunny southern
slopes of Mexico, Cuba and Central
America, where the vertical rays Of
the sun penetrate its fibre, and the
heavy forests shelter it from the west
ern winds. This wood possesses the
sharp, pungent odor which renders
it particularly valuable for the packing
of fine cigars.
The wood is purchased either from
first hands in the South or from New
York dealers 1t is cut in the requi-
site thicknesses, one-flfth Of carload
always being of the necessary thickness
for ends. The strips OF wood are run
through a rip-saw and sawed in long
strips and cut into the required
lengths ont second machine, The
ends are then planed as smooth as the
sides, and they are ready to be made
into boxes. The lids and sides are
then put into printing presses such as
ordinary printers use, only much hea-
ver, and the brand, trademark, etc.,
are indelibly impressed on them. They
next pass into the hands Of the nail
ers. They are net nailed together by
hand, but by machines which look
like type-setting machines. The nails
are fed into hopper on the top, and
are led through small brass pipes into
little tubes at the proper distance
apart. By the pressure of his foot
the nails are forced by the operator
out of these tubes into the wood as
accurately and six times as rapidly as
the most expert mechanic could do by
hand with hammer, First an end
and head piece are mailed together
and placed in large piles, and the two
of these nailed together, forming the
sides. They are passed to boys at the
right, who rapidly nail the bottoms
on by hand. The half.completed
boxes are then taken by girls, who
tack on the covers by Rand, fastening
them in place temporarily by partly
driven nails. They pass along to
girls who deyterousiy paste cloth
hinges upon them. The boxes are
then piled up to dry.
The next operation consists in trim
ming off all over-hanging wood, which
is done on rapidly revolving planer.
They are then placed against whirling
sand wheels and nicely smoothed. The
boxes are now ready for the large
force of girls upon the upper floor,
who proceed to place the finishing
touches upon them. First the edg.
ings are pasted on, then the inside
labels Innings and flaps. The girls are
paid at the rate of so cents hundred,
and can earn from 81 to IS week.
The labels are made by houses in Chi
cago and New York. Some labels are
very artistic. The designs are the
work of distinguished artists, and the
coloring is rich and varied They are
expensive, ranging in price from 2 to
10 cents each.
The printing department of a large
factory is as nearly complete as job
printing Office can be- The names of
the brands ordered by manufacturers
are printed upon the labels at the fac
tory. The boxes are now ready for
delivery. The silk ribbons used for
fastenings form quite an item, the
factory visited by the reporter using
over 500 worth a month, a carload
of cedar is used every five or six
weeks, and costs $40 a thousand feet
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