The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-06-20
In a Sugar House.

Like a brooding mother hen, the old
sugar-house spreads its low roof-wings
at either side upon the rivers bank. In
At one corner rises the towering
chimney, marvel in its way, round as
q needle and having its inner courses
like the thread of a screw that it may
thoroughly devour the black smoke
which. otherwise, would pour from the
lofty muzzle. III, --. ......--,. :.
Ranks of corded wood on one side,
ranks OF blue. Juicy cane with shoots
and thick-swelling joints on the other
side; wagons coming filled with the
sweet stalks and going to the fields
again full of noisy children, men pass
ing to and fro every second one of
them munching cane; bright skies
smiling overhead; sweet birds, merry
birds. brilliant birds here. there and
everywhere; the odOr of autumn in the
air, the sweet, sgladdening sense of re-
warded labUrTin the heart-all these be-
token -s.ths- grinding season. when
waving fields bow and fall PROSTATE
before glistenin :, flashing cane-knives
piled by vigorous hands, and the year.
is arranging his affairs for his ire
vocable departure to the eternal past.
Soon the last touch of preparation is
given, the boiler is scrutinized, the
great steel rollers are secured, kettles
are set afresh, troughs are calked and
bright, new barrels and hogsheads OF cy-
press are piled in readiness.
1t is for other sugar-hOuses to boast
of steam train. centrifugal process or
vacuum pans. One advance beyond
the primitive sufiices for the unambi-
tious spirits of such a one IS this we
view, and that is fully met in the long,
rectangular sheet-iron vessel, with its
row of compartments from ''the grand"
to '.the battery instead of distinct ket-
ties.
The fire is lighted. and roars under
those large compartments or pans filled
with water boiling furiously.
harmful of cane is thrown upon
.'the carrier Another and another
and vet another, then an increasing
supply follows and up, up, UP, it goes
on the moving, endless chain of wood
en- slatS, guided by skillful hands, it
falls into the insatiate jaws of the roll
ers and is mpnched and crunched till it
falls away upon the farther side like
big wad of b,eached straw.
Along small troughs below the rollers
runs the sweet, white juice, through
fumes of sulphur in the perforated chest
beyond, thence pumped to the re
ceivers" aloft, treated with Hme-water
and the word is passed below. Great
dippers, whose handles are measured
by the foot, fly rapidly. the water is
Fitted quickly from the first of the pans
or kettles-..the grand'-and the Juice
flows in to follow again, after while,
the still retreating water. until. at last,
al the compartments are filled with the
aoiiiuS foaming Juice alone r-s-r--szs
Carefully, skillfully. the surface of
each is swept with long wooden blades,
thus fore ne back from each the up
beaved impuritie, detached through the
combined agenc es-the sulphur FUMES
and the lime-water.
So the work goes on dav and night.
the divisions of time noted only for the
of one set of workers and the
outgoing of another, for needed rest
or food. ~ 49, IL
Round and round. round and round
the three huge rollers ceaseless,y re-
volve, while the many jointed stalks
lump and writhe and crackle as they
are grasped and crushed by the cylin-
ders: steadily. continuously The little
rill of expressed sac .h1rine sap runs to
the purgatorial purifica ion of the sui
phur crest and so on through its several
parts. the work continues. .
/ Children, black and white. and old
men and women-their first color
wrinkled almost away-and many more
of all ages and of every color, come
with innocent, yet awkward. requests
or the openness of conscious reciprocity