Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-09-11

The cracker factory, which is an
immense business in itself, was yet to
be inspected. While the bread, cakes,
and pies go to feed hungry Minnespol-
itans only, the crackers are largely
shipped to supply outside demands.
The process of crackermaking was
found to be more mechanical and less
freehand than bread, pie or cakemak-
l G. Winter wheat is used exclusive
II. Crackers made from spring>sown
wheat are tough and springy. The
cracker sponge is set over night in an
immense trough, and is worked the
next morning through patent screw
mixer. This dough comes out in
round columns abouta foot through,
and is dumped back two or three
times until it is well kneaded. Then
it is sent down through chute in the
floor to the platform, from which it is
fed in sections to three rollers.
one after another, The piece is
passed under each one several times,
and the rollers are so graded that the
dough gradually thins and lengthens
out as it proceeds. It finally passes
into what is called the form" which
determines the width of the strip of
dough. This strip of dough is then
started upon canvas revolving belt,
over which is large revolving bush,
which constantly dusts -four upon it.
two or three feet further Oh the dough
comes under a stamp. operated also
by machinery, and the crackers are
given any one of the dozens of shapes
known to the trade and families. II it
&c tho 1rS1Yal anIo oronlyon fha,.o
will be five in a row, and the strip,
of course, is endless as long as the
dough holds out. As they emerge
from under the stamp q boy stands
ready with sort of very thin wooden
shovel, without raised edges, and
with a handle several feet long, and
with this instrument called ''peel,"
he takes off a section about three feet
long, which he dexterously hirts with
a twist of the wrist into the oven, or
rather upon one of the immense revol-
wing iron shelves which are contain
ed In the ovsn. These are about three
feet wide and fifteen feet long, and
one revolution serves to bake the
crackers a delicate brown, As they
come up done, another boy stands
with rake and hauls them uncere-
noniously into large baskets, in
which they are transferred By eleva-
tor to the third floor for packing.
When only partially cooled they are
put away by girls into barrels and
boxes neatly lined with white paper,
and are left uncovered until cooled
and dried. While still warm they
have toughness which makes it pos
sible to handle them IN way that
would break them into bits when
cold.
In getting perfect edge on the outs
side rows Of crackers a strip about
three quarters of an inch wide is Incl.
dentally sacrificed on each side, and
this thrown back into the general
mass of dough, is supposed 70 greatly
improve it. The batch must conse-
quently improve from first to last,
as the amount of scraps keeps climbs
ing up toward a maj ority. Cracker
dust is another branch of the manus
facture. ANY rackers that may have
been broken in handling or packing
are ground fine and sold, prlncip ally
to hotels and restaurants, for breads
ing meats, oysters, and soups. All the
floor sweepings are >old to farmers
for cattle feed, SO there is little waste.