Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1885-10-07
THE AUSTIN CANNING AND
PRESERVING GO.

THE AUSTIN CANNING AND
| PRESERVING co.
A Grand Success---1ts Operations
for 1885.
This Company was incorpora ted in the
early spring Of 1888. The purpose of the
Company, to engage in the business OF
putting up canned vegetables and fruits.
1t was the pioneer canning factory of Min
nesota. Grounds were secured on south
side of Bridge street, on east side of the
river, near the bridge. A building was
erected in May, machinery was immedi-
ately purchased for making cans. and by
the time corn was ready for canning in
August, the Company had manufactured
90, 600 cans. After the machinery for pro-
cessing was all in good running order,
the first aud experimental lot of corn was
cooked, numbering 600 cans. This was
the first and last Of the canning for that
year. Before the second lot of cans was
ready for the steam kettle. on the second
day, about noon, the boiler burst, theien-
gineer was killed. and the machinery and
building badly wrecked. This was sad
beginning for the enterprise; and at a
meeting of the directors held Immediate
ly after the explosion, it was decided to
close the factory for the season of $685.
In August, 1884, the first real canning
of goods commenced. However, Presi-
dent Walsh had so far profitsd by the ex-
periences of the first year, that he was
convinced that change in processing
was necessary in order to give the goods
a first class reputation, so additional and
expensive machinery had been purchased
and a foreman obtained from Elgin, ILL.,,
Mr.. j. F. Morgan, who had had several
years experience in the new system of
processing. MIR. Morgan's labors were
crowned with success. About SO, 600 cans
of corn were put up, 10000 of pumpkin.
and about 10000 of tomatoes, squash,
SC. The goods were superb. The man.
agement thought they had never seen any
thing better; but they were hardly pre-
pared for the victory which they obtained
at the Worlds Exposition at New Orleans
last winter. 1t was the 1st premium on
all their exhlbits-corn, tomatoes, squash
and pumpkin. And this, small pio-
neer Minnesota factory, competing
against the goods from Mirty-taoo of the
largest and oldest canning factories in the
land. 1t was indeed great victory, as
Commissioner Oliver Gibbs said, at our
county fair, 'to beat all creation canning
corn" and meant great things for the
stockholders of the Austin Canning Com
pany.
Fer 1885, arrangements were early
made with Mr.. Morgan to continue in the
employ of the Company for another sea-
son. 1t was also voted by tue directors
to put up double the pack of 1884. In
order to do this, additional facilities had
to be secured. A store house 36x4O, two
stories, was erected, also cooling room,
4Ox40, and husklng sheds, 30x50. A new
engine, of 18-horse power, was alss pur-
chased. Now, at the close of the season,
the following goods have been canned:
1870, 900 cans of corn, 5000 of tomatoes,
5000 Hubbard squash, 5000 pumpkin,
1000 Boston baked pork and beans, 1000
corned beef and cabbage, 1000 Siberian
crabs in syrup, 200 quarts of catsup. All,
except the corn, squash and pumpkin,
are put up in trial quantities simply. If
they take we'll, large number of cans of
each kind will he canned next year.
Mr.. Morgan, the foreman, has had Is
years experience in Elgin, Ill.,, and at
other points, in putting up vegetables,
fruits aud meats. He certainly under
stands the canning of vegetables to per-
lection, as no better than the Austin
goods were ever put up in any factory.
He is also an experienced can-maker; and
is an honorable, faithful man in every re-
spect The directors having such impli-
cit confidence in his ability, have closed
a contract with him for full year begin
ming November 1st, 1885. Mr.. Morgan.
in return. is so we'll pleased with the sue
cess of the factory, that he has subscribed
for $500 of full paid stock in the Com
pany.
For the season of 1886, 1t IS expected
to pack quarter of million cans, and op-
erations in the can-making department
will be carried on all winter, at which
work three or four men will be employed.
The present Board Of Directors is as
follows: D. B. Smith, President; F. l.
Crane, VicePresidcnt; H. A. Avery,
Secretary; c. H. Davidson, Treasurer
John Walsh, G." Schleuder, J. NJ. Green
man.
AS the modus operandi of putting ur
the famous Gopher Brand of Minnesota
Sweet Corn may interest some of oul
readers, we will try and say something
about it.:
The corn is brought into town bv the
farmers in high wagon boxes, just a.
snapped from the stalks. 1t is examined
and weighed in town, and then delivered
to the husking sheds at the factory
where an army of women, girls and boy:
are employed in taking off the husks. l
is put by them into bushel-baskets, ani
then taken to the corn-cutter, wonder
full machine, capable Of cutting enough
corn from the cobs in one day to fill 10, OO(
cans. From the cutter the corn is taker
to the shaker, where the silks and bits O.
cob and husk are separated from the corn
This machine is an invention of Fore
man Morgan, and is a success from tn
very start. Then the corn is taken to tn
process machine, where it is passet
through brass tube, about 10 feet il
length, and receives its first cooking as j
passes through the tube. Near the spt
of this tube is shoot from the secont
floor that supplies the cans, that ar
placed in position by man stationed a