Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-01-02
SHIPPING FRUITS WITHOUT DECAY.


Description Of . Now RefriErstor Car rhst
Supplies . Dry, Even Temperature.
A number of Sacramentana recently had
an opportunity of examining u new sys-
tenn Of preserving fresh fruits and vegeta
bles during the transit across the con-
tinent The principles involved may be
briefly explained IS follows: The 70
searches OF Tyndall and other scientists
have demonstrated that the decay of
organic matter is due to bacteria, and that
warmth and moisture are conditions
peculiarly favorable to their development
For instance. the ordinary refrigerator car,
with its quantities OF ice, produces .
great deal of moisture. and in order to
counteract its effects the temperature
must be kept down about freezing point
The regular fruit car Is but q shell. al-
lowing ventilation and giving access to
outside air, and it is the sad experience of
shippers that one very hot day in transit
will often ruin the greater part OF ship
ment The new car referred 10 proposes
to do away with both oh ections BY al
lowing no access whatever 10 outside air.
preserving uniform temperature through
out the car and free circulation of very
dry. cold air.
The car itself is an ordinary insulated
refrigerator car. which is closed at the be.
ginning of the trip and not opened until
the perishabe goods reach their destina
ton. The car weighs $4,000 pounds.
some 5000 pounds more than the shell
fruit car. but considerably less than the
ordinary refrigerator car with its load Of
ice. In one end OF it is tue machinery
for regulating the temperature. occupying
Just four feet, so that in available space.
too. ii has an advantage over the refriger
ator car. A long pipe punctured with
many holes runs along the car al the top.
and back into the machinery end where
small fan supplies suction to draw the air
from the car into the pipe and it is then
carried down, passed among pipes con.
tanning the cooling fluid and thrown in
upon the fruits and meats again. All
moisture clings to the cooling pipes and
the air circulating is kept cool and dry.
The cooling liquid is made Of alcohol
ride of ethyl 1t is q neutral fluid pos
sessing neither the corrosive qualities of
the acid nor the imfiammabiiity of
alcohol This chloride of ethyl in passing
through the labyrinth of pipes is vapor,
lied and allowed 10 condense again thus
producing the degree of cold required
The power is taken from the axle of the
car and several ingenious devices are re-
sorted TO, to counteract the pulling and
jumping of the car. anG again TO obtain
the exact degree of power required, NO
matter at what speed the car moves
This particular car brought through lot
of meats from Chicago in excellent con-
ditiOn, and where ordinary refrigerators
were compelled to keep the temperature
AT 30 degrees lest the meat should spoil,
under this system il is kept for four or
six days at 4j degrees and comes through
in better shape while the woodwork of
the car remains as dry rs a chip 1t is
claimed that this system wilf- revolu
tionize fruit shipments. Is it will land
fruits in Chicago and New York without
decay and almost in the condition in
which they leave here
How Tracks Arc Guarded In Russia.
German Railroad Progress
The track from Charkov to Nikolaiev
is patroed before each train by watch
man Of each section. who carries forward
a number found by him at the beginning
of his section and left on hook provided
for it at the end. even numbers being car
ried in one direction and odd numbers in
the other The numbers, which are
painted ON metal plates. are hung in view
of the trains, so that officials passing can
readily see them. and by means of small
table of the positions Of the number on
any day or hour can see whether the
watchmen are doing their work A hook
without number indicates the negligence
Of watchman. who can be readily iden-
titled. since every watchman is required
to give notice when he does not find a
number at the beginning Of his section,
and must do 90 70 avoid having the care
lessness ascribed 70 him