Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1889-08-31
NO. 81.
COLD STORAGE HOUSES.
SOMETHING THAT IS CONSTANTLY
BEING MADE BETTER.

BEING MADE BETTER.
The Day May Not he Far on When
Strawberries. Watermelons and Other
DeiieacIes WIN BE Kept Uutn Mid
winter-what Has Been Accomplished.
II way could be found to keep fruits,
berries and melons fresh for an indefinite
length of time the public would have
something added to its happiness during
the winter months Somebody or other
has been trying for years to effect such
a result, but every experiment has met
with failure.
There are some things too delicate to
keep long after being plucked from the
maternal branch.
These things are, of course, also deli
cate to the taste, and that their season is
so short is what hos led to the ineffectuai
attempts to preserve them, so that they
may be had when they are not in season.
MILLIONS on ICE.
The nearest thing to the accomplish
ment of this much desired object are the
fitted up with huge boilers and great
pumps for forcing brine and ammonia
through the pipes that enter the air tight
compartments. The mixture of brine
and ammonia turns so cold that snow
and ice form thick and solid on the out
side of the pipes. The currents can be
so regulated by system of gauges that
Ao,, -, halAx 10
duced without difficulty.
This system can be utilized to adj
vantage in preserving all things not af-
fected by frosts. In New York city at
any season of the year there are many
millions of dollars worth of good things
stored away in those places to be drawn
out from time TO time as the dealer re-
quires them for his trade.
In one great storage house there is esti-
mated to be at all times from $1,000, 900
to $12,000,000 worth of property, in
which, however. is included all conceiv-
able sorts Of expensive eatables and valu-
able skins and furs.
This is how most of the big furriers
keep the expensive skins from year to
cannot stand, and that is low tempera-
ture. Such temperature will also keep
skins from hardening and furs from
rusting to the end of time.
AS for poultry, there is no telling how
long it can be kept in prime eating con-
dition. Mr.. f. w. Conklin, of the firm
of F. c. Linde & Co., of the Hudson
"A. toll fhnt
have a few Thousand dollars worth of
poultry which has been in their keeping
for more than two years. This particu-
lar consignment became the subject OF
litigation shortly after 1t was placed
there, and there it must remain until it
becomes settled who is the owner.
Eggs are also kept for an indefinite
period In these storage warehouses by
lowering the temperature of the room to
a few degrees above freezing. 1t is
claimed that they can be kept in this
way just as fresh rs when they are first
laid, but this is matter which admits
Of some doubt; at least, most everybody,
including the keepers of ''cold storages,"
would prefer their eggs direct from the
hen coop.
THE HARDEST TO KEEP.
The hardest things TO keep are water
melons, strawberries-in fact all berries
and peaches. The stAsages arc seldom
called upon to hold tAese things more
than day or two at time. Strawber-
ries, however, have been kept for over
six weeks after their season ended. Mr..
Conklin had lot for more than month,
and he has expressed the opinion that if
they could be placed one by one upon
rack In an even temperature, SO that a
current OF air could always circle around
them, they could be preserved an entire
year.
The same method. he thinks, would be
equally sufficient in keeping watermel-
ons, but an editor i'm this town tried this,
but without any satisfactory result. He
wrapped dozen melons in cotton, and
toward the end of the season placed them
in general storage house, being careful
to spread them apart. The season had
hardly opened when he received word
that his watermelons were rotting. He
did not go after them. though, until the
III St VI LtNtiiOtlt ann bbDoC thttOii7 MtlC
then very poor eating, indeed.
Originally they cost Sc, but the storage
cost Sc, so the owner was out s. by the
experiment. and he had no melon TO eat
either
Prunes the cold storage system keeps
in fine condition for years. They may
be found In as soft. fresh and moist con-
dition when taken from the cool COM
partment as they are when first picked.
Vegetables can be kept great time.
but there Is seldom much need for saving
them--they are always 50 plentiful.
The cold storage is always improving,
like everything else in this restless, push
ing world and perhaps before many
years Strawberries and watermelons may
not be out of reach in midwinter New
York News