Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-01-31
NAIVE HARDIYrS
How Herring are Made to Resemble the Frencl
Fishes

NON herring are Maut 10 Resemble the French
Fishes.
Are these the genuine French sar
dintsf' asked a woll dressed woman OF a
grocer as she received for inspection an
Oblong tin box, marked ON one side "Sar-
dimes Ia Franchise The grocer looked
at her with slightly surprised air, and
replied, Certainly lyon may send me
three boxes them said She aud after or
deriug few more things, went ont. As
she passed through the door reporter of
the New York Evening Post, who had
been standing by, inquired But were
they reai French ssrdlues, after allY"
The grocer tried 20 appear indignant,
but couldn't. Finally he laughed and
said; ~ guess You know all about il, but
what can say when lady asks me such
aqnestionr / can't explain 80 her that
uine-tenths of the sardines consumed IN
the United States come from Maine, for,
although they are just as good as this
French product she would not have them,
and | should lose her trade. Most of the
sardines sold nowadays are nothing but
small behring's, put mp Ia boxes with gaudy
labels and French inscriptions. In East
port there are nineteen places where they
turn out sardines, besides three at Iubec.
two at Jonesport aud one each at
Mulbridgs, LamOiue and Rnbbiustou.
When it was first attempted to make
sardints from herrirgs II was found tina
the difficulty lay in eradicating the her
ring flavor. II took years of experiment
TO accomplish this. Finally manufaot
ufer succeeded in producing combiua-
tion OF oil spices which removed the
trouble. The herriugs used in making
s6rdi are about four inches long, and
can be bought of the Maine and New
Brunswick fishermen, when plenty, tor
about 50 a hogshead, although when
scarce they bring Us high as $40 a hogs
head The fish are caught IN huge nets
set along the shore. Alter capture they
are taken immediately 20 the factory and
laid in heaps upon long tables where they
are deoaptivated and cleaned by children,
whose dexterity is marvellous. On the
average each child dresses IS Dish a min
ste. The pay Is Ten cents for box hold
ing about bushel. Some of the children
make rs much as $3.50 per day. After
being washed the fab are picked for half
an hour, and are then laid upon trays and
placed in large drying heated by
! steam. When dry they are thrown into
large shallow pans of boiling oil and
| thoroughly cooked. They are the packed
in boxes 10y women and girls, and
into each box is poured some OF the
patent mixture OF oil and spices. Covers
are fitted ON the boxes and sealed by
men, The boxes are next placed In the
boiling water for half an hour, and are
then removed and put on wa inclined
plane, 80 that the inolosed hot air rushes
TO one corner OF the box. This corner il
puuotured with an Rwl, and the air es
| capes; the box then being made air tight
again by drop of solder. The boxes
are oruamented with attractive Frenot
| labels, staring that the Enclosed are "Sar
| dimes ia Fraucaise.n Some are labele,
! in addition, lhuie d'0live.n The oi
generally used is cotton seed. Olive OF
Is, however, used tor tho quality marked
ptime.
almost the entire product OF Ga g,
factories Is shipped TO New York, wheuc,
it goes 20 retailers all over the country
One OF the Lucee houses prepares about
1 500 boxes per day. The prof made by
the packers is from cents to cents .
buxn
"HOw do you happen 10 be 80 well in.
formed on the subjeotg' was asked.
"Well, / nail from Eastport, myself 2"
said the grocer, lard as a boy l used to
work in a sardiue factory