River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-01-03
OUR RESOURCES.

On the east side of the city of River
Falls is a most interesting institution.
the sorghum mill. This mill uses the
cane from one hundred acres of land i,
but during the present season the
chinch bugs of evil fame so cut down
the young cane that only about 1000
gallons of sorgham will be made, as
against $4,000 gallons produced in
years with good crops. The mill is a
custom mill, the patrons either pay
ing 20 cents per gallon for the making
of their syrup or dividing the product
of their cane. The cane is hauled to
the mill in carts so arranged that
chain passed under the load draws it
off when the team is started and
leaves it in regular pile near the
This crusher consists of three steel
rollers which are threaded, and which
crush out all the juice in the cane, the
first roll crushing the cane and the
last one drying it. This particular
mill is known as a rigid mill. the dis
lance between the rolls being absolute
ly fixed and not varying according to
the pressure eXerted by weights as is
the case in some mills. The raw
juice trickles down from the crusher
to a storage tank, from which it is
pumped by steam power to second
which it is obtained as needed. From
this second tank the juice is turned
into large tanks known as defecators,
where lime is put in to cleanse it.
These tanks hold about 400 gallons.
1t is then brought to the boiling point
by means of steam pipes and the
thick, heavy scum that rises to the
surface is drawn off into trOughs sur
rounding the defecators and used to
feed hogs; having the reputation of
being the best material with which to
fatten those animals. The cleansed
Juice is then drawn into the storage
tanks and at this point change in
color is noticed. The raw juice is
bright green, but after being defecat-
ed it has marked brownish tinge.
From this last storage tank it goes to
THE BOILING TANK,
running over steam pipes on the bot
tom of the tank, the pipes gradually
becoming cooler, so that the scum
naturally gathers on the cool side,
whence it is drawn by wooden scrap
ers into a trough by the side of the
boiling pan. This scum is used to
make vinegar, so that nothing is vast
ed. The Juice itself is boiled a second
time in a pan connected with the first,
and when it has reached the end of
the second pan it has become syrup.
1t is then at temperature of 22O0
Farenhet and is taken to the cooler,
from which it is subsequently carried
to storage tanks with capacity of
5000 gallons. From these t,.Aks it is
drawn into barrels, which stand on
scales as they are filled, so that the
capacity of each one is noted. This
year the syrup weighs about III lbs.
per gallon. The barrels are then
branded and soon thereafter start on
their short journey to the Twin Cities.
The cane from which the juice has
been pressed is called begasse, and
after being dried is used to feed cattle
and for fuel for the engine. Another
institution of which River Falls is
proud is it's creamery. The cream is
gathered from the farmers in the sur
rounding country, and turned into
butter at the rate of from 500 to 800
pounds every day, with quality so
excellent that the supply falls short of
the demand. Pioneer Press.