Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-06-13
BONES, THEIR VALUE AND USES.
Interesting Facts Obtained From . Visit
to Brooklyn Sugar Refinery.

A Brooklyn Eagle reporter, who
visited one of the big sugar refneries
in the Eastern district not long ago,
was amazed to see what an important
part animal char, or bone black, plays
in sugar publication. Tons and tons
of the stuff are in constant use, being
burned over and over in huge ovens.
The thought occurred to him that
very few people associated the awful
smells which float over the Manhattan
beach tracks from Barren island with
the white, sweet capitalization which
is in daily use upon their tables. he,
therefore, determined to utilize the
first opportunity he had to find out
something about bones and what uses
they are put to. The chance came
one day last week, when he met down
at Bay Ridge man who had formerly
been foreman of bone-boiling estab-
lishment.
"The best bones" said the authority.
'are the fresh ones from slaughter
houses and butcher, shops. and bone
boilers made special effort to collect
such. The best quality of bones are
shins, thighs and forelegs, and these
are rendered out to free them from fat
and flesh, and sold for manufacturing
purposes. Sims, properly cleaned,
will bring $40 ton, while thighs are
worth $50 ton. Fore legs are cheap
at $50 ton. The makers of knife,
umbrella and parasol handles, collar
buttons, toothbrushes, hairbrushes,
buttons, and all kinds of things in
which bone can be used buy all of these
that they can get. Toothbrushes are
mostly made from thigh bones, while
the bones used for buttons and parasol
handles are, as general thing, shipped
to Europe to be made up. Sheep bones
make excellent fancy parasol handles,
and ivory fans which society bellies SO
languidly swing were once more init
matelv connected with mutton than
one would think. In fact, the leg bone
of sheep will take finer polish and
is less brittle than that of cow or
steer"
"What bones are used for making
animal char?"
"The odds and ends that are worth
less for other purposes, such as shin
bone, knuckles, skulls and the smaller
Joints of the animals. Nearly all of
the boneblack made from these is sold
to the sugar reineries, and through
their calcined remains the strip is ill
tered"
Where do you get bones?"
Gas have said, we make a bust
ness of collecting from local establish
ments, but the amount thus obtained
wouldn't keep US going very long, so
we have them sent in from all over the
cla
houses supply the greatest quantity,
as so much of the cattle-kilIing of the
country is now done out there. Bones
for fertilizing we boil in open kettles,
but those for boneblack are put in
air-tight tanks and boiled under pres
sure. for by this process the nitrogen
is eliminated and carbon, the part
wanted, is left"
..Do you get anything else from
bones besides bone black and material
for manufactured"
'.Oh, yes; neat s-foot oil is extracted
from the shins and hoofs of cattle, and
the liquor which is left over after boil
ing makes good sizing glue for the
paper manufacturers. The best bears
grease, too, is made from the marrow
of fresh bones"
500 the ragpickers supply you with
many bonesP"
"Of course, we take the stuff they
fish out, but naturally it is of inferior
quality and doesn't begin to compare
with the fresh stock. Will l have
something with you? Don't mind if l
do. About two fingers of pizen will
about fix my constitution, guess.
Well, here's my regardsI"