Mower County transcript., 1890-04-23
AUSTIN CANNING FACTORY
The Pioneer In the state-The Popularity
-',- GAIT, OF Ito Noted Goods.
An Industry Which Contributes Largely
to Austin's Greatness. W

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An Industry Which Contributes Largely
to Austin's Greatness. "
The organization of the Austin Can
ming and Preserving Company is an Illus
tration of the great benefit to our thriv-
ing city of our manufacturing industries.
This company was organized nearly six
years ago, and it has carried the fame of
our city even across the seas. Its goods
are now standard in the great markets
and there Is steadily increasing demand
for them. The history of this enterprise
is interesting. It was started and Is con-
tinued wholly by Austin capital. The
capital stock is $50, 900, all Of which ia
now owned in equal shares by the six
men whose names appear as the officers.
Another interesting fact is that it is the
pioneer institution of its kind in the
state. The men who started it had faith
that the peculiarly delicious vegetable
and fruit products of this locality must
command the attention of the world, if
these could be put up successfully so Is
to preserve their original favor. Few
knew of the concern in It's infancy, but
when the company took its unexcelled
canned goods to the worlds fair at New
Orleans in 1885, and in sharp competi-
ton with LARGER and older manufac-
tories, was awarded the first premium
on corn, tomatoes and pumpkin, it
quickly sprang into deserved promi-
nence and brought great honor, not only
to our city, but to our state. The works
of the company are located just east of
the Cedar river bridge on Bridge street
Everything possible is done by steam
The buildings cover nearly an acre OF
ground. A seYenteenhorse power en-
ginels used to drive the machinery, while
the one hundred power steam boil
ers supply steam for cooking the corn
and other vegetables. 1t IS an interesting
sight to visit the works when in full oper~
alton. Of course, the annual product is
put up in few weeks in August and Sep
tember, when corn and vegetables are
obtained fresh from the fields. Then
there is the greatest activity. Over a
hundred hands are employed IN husking
the corn, and scores of others are busy
night and day in the different branches of
the business. The produce of hundreds
of acres is thus put up in an incredibly
short time. One can hardly realize the
activity required to put up 90. 900 cans In
a single day, as has been done. The
process of canning successfully is very
difficult art, and it is said that Mr.. Dorr,
of our Austin company, Is one of the best
experts in the United States. No wonder
that the goods are popular. The art of
canning so as to retain the flavor and de-
llciousness of the green vegetable and
still have it keep perfectly is essential to
success. One Minnesota canning CON-
pany had a bitter experience in losing
over $4,000 worth of a single seasons
product as the result of imperfect pro-
cessing. Another reason for the wide
spread popularity of the Austin COM
pany's canned goods is..that in this local
ity we raise some of the most delicious
vegetables and small fruit to be found
anywhere. These cannot be raised of
the same excellence in latitudes farther
south. There is something about our
climate and remarkable soil that combine
to make the garden produce of this Sec
ton especially sweet and tasteful. Our
seasons here, shorter than they are in
places farther south, force rapid growth
of all plant life and the result is the
raising of tender, quickly grown,
juicy vegetables and fruits rarely found
elsewhere. The same rapid growth
which formerly made Maine sweet corn
80 popular is as potent factor IN making
Mower county sweet corn so delicious
and too:hsome. Our Austin company
has acquired the art of retaining the orig.
inal palatable elements of the freshly
picked corn and other produce put up by
them, and hence have had no backsets.
but rather steady increasing business.
In 1885, their product was 1900 cans
IN 1887, 16O. 900 cans; in 1888, $50. 900 cans;
in 1889. on account of the difficulty Of
getting satisfactory garden produce, the
output was much smaller. For the sea.
son of 1890, 2oo, 600 empty cans have been
| ordered for this summers business, and
this will represent the output unless frost
and bad weather prevent the raising Of
sufficient first-class green stuff for can.
ming. The bulk of the business is al
present in sweet corn, as it has thus fal
been impossible to get sufficient toma'
toes. The warehouse is quickly emptied
of all the latter goods each fall The
company has now on hand only small
quantity of canned corn, and this will
soon be closed out. This industry is OF
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