Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1893-01-20
In A MACARONl FACTORY.
HOW A PALATABLE ITALIAN PRO
DUCT Is MANUFACTURER.
The Ingredients Are Simple Flour
and Water-The Dough IL Pressed
ThrouOl, Holes In STRINGS


Through Holes In Strings.
TIEW people who eat that tooth
II some article macaroni know
how or where it is manufac-
tured. They, however, do
know that when it is properly prepared
it forms one of the most palatable and
healthful dishes that is set upon the
table. Many imagine that macaroni,
vermicelli, spaghetti and noodles are
chiefly made in Italy and imported into
this country. To certain extent this
is true, but of late years the industry
has SO grown on this side of the ocean that
now but one tenth of the entire amount
consumed in the United States is i'm
ported, says the Philadelphia Times.
Some years ago 1t was distinctively an
italian dish. The natives of that coun-
try were the first to make it, and they
made q National dish of it. Other
countries took up the article, until now
it is known the world over. While at
first Italy had the monopoly OF its man
ufacture and exported large quantities
of it, now it is made in different coun-
tries of Europe and also in the United
States. In this country the work is
done nearly entirely by Italians, who
have immigrated from the mother soil,
or by their American descendants.
In New York City there are several
large factories which produce an average
of 5000 pounds day, while in this
city, with smaller number of factories,
between 1000 and 5000 pounds are made
daily. Probably the largest factory in this
city is at Eighth and Christian streets.
In this one alone $500 pounds are manu-
factured each day. Much of this is con-
sumed in this city, but quantities are
shipped to different places in the United
States and to Canada and Cuba.
A representative of this paper visited
the factory at Eighth and Christian, and
made a tour of inspection through its
three floors and watched the different
steps which converts the -four into the
hard and brittle substance that after
ward becomes so palatablc in the hands
of the chef or adept housewife.
The -four and water is first put into
what is called a dough mixing machine.
1t is cylindrical in form, and within it
are knives or plates, which are worked
by steam power. The dough is kept in
this machine until it is thoroughly
mixed. Then it is thrown into circu-
lar trough about six feet in diameter.
Through this trough rolls large stone
weighing $500 pounds. Over and over
the dough this heavy weight passes,
rolling it out fat. This process is kept
up for half an hour.
The next step is the placing of this
well-rolled material in a powerful circu-
lar press worked by steam. The bottom
of this machine is copper plete or
mould. 1t is about an inch thick and
perforated with holes, in the center of
which is pin. The dough is forced
through those holes, the little pin in the
center of each making the hollow center
in the macaroni. 1t comes out in long
strings, soft and so pliable that it could
be tied in knot.
1t is then taken upstairs where a man
lays it out In straight lengths on wire
trays covered with paper. The whole is
covered with heavy paper and the trays
are put up in racks to dry. 1t lies in
this position for eight days before it
hardens and dries completely. 1t is
kept as much from the air as possible, as
the dampness prevents it from drying
properly. On nice, clear days the win
dows are allowed to remain open, but on
windy days they arc kept closed and the
steam is turned on running the tempera-
ture up between seventy and ninety de-
grees. TINS heat does not affect the
macaroni, but keeps the air dry.
Vermicell, spaghetti aud noodles are
all made the same way, except that the
holes in the moulds through which they
are forced are smaller. The vermicelli
is made both white and of a yellowish
tint. The coloring is done with SAT-
from. When it is taken upstairs to
dry it is laid out in curled.up shapes
that give it fancy appearance.
There is yet another product that tine
factory makes that is fancy passes. These
are used for soup the same as noodles,
but present much nicer appearance.
For the pastcs the same mixing and roll
ing process is gone through with as in
making tho maccaroni. Then the dough
is taken up to the second floor, where it is
placed in pressing machine set in hori
zontal position. Instead of the ordinary
round poles in the moulding plates, the
perforations take number of different
forms. All the letters of the alphabet
are produced.
They are very small and complete as
to form and enlarge after being placed In
the soup. Thus the Smiths, the Joneses,
the Browns aud the Johnsons may have
served the initial letters of their names
in their soup. Numbers. stars, rings
and wheels are also made, while the
pretty shapes of the pepper olive and
melon seeds are also produced.
After the different articles are thor
oughly dried and hardened they are
packed for shipment. The macaroni is
made up in pound packages wrapped in
the familiar blue paper that many
housewife imagines has come all the way
from Italy. 1t is also put up in other
colors, with labels of different kinds,
bearing Italian names, all OF which give
il foreign look