The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-09-12
NOrth1leld's New Industry.
THE CORN-CANNING FACTORY OF HARRIS
q PAYsoN IN FULL BLAsT-OyER ONE
HUNDRED HANDS EMPLOYED.

One of the busiest places in Washington
county these days is the corn-canning estab-
lishment Of the Harris-PaysOn Company at
NOrthfield, and that town is to be congratu-
lated in having such bustling industry To-
Gated in its midst, This is the second es-
tabishment Of the kind in the state, the
other being at Westminster.
reporter for the WATCHMAN visited the
factory last week. and was shown through
the building by George II. Lowell, the
courteous superintendent. The plant was
erected during the past summer and
equipped with machinery at a cost of about
Sl1, 600 This being the first year of its
operation in Northtield, it is in the nature
of an experiment there; but if the farmers
take kindly to it, it is the intention of the
owners TO double its capacity in future
years. This year they are canning the corn
from lS5 acres, but would be glad to have
the acreage increased to four times that
amount.
The corn is picked and hauled to the fac
tory by the farmers where more than fifty
men, women and children are engaged in
husking it. Each mans corn is kept sepa-
rate until it is husked and weighed. 1t is
then carried to the upper story of the build
ing by an elevator where Sprague cutters,
fed 10y young ladies, strip the corn from the
/ cob. The corn is then carried to the story
/ below, where an ingenious machine, called
/ " silker," deity sorts out any stray bits
/ of cob or silk that may have been stripped
off with the corn. On this floor also are
stored 5000 empty quart cans
After the shelled or stripped corn has
been thoroughly cleaned by passing through
/ the silker, it is carried to the cooker on the
/ first floor, where it is subjected 10 a steam
/ heat of $50 degrees. IL is then run into
/ quart caus that are soldered at the rate OF
forty per minute, or 10000 per day. The
/ cans are then run into retorts heated to a
temperature Of $40 degrees. After being
! thoroughly cooked, the cans are cooled by
turning streams of water on them. When
thoroughly cooled they are ready for ship
| ment.
The price usually paid farmers for the
| corn is Sl4 30 per ton after it is husked, and
that price will be paid after this year. BY
special contract for 1891 S12 per ton is paid
The firm manufactures its own gasoene
which is used for lighting the building and
for heating the sealing machines. In the
| engine house a huge locomotive boiler fur
nishes steam for cooking. The building il
also piped for water for daily use and fol
fire purposes. The water is pumped from
Dog River near by, with steam pump.
The cobs and husks are drawn home 10y
the farmers and make excellent feed fol
hogs or cattle. The product of this factory
is shipped all over New England in car
loads and smaller lots. 1t is labeled Yer
mont corn, which the proprietors are keer
enough to know gives it prestige.
During the canning season, forty hand,
to seventy.tive huskers in the sheds outside
Four cents per bushel is paid for husking
and some nimble fingers make 81 and NOR,
per day. 1t is huskng" on a larg,
scale, aud a pleasant sight to witness
The huskers thus far during the hours o
daylight have worked so industriously tha
it has been necessary TO run the factory un
Til midnight and after, to clean up the dali
amout of husked corn on hand.
The members of the firm are Benjamin II
Harris, president; Henry S. Payson, treas
ureri and Richard Payson. The last two
named have the general oversight of tn,
business, and work in the factory with tn,
employees.
Any one with an hour or two of spar,
time on his hands cannot devote it TO bet
ter purpose than in looking over this es
tablishment, 1t Is something new FOL
Washington county and this part of Yer
mont, but has evidently come to Mortified,
to stay, and during the canning season givel
a decided impetus to the business OF the
! town.