The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-06-16

A Process More Elaborate than that
known to Farmers Wives.


The birth of a batch of soap is in the
kettles in big room oveIhung with beams
and platforms and with enormous kettles
sunk into the floor, eacn of which has a
capacity of 10000 pounds of soap. These
kettles are seventeen feet deep, cone
shaped, and from ten feet to fourteen feet
across the top. In each is coiled a steam
pipe punctured with holes through which
the steam escapes and bOilS the fats. Over
head is platform on which are ranged a
dozen barrels of tallow. and a trough lead
ing into the kettle or vat. When Kettle
Is ready for work pipe discharges steam
into the bung holes of the barrels. and as
the tallow melts 1t runs into the kettles.
When the barrels become empty others take
their place until the proper percentage OF
tal,Ow has been run in. The proportion of
fats put into kettle Is about 10000 pounds
of tallow. 10 to ID per cent. Of c0tton seed
oil. and D 10 per cent. of cocoanut oil.
The cocoanut oil anu 20 to 90 per cent. OF
resin afterward added give the soap its
lather. The greater percentage of fats In
the soap the better the soap.
After the fats are in the kettle the alkal
is started. the fats holding about 10 to 10
tinually from a, tank Of caustic soda and
water over head. Inc mass in the kettle
is frequently tested with Baume scale
until the proper percentage OF alkali Is In
solution.
Under the action of the alkali and the
hot steam pouring into the mass the fats
that keeps changing the chemical constitu-
ents of the mass. 1t bubbles and foams like
huge kettle OF corn meal mush. which
it much resembles. This keeps up until
specialization ensues. Saponification is the
chemical action of alkaH on fats. by which
the latter are turned into acids wnicn. IN
When this point is reached from 1000 to
1000 pounds of common salt are added to
5 rid Gf the excess Of watch Which the sas
through the boiling mass 10 the bottom OF
the tank. The. water. which is really
I've. is run into the river or saved 10 make
glycerine, the basis OF all fats. When the
I've has been separated from the soap from
10 to y per cent. of fresh alkali is added
from 20 10 . per cent. Of resin is shoveied
in and the mass boiled under an excess of
aikali and finished fer that day ~. n
duced is drawn OF and saved for glycerinf,
and the soap is thinhed with water so that
purities to the bottom of the kettle. which
been treated to from lss degrees TO 40 de-
grees Fahrenheit. is ieft IN the Kettle about st
bottoms of the kettles are the floor be-
low. The kettles are there tapped and the
soap run into a steam jacket kettle. which
warns it until IL is soft enough to be
pumped to the floor above.
On the platform above the kettles is the
soap mixer known as the crutcher. The
sof; SOAP is pumped into the crutcher and
is mixed with sal soda in quantity accord
ing to the grade OF the soap. Into it also
counteract the effect OF the soda Then, II
the soap be a cheap grade. the aduiter-
ants are added. The principal of these are
slicate OF soda, or liquid glass; this is
made by dssolving common sand in acids
and neutraiizing it. WIZ. alkali: Other
adulterants are starch. which holds in SO.
luton ta,c. cay. slick, and other heavy
and cheap substances. according 70 the
makers various brands. Long-continued
beating and mixing in the crutcher makes
The crutching process nnisned, the soap
runs into frames and there hardens- The
frames are large deep boxes. swirh removable
sides ard ends. When the soap has hard
ened sufficiently-perhaps in three or four