Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1896-03-05

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meats, vegetables,
buildings and fruits, all incased in tiny
jars or boxes of tin.
1t used to be easy to beleaguer city
and starye it into submission with
hardly an ounce of shot, for it was n
foregone conclusion that if all avenues
of food supply were shut off only a few
weeks would elapse before both garri-
son and citizens would have to capitu-
late, though they might eat rathesh and
horseilesh first. But now, so cleverly
are provisions compressed and packed
away into tins, and so long will even
the foods that most usually spoil quick
ly keep-for years in most cases-that
no city or town could be starved out IL
it only had chance to provision itself
properly
The city Of Paris has stored away
hundreds of thousands Of packages con-
tanning canned and compressed food
enough to supply the entire population
for at least eighteen months. This out
fit Of canned food is not permitted to
be touched, though at times it is tested
to see that it still remains unspoiled.
Other cities in Europe have built up
stores along much the same lines,
though Paris has by far the most i'm
portant assortment Of canned food held
in reserve.
Outside Of these preparations the
manufacture of canned articles has
grown to be something enormous, es-
pecially in meats and vegetables. In
many cases the canned goods seem to be
actually preferred to the original prod
ucts. Nearly every wise housekeeper
nowadays emulates Paris in small
way, for she keeps on her shelves any
number of these little boxes and thus
finds herself always ready for any
emergency should company suddenly
drop in or the butcher or grocer fail to
turn up.
1t is really surprising the variety of
things to eat that are put into cans. AS
a matter of fact one can live, and live
comfortably, on canned foods alone. az
can stock your house" said a big whole
sale grocer to World reporter, 80
that you need not make another pur-
chase of food for five years, and you
shall have every day perfect dinner
of soup and fish, entrees, roasts, fruits,
pudding, cheese and coffee, all canned
goods"
Canned goods, though, have proved
themselves Of the greatest value to
travellers from the fact that an enor-
nous amount of nourishment can be
carried in an exceedingly small com
pass. The Arctic explorers first found
out the value Of canned meats and vege-
tables, and in this way were able to ira
vel with less hardship and to do things
which would have been impossible had
it been necessary for them to depend
upon food in its original form.
When the Greedy expedition went
away in 1881 large quantity of penn
mican was put on board A large part
of it was not consumed on the trip, and
on the return of the explorers it was
sent back to the firm from which it was
bought. When the Peary expedition
was being fitted out ten years later and
the same firm was doing the providing,
they opened sample cases of this penn
mican and found it to be in as good
condition as if fresh made. So it was
sent out with Peary, and on that explor-
er's return to New York what was left
proved to be as good and as nourishing
as it had been in 1884.
No expedition of recent date has
plunged into the Dark Continent with
out being we'll equipped with tin boxes
of all sizes and varieties. 1t is said that
there is no desert plateau in any part
Of the earth where one is not liable to
run across an empty beef can.
Transatlantic steamers and sailing
ships about to start out on long voy-
ages use these goods in great quantities
because they keep so well and because
they can be stored so easily, When pre-
pared by a skillful cook it is impos-
sible for the diner to distinguish be-
tween fresh meats and vegetables and
those that are canned