Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1897-09-11
FOOD IN TABLET FORM
ALL MEATS AND VEGETABLES CON-
DENSED INTO SMALLEST SPACE.
A Years Supply VIII Not Weigh Over
Thirty Pounds. and Can He Packed
Into valise-Compresscd Tea. Cof.
fee and Snuna CnrriaA In n RClf

A Years Supply VIII Not Weigh Owe,
Thirty Pounds. and Can He Packet
Into n valise-Compressed Tea. Cof
fee and Soups Carried In Belt
The rush to the Klondike has stirred
up the dealer in condensed food and
the chemist who condenses the nutri
ment from meats and vegetables into
the smallest space. Said one of these
men the other day, speaking of the
heavy weights OF food prospectors are
taking with them:
"Why, man, in an ordinary valise
can put enough food to last healthy
man year and give him q menu just
as varied as he could find in first
class hotel. He can easily take another
one of those valises, and when he
reaches Dawson City he can sell it for
$4,000. That's what years supply
Of good food is worth there. If he
wants to load himself down with a
good sized burden he can take four or
five supplies, and he will be a COM
paratively rich man the moment he
reaches his destination,
"Two years ago a commission, ap-
pointed by the Secretary OF War and
composed of experienced army officers,
made thorough Investigations, and in
their subsequent reports it was shown
that it would be possible for large
army to move distance from its base
of supplies without the usual attendant
wagon train and beef Sin the hoof" by
supplying each soldier with q packet
of condensed foods. It was, how
ever, reported, that, while foods of this
kind could safely be used in event of
emergency, it was not advisable to fur
nish them when fresh foods were OBJ
tainable.
I'm the Chino Japanese war the
soldiers of the Mikado executed several
long marches with unusual despatch
by the use of condensed foods. Each
soldier, in addition to cartridge belt,
carried what was called dinner belt.
This was filled with large assort-
ment of capsules, pills, buttons and
small packages, none of them larger
than medium sized pocketbook. The
dinner belt weighed but ten pounds,
but it contained enough nutriment to
sustain the soldier for thirty days.
"The present scheme is to furnish
Klondike voyagers with an assort-
ment of condensed foods somewhat
similar to that carried by the Japanese,
but adapted to the peculiar needs OF
the men in the diggings.
"Anything in the eating line can
now be put up in compressed form. A
good cup of coffee or tea is crowded
into mass as thin and as small as q
medium sized button. 1t is already
sweetened with saccharine product
of coal tar which is two hundred times
sweeter than sugar, and accordingly
requires but a very small amount.
One of these buttons dropped into q
cup of hot water becomes Immediately
a cup OF good coffee or tea.
"All kinds of soups are prepared in
the same way. The buttons contain
a mixture of meat and vegetables,
fully seasoned and ready for the hot
water. A sausagelike affair, not as
large as frankfurter, and made OF
pea meal, fat and bacon, makes twelve
plates OF nutritious soup.
zone of the essentials for Klondike
will be desiccated beef, an ounce OF
which is equivalent to Ave ounces Of
fresh meat. 1t is put up in hard little
chunks-so hard that an ordinary knife
makes little headway against 1t. A
tiny machine like coffee mill grinds
it into fine shavings, which can be
spread on bread or used for soup max
ing.
"a loaf of bread is compressed into
a mass not much bigger than soda
cracker. When soaked in water it
swells up like a sponge, and when
dried ont makes very fair eating. A
loaf of the same size is composed of q
preparation of -four, beef, fat and salt;
and contains all the essentials Of
plain but hearty meal. This Is some
what similar to the pemmican ration
used in the British army. Ten pounds
of onions, carrots, potatoes, turnips,
cabbage or any other vegetable are, by
the condensing process, crowded Into
one-pound cans, and for soup making
purposes are said to be excellent
''The man who counts upon being
millionaire through his scheme does
not expect to do anything this season,
as the time for leaving for Klondike
is practically over. He expects, how.
ever, to be in shape to launch his pro
ject early next spring, when the first
steamer sails and when the food sup.
ply in the mining district is practically
exhausted. New York Herald.