The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1897-11-04
Observation-Disclosures.
THE INQuiSiTIvE MAN LEARNS SOME
THING IN LEWISTON.

tricste For Descript lon.
The inquisitiye IN an alighted from
the cars in the city CT Lewiston, Me-,
and stood ON the station platform in an
attitude of indecision. for he was at a
loss to say in which direction ii would
be most desirable to turn.
81 can earn dollar day packing
toothpicks, and that ia better than
working in the cotton fsctories,' he
heard little girl say to companion,
and instantly the inquisdtive man had
found an occupation.
Packing toothpicksl OF all things,
prefer to sec toothpidk factory, and
1t is fortunate I hundred on board
that train" he said to himself.
Then, with the air of one bent on
most urgent business, the irquisitive
man set out in search Of the toothpick
factory.
1t was not so imposing a Structure as
he had expected to see, bet there was
so much hustle and semblance of in
dustry everywhere around the establish
ment that his disappointment as to the
general appearance Of the building was
soon forgotten.
Inclosing the struc ture, as II to pre-
vent its escape, were long rows of small
logs and short rows orf big logs, each
ONE exactly four feat in length, from
all of which the bark had been neatly
and entirely removed,
'It's birch and raaple, of course. We
don't use any otha; kind" a small boy
said in answer to The inquisitive mans
question. II REQ kon you're a stranger
round these parss?'
''I do not RENE mber ever having been
here before -
''1hen / guess you never have, be-
cause you wouldn't be likely to forget a
toothpick factor if you d ever seen one
We make 5000, 900 picks day, and
that quite pile. Anyhow, you d think
SO If you had to count 'em before get
ting bite to eat Want to see the ma
chine?"
''Can you show it to me?"
''That's what I'm here for.
II should think that it would be
more profitable to work in the factory
than to idle your time away answering
the questions Of ignorant people like
myself"
THAT'S where you make big mis-
take, mister. It's mighty mean man
who won't pay me for showing him
round, and pick up fair wages when
there's good crop of visitors. Come
along, and I'll show you the toothpick
business. Here in this yard the stock is
sawed into pieces Ga inches long"
And the small boy pointed to the in
closure in which dozen or more oircu-
lar saws were buzzing and humming as
they quickly divided the logs into the
required lengths.
All pieces not clear and straight
grained were thrown aside, and the re-
mainder was being packed into barrels
SO made that wide crevices appeared be-
tween the slaves.
Eyes, that's all right, the small boy
said, answering the inquisitive mans
look Of inquiry. "The stock is being
packed for the steaming room. When
the barrels are full, they'll be taken
there and left about three hours, when
the blocks will be almost as soft as
leather. Charging the wood with steam
drives out all the sap, and it is then
ready for splitting. Come this way and
you can see how that part Of the work
/ is done"
The small boy led the visitor to a
room in the main building, where was
! what Is known as veneer machine, I"
piece Of mechanism not unlike lathe,
which was rapidly converting the wood
into pliable bands. hardly thicker than
ordinary cardboard. The keen knives
cut the Ga inch blocks 30 readily and
smoothly that the general appearance of
the work was much as If roll Of cream
colored ribbon was being unwound and
thrown carelessly ON the floor. Two
boys were gathering up the damp ma
terial and winding 1t ON huge spools.
They're getting 1t ready for the big
machine" the guide said as he ohewed
fragment Of the wooden ribbon. "Ev-
cry one Of the spools holds about 100
feet Of the veneer, and the rest Of the
work is done 30 quickly that you WON
have much Of chance to see the oper-
alton"
The "big machine" was 20 intricate
that tho inquisitive man realised that
he could not describe II intelligently,
even though he should spend many
hours studying its construction. He
saw at one end Of long, narrow struc-
ture, filed with wheels and knives,
arms On which thu spoo1a ~ vanoar
were hung and observed that men push
ed the ends Of the wooden ribbon
through narrow Slots where it was
seized by little steel fingers.
He knew that somewhere inside the