The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-27

The invention of the slicer has revolu-
tionized certain | mes of trade, ana the re-
suits of it are to be seen in all OF our orol-
nary market and household products.
When we purchase pound OF butter our
grocer puts it in little wooden box for
us and wraps thin paper over the top
Likewise the baker sends home the pies
and cakes in thin wooden plates or dishes.
Pickles, cottage cheese and many othef
dairy and grocery products come TO us III
wooden boxes or plates. Grapes are put IN
boxes of the same material and berries
vegetables and fruits of all kinds are
packed in crates or baskets manufacturers
of the wooden veneers.
All of these novelties Of the trade we
burn in the fire without thinking OF ther
cost Ten years ago they were unknown,
Farmers then had to have their boxes ana
crates for fruits and vegetables returneu
after they had been emptied, and there
was n constant disa greement between the
nroducers. the commission merchants ana
the railroad companies in regard to missing
empty boxes and crates. Now the whole
trade is revolutionized by the introduction
of the simple veneer packages. hhi'oi9
upon millions of these packages are manu-
featured every year The work goes on On 'i,s
veer round, and in the novelty mills OF
Maine the demand for these various
articles never ceases. -.
gigantic trade has thus been puit up
in the last 1--WE years through the lnVehtioii
OF the veneer packages. Over 25'ooo peopie
are engaged in the industry. 1t is not an
exclusive Maine industry, either, although
rnora such packages are manufactu IN
that state than any other. New YORK. Del,
aware Maryland, Virginia, Michigan ana
New Hampshire have factories where the
fruit baskets, boxes, crates ana oishes are
made. In fact, wherever there is surnclent
timber of the right quality, and nearby
faa c ant to be erect
ed especially il located in fruit DISTRICT
Under the Knife
The process of manufacturing these pack
ares of veneer is the result or long expert
ence and a combination OF several inVen-
TONS When the logs are cut and barked
in the woods, they are hauled to the mill,
where they are first steamed or boiled Tor
tyenty-four hours. This method of soften
ing the wood so that it will not split is the
result of eXperiemnts made at the paper
pulp mills. While laden with the moisture
that has been applied to them by jet of
live steam or by soaking in boiling water,
the logs are carried by crane to the sharp
knives The knives are Of various sizes;
some of them are several feet long, but
always exactly as long as the logs to be
cut up The log revolves before the power
full slicer, and as the rollers slowly slide
toward the sharp edge there Is sudden
whirr and scraping noise. An immense
ribbon of wood quickly rolls up over the
knife and the log is disposed for another
This SOFT phable ribbon Of wood passes
into rollers which carry it to another set
OF knives. These knives are capable of adj
justment to suit the operator. When the
ribbon of wood or veneer comes up to
these knives, one set cuts the wood into
proper lengths for baskets, boxes, or
crates, and another set cuts just half
through the wood so it can be bent into
the proper shape. When the machinery is
adjusted for a certain style of boxes thous
ands of them are turned out before the
machinery is changed to cut another class
of goods.
Great Ribbons of Wood
Thus when the ribbons of wood finally
come out of the machinery, they are cut
up into proper sizes, creased, and ready
for putting together The rest of the work
must be performed largely by hand. Girls
take these pieces of veneer and quickly
turn them into berry boxes, grape baskets
or peach crates. Deft fingers fold the
veneers into the shapes desired, and the
strips of tin are put on the edges and
tackled down with one sharp blow of a
hammer. The larger baskets and crates are
put together a little more deliberately.
Tough strips of birch and elm are provided
for bands to strengthen and bold together
the baskets. These strips have also been
marked and creased by machinery so they
peHu easily " thS proper PoSiuon. AHe oP-
orator tacks the strips with staples which
go through the veneer and cinch on the
other side. There is a stapling machine
provided now for facilitating this work on
large crates and boxes. This machine is
fed with coil of wire. which forms staple
after staple. thrusts them into the wood,
cinches them and cuts off the wre auto
matically A girl stands before the ma
chino and holds the boxes crates where
they are to be stapled. and the machine
does Its work as quietly and rapidly as
sewing machine.
The marvellous amount of products tina,