The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-07-30
EXCERPT HAM PACKERS
Interesting Sights in Packing House Where
Hams Get Their Coats Put ON
From the Wichita Eagle.

From the Wichita Eagle
One of the most interesting of the many
speciality departments at the Dold Packing
plant is the canvas division. This was es-
pecially so on last Friday, when over &c.
900 ounds of ham and bacon and other
sweet pickle produce were handled and
made ready for shipment next day. Few
realize the experiences required at every
step in getting these special branded and
trade marked lines ready for shipment.
The canvas rooms are on the fourth floor
just over the wholesale market and the
smoke houses, and on the extreme west
end of the building. There are from If
teen to twenty men and girls and women
in this department, and eacn has his or her
little part to do Different sections of the
country and different customers order their
stuff put up in different devices, according
to the demands of the local trade. For in
stance, there is one line of bacon sides put
up in what is known as fancy wrap an
other in yellow wash" and still another
in white wash" First, the trucks holding
about a hundred hams OF the various
brands are sent to the first wrapper. This
is a young man whose nimble hands and
throws the ham on a table and with two
sheets of heavy wrapping paper deity
turns its over and with two quick moves
has the ham securely folded in the papers.
Then he lands it on the packing table,
where it is showed by another man into
the canvas sack ready waiting. 1t is then
placed in front of a line of women and
girls who 'oyer-top" it, or sew up the
open end. 1t then goes to the big watts Of
rcd or yellow wash, where it Is dipped in
a solution of flour and specially prepared
paste, and then hung on bar above the
tank to drip. A man with a wide brush
assists in this dripping process by care
fully smoothing down the ham until as dry
as possible.
While the brushing process is going on
a small boy is busy with a basin of tepid
water in which is given a bath the big
highly colored Autograph labels with the
various trademarks. While still damp the
label is pressed upon the dripping ham,
the solution carrying the necessary adhe-
siyeness. Then 1t is carried to the racks
to remain until completely dried and ready
TO go below into the shipping force depart
ment. The process of sewing up the can
vas sacks is a very interesting one. For
this purpose a special gasoline engine is
provided as power to run the fnigh-geared
sewing machines, and this machine, in
charge of an expert seamstress, Miss Car
RE Killer, is capable when pushed to its
highest speed of making 5000 stitches a
minute. Miss Killer is among the most
expert in the plant, and in rush she has
frequently reached a total of 1000 canvas
sacks put together on the power machine
in day. and 1000 day over-topped
Like great automatic machine this de-
partment is governed. Not word is
spoken save to give or receive some diro6-
ton or instruction, and from the very ma
ture of the work for shipment it must be
done in a hurry and promptly. and hence
the degree of efficiency is among the high
est about the works. Great care not to
bruise the meats or tear the canvas is
used, as is also the absolute cleanliness.
Over the big central beam in the main
room is the painted sign: "All meats must
be kept off the floor. All tables straight
ened out and same put in proper place at
night"