The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-01-02
A FLOATING STORE HOUSE.
Fresh Meat to Supply Naval Vessels
for 100 Days.
National provisiorist

FROM the National bruNiSiOEiSt.
The great meat concerns of the Unit
ed states, as well as the government
itself, have done some unheard Of and
wonderful things recently in the way Of
refrigeration and of feeding an army
in the field. as well as a fighting navy.
on fresh meat diet. As extraordinary
as this may seem, a more unusual cir
cumstance is now transpiring in the
voyage of the battlCships Oregon and
Iowa, which are at present beyond Ba-
hia, Brazil, on their way to Manila.
Accompanying them is the supply ship
Celtic, which left New York with the
fleet about three weeks ago. The Gel
tic is a Veritable floating store house
and warehouse, filled with needed sup
plies of every kind required by a man
o'-War and its crew on a long voyage
through varying climates. BuC the
chief interest of this novel ship Centers
in her meat stores and refrigerating
chambers.
Before leaving New York there were
put into her hold 2jOO00 pounds Of
fresh frozen mutton and 250,00O pounds
Of vegetables. These supplies are so
arranged that the battlcships can at
any time take from the cargo what
ever meat ana vegetables are needed
for the mess during the long voyage to
the Philippines. These stores were
placed on board for the use of the
fleets men. Such a thing is unparal-
leled and unheard - i'm naval history.
And it has been left To this govern
ment and one of the greatest packing
companies to store up and send with a
fleet on the longest voyage of record
ship loaded with fresh supplies from
which the officers and crew can be fed.
the same as on land, in any climate.
She left i'm company with the Oregon
ana the Iowa, and will feed them en-
route as they go
Besides being novel i'm naval history.
ii is a new departure i'm the meat trade.
The meat was specially gotten up for
this shipment 1t was sewn in cheese
cloth, frozen in Chicago. and brought
from there to New York i'm refrigerator
cars in a frozen state. To thus main
tain caTcasses of beef in frozen state
during So long freight journey is Il
big undertaking in itself. 1t is seldom
attempted by the largest and best
equipped companies even for a shorter
distance. The cargo was loaded in a
frozen state, and will be kept at Il
frigid temperature until it is consumed
or the residue landed at Manila. Be
fore the ships-after touching at Homo
lulu--reaCh their destination the store
snap Celtic will have performed the
most wonderful voyage in the world $
history in the meat line. she will have
carried in her hold, and through all
climates, Il cargo of frozen fresh meats
over the longest voyage of a meat ship
in existence. She will have demon
strated the limit ss possibilities of re-
frigeration and of nautical cold stor-
age for distributing the worlds surplus
meats and provisions to those climes
ana peoples who require them. This
voyage of the Warshins and of their
floating store, the Celtic, will take
more than 100 days Heretofore a voy-
age of sixty days for frozen meat
snip has been regarded as marvel in
trade circles. The whole affair is one
of great credit to the government at
Washington and to the contractors.
The possibilities i'm the case indicate
in definite expansion for the meat and
provision industries of the United
States and the meat trade is under
obligation to the Cummendable daring
of our officials and of our enterprsing
busiDRcS concerns