The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-09-16
EXPERT HAM PICKERs.
Interesting Sights in Packing House
Where Hams Get Their Coats.

Wichita Eagle.
One of the most interesting of the many
speciality departments at the Doid packing
cially so on last Friday, when over thirty
thousand pounds of ham and bacon ana
other sweet pickle produce were handled
and made ready for shipment next day.
Few realize the EXPERIENCES required at ev-
cry step in getting these speclal Dranded
and trademarked lines ready for shipment.
The canvas rooms are on the fourth moor
just over the wholesale market and the
smokehOuses. and on the extreme west end
of the main building. There are from fifteen
to twenty men and girls and women in this
department. and each has his or her little
part TO do. Different sections of the country
up in different devices. according to the de-
mands of the local trade. For instance,
there is one line of bacon sides put up In
what is known as fancy wrap another 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 fingers move
like a stroke of lightning. He throws the
heavy wrapping paper deftly turns ii over
and with two quick moves has the ham Sc
curely folded i'm the papers. Then he lands
II on the sacking table, where it is showed
waiting. 1t is then placed I'm front of q line
of women and girls who ''overtop' 1t, or
sew up the open end. 1t then goes 10 the
big watts of red or yellow wash. where 1t is
dipped in a solution of flour and specially
prepared paste. and then hung on a bar
above the tank to drip. A man with a wide
brush assists in this dripping process by
carefully smoothing down the ham until as
dry as possible.
While this 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
label is pressed upon the dripping ham, the
solution carrying the necessary adhesive
ness. Then it is carried TO the racks to
remain until completely dried out and ready
to 60 below into the shipping force depart
ment. The process of sewing up the cam
vas sacks Is a very interesting one. For
this purpose a special gasoline engine is
provided as power TO run the high-geared
ewing machine. and this machine. in
charge of an expert seamstress, Miss Carrie
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 a rush she has frequently reached
a total of 1000 canvas sacks put together
on the power machine I'm a day. and 1000
a day o~ver-topped.
Like a great automatic machine this
spoken save to give or receive some direc-
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 this
| painted sign: 'All meats must be kept off
the floor. All tables str Heightened out and
same put in proper place at night"