Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1899-08-02
THE AMERICAN SARDINE.
Improved Methods of Manufacturing
Cans of Immense Benefit.

that article of commerce-the American
sardine. AT North Luboo there have been
built two shops which viii contain
machinery ,or making cans il ahich 10
pack this article OF food.
For many years past, in TACT since the
beginning of the canning industry along
Quoddy waters, the gig and copper have
been the only machines used in sealing
up the cans; but wiki the advent of the
two big syndieates came newer methods,
which will in part supercede the old and
probably enable those engaged in the
industry to put up better article ia the
shape of American sardnes that will find
a ready market at good prices.
The old method OF putting up the fish,
in fact it is the method now in use at all
the factories, is as follows
The fish, small herring about five inches
long, are caught in weirs located on
ground where the fish are known to feed,
then dipped into boats and carried to the
Baskets dumped upon long tables, where
boys and girls stand ready with long
knives to cut them. This cutting consists
of removing he head and the viscera with
one slash of the knife. The work is done
very rapidly. From the cutters the fish
go to he sailing room and are put int o
tank and washed. Then put into picking
tanks and allowed to remain for an hour.
From there they are taken to the taking
room and laid upon flakes or frames about
three feet long and twenty-five inches
wide, holding from ninety to 125 fish.
The flakes are then taken to the oven and
pushed into a revolving swing, shaped
somewhat like the Ferris wheel at the
| Columbian exposition. Heat is supplied
by a furnace below.
From fifteen to thirty minutes is the
time required to thoroughly "bake' the
fish, after which they are taken from the
| oven and carried to the packers. These
packers are usually girls and women.
They take the fish from the flakes and
place them i'll cans previously filled with
oil or mustard sauce. From nine to
twelve fish are put into a can. Then the
| cover or head is put on and the cans sent
to the sealer, who runs thin stream of
solder around the space between the
head and side of the can. The seaers use
an instrument called copper" which is
heated to just the required temperature
by means of "a burning blast of kerosene
! oil, with which to melt the solder. The
can is placed upon a circular disk called
the gig, which is revolved by foot
power. These sealers, who are men and
boys, no women ever being employed at
this work, are paid by the case, and earn
/ excellent wages, some making five and
six dollars per day.
| From the seaiers the cans are taken to
the "bath room" and dumped into huge
tanks, where they are kept in boiling
water for some two hours; then carried
into the cooling and testing room. Here
they are allowed to remain until cold hen
all the cans with leaks are thrown out to
! be mended and others put into cases hold
ing fifty mustard tins or 100 oil tins. The
covers are then nailed on the cases and
the goods are ready for shipment, finding
a ready sale in all large cities Of the
New England and western states.
The process of making the cans or tins
Is as follows: Before the sardine cans are
/ me III DC ucCOEhltu OF pTlllbu
with a label. This is done on a Iitho-
graphing press, and the met hod employed
is similar to that used in lithographing
on paper. The decoration is printed on
strips crosswise OF the sheets, which are
14x20 inches, twenty strips being printed
on one sheet. One strip constitutes the
sides and ends OF can.
| hair cd
cut up by means of "shears" and fed
through machines called "rimers' and
"benders'. They are then taken to the
seamers, young lads who fasten the two
ends Of the strip together, forming the
body of the can. They also insert the
bottom. These bottoms, which also serve
as tops, are cut out by means OF die just
the shape and size of can. From the
seamers the cans are sent to the can
makers, who solder in the bottoms and
pass them along to the packers to be
filled with fish and oil.
In the new factories with the patent
can, much Of the above work will be
eliminated, as automatic machinery will
supercede hard labor to great extent.
As the work is done now, each top and
bottom OF can is cut separately. With
the new machines dozen will be cut at
one stroke OF the die. The introduction
OF labor saving devices does not mean
the loss of employment to any working
man in this section, as the new factories
going UP and the additions being made
to the old ones will call for the services
of every man, women and child who is
willing to work, living along the shores
Of Passamaquoddy bay. Not less than
500 people will be needed to fill the can
shops and new factories being built by
the Standard Co. An equal number will
probably be required for the additions
being built to the factories owned by the
Continental Packing Co.
The new factories and can shops at
North Lubec are models of their kind.
| The cpn shOps which are TO contain the