The Leon reporter., 1902-07-17
NEW PLANT FINISHED.
The Poultry and Produce Plant OF
Swift & Company. the finest in
the State is Completed.
A GREAT INDUSTRY FOR LEON

The new poultry and produce house
OF Swift d Company in thir city is now
receiving the finishing touches from the
hands of the painters and the big new
building will be completed this week.
Few people realize the enormous
business which is carried on by this firm
in the way Of shipping butter, eggs and
poultry, and not many are aware of the
magnitude of the branch house which
has been established in this city, and
the great benefit it will be not only to
the business interests Of the town but
to the farmers of Decatur county.
Ihe establishment is located at the
loot OF Main street, adjoining the rail.
road tracks, switch having been put
IN so that cars are loaded and unloaded
direct into the house. Swift 4 Company
purchased three acres of ground and
| will use every foot Of, and may have to
buy more. They have erected mammoth
two story and full basement building,
the main part OF which is 4Sx92 feet,
with an l. running west from it which is
32xl32 feet, and it is said to be the fin
est exclusive poultry and produce plant
owned by any firm in the United States.
| The building is specially planned for the
work, a feature being the magnificent
cooling room where poultry and eggs
are packed and sorted, which Is as fine
as it can be made, and presents beau.
titul sight, being equipped with 50. over
head carriers which carries the dressed
poultry to all parts cf the room. The
carriers are painted bright crimson,
which makes striking contrast with
the pure white room. The room will
he kept at temperature of 80 to Sc
degrees, the ice box having capacity
of 800 tons of ice, it being only neces.
sary to fill it about every three months
The poultry rooms are equipped with
combination doors and drop floors, so ar.
ranged that the poultry can be easily
sorted and graded and driven to any
part of the building. A car of poultry
can be unloaded from the track in a few
minutes.
On the second floor is the feeding room
where springs are fed and fattened fo1
the export trade, the room being equip.
ped with especially constructed feeding
coops, with capacity of 200 chickens
The receiving rooms on the first floor
are equipped with combination doors
adjustable roosts and watering and feed
troughs.
A complete system of water works has
been installed all over the plant, the
water being pumped by windmill te
two big tanks each with 5000 gallor
capacity, which are located on the tor
floor ana piped to the various rooms
All the floors are three thicknesses
and it is so arranged that the entir,
building can be flooded and scrubbed
out each day. Eighty-tive electric light
have been put in the building as a
many seasons of the year it will be nee
essary to works night shift.
The entire three acres has been en-
closed with an eight foot wire fence
making the grounds chicken tight, ant
it is the intention to conduct a mode
poultry farm on the ground.
The location of this plant in Leon il
q great thing. AS soon as it is in com
plete running order a large number o
men will be employed, and during th
chicken picking season both women ant
boys will also be given employment, tn,
advantages to the city in the wages ear
ned and spent being great item, tht
weekly pay roll amounting to severa
hsndred dollars. At times it is estimat
ed as high as $50 persons will be employ
Ell. The farmers of the country will alst
come in for share Of the advantages
for Swift 4 Company have established
a reputation for paying high prices. anc
the poulury raisers have been receivin!
the highest prices they ever received
since Swift q Company located here, TO
both poultry and eggs, and all of ou
merchants now are enabled to pay casl
prices for poultry and produce.
A special invitation is extended to ev
erybody, and especially to the farmer!
and their wives to call and inspect the
plant, and manager Nugent will take
pleasure IN showing all visitors through
the plant and explaining the working