The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1906-06-28

Z ovsr aoo, 200. 900 Of Them NsnufAc
tursd and ussd Annually.
The Introduction OF improved ma
chnery in its manufacture has mad.
tns American cooperage business the
largest In the world. There are up
ward Of 3oo.000.000 barrels and circu.
lar packages manufactured In this
country annually. and the demand In
creases 20 that this output must be
steadily broadened In order to keen
pace with the growth OF the business.
me largest consumption of barrels Is
In the cement business. which approx
imately demands &. 900 a rear for
the trade. while flour comes next with
a demand for 22.5O0 900; fence sta
pies. bolts. nuts and nails require 15.-
uoooo. and sugar 15.0O~.OOO Roasted
conee' spices, crockery and fruits and
vegetables use up about 5000 600 bar
reis year each. while the glassware
trade. baking powder companies. dis
uiied liquor manufacturers and CANDY.
tobacco and cheese packers are big
users OF barrels, averaging In each
trade from 100000 to s.0oo. 900 bar.
reis- The consumption OF barrels for
moiasses. oil. lard and pork Is also
enormous, while dry paint. glue. snufr.
oatmeal screws. castings and general
hardware articles annually increase
the demand on the cooperaee supplv.
While the amount OF expenditure
Tor barrels can be closely estimated
Tor given year, 1t Is not possible to
say now many barrels are In actual
use The life OF barrel Is put down
al one year by the trade. but that Is
far from true The great majority of
barrels have as many lives as a cat.
Iney begin as sugar or dour barrels
and are then sold to the farmer for
shipping his produce to the market
4 may be they are returned to him
'everal times. carrying potatoes or
'ickies TO market In the first trip and
hen cabbage or lettuce In the next.
ach cargo being lighter In weight
han the previous one, owing to the
weakened condition OF the barrels.
Finally. the barrel may serve out I
. life work as a garbage recepta bic
nd De burned In the end IN some ten
ment house to keep out the winters :
hill Thus IT may be said that a bar
u serves more useful career than
most any other manufactured artt- III
e and its life Is much longer than a
.ason
The demand for barrels is steadily Al
creasing because modern machinery tn
Is made t possible to make them for fe
e trade cheaper than almost any ov
her form Of package That II Is ini
e most convenient form Of package 70
. long been acknowledged. The .
cfent coopers art was a skilled one. wa
d the work Of cutting out the slaves pr
d then assembling them required BOZ
ig practice and apprenticeship. To yes
y machinery performs In a fraction ?
the time what hand labor did so am
WY and ciumsily. ger
The modern veneer machines have mo
N instrumental in reducing the cost -
barrels Hand labor Is eliminated
e to such an extent that the work
feeding the machines constitutes ~
st Of the requirements Of the oper-
H. The slaves are cut to the ~
red thickness by the machines and
a pressed into shape by hydraulic
ssure until they are ready for the
smbling machine. IA
feature Of barrel-making in this
ntry Is the grading Of the circular IA
xages so that all the lumber Y;
ight to the factories can be util- ~
One class OF barrels must be
'lutely watertight. without a flaw
ny kind In their slaves. Barrels
e for oil. whisky and paint trade -
not only be fawless but they
have resistance power equal
lateral pressure of 500 pounds.
der to secure this the slaves must
ut to rigid test beforehand and
must be cured. so there will be
anger Of shrinkage and damage -
put into use. Lumber used for " ~
work must be carefully selected liz
{ must be cured by natures slow Oh tn
mr. r,~oc... ernor