The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1908-11-30
WRITES o. COLD
STORAGE PLANT
Continued from Page ID

hitting the following, viz: On the
planning of the system which We are
using, the writer made study with
the assistance of an expert refrigerat-
ing engineer, of the systems used i'll
different plants from Chicago to
California, finally deciding on what
we now have, and what is known as
the Gold Blast System" for fruit
storage and cooling. AS far as can
learn, the first preceding system
used was the ''Sprague System,
which was the circulation of air
through brine pipes and over the
ice in the car.
First the fruit is put in the car
ready for shipment, the bunkers
filled with ice, the air then passed
over the ice by the use of pump or
fan which, causing the melting of
the ice, quickly brings the tempera-
ture of the car and fruit down to the
chilling point, which stops the de-
caying and allowing of long ship
ment without loss.
1t has been reported that the
Southern Pacific railroad was putting
in plants in California for pre-cool-
ing, but upon investigation | find
it is the Pacific Fruit Express or the
refrigerator company. On my reurn
from Wenatchee / got all the intof-
nation | could on this subject, first
from Mr.. FACET, the man who has had
charge of the experiments conducted
by the company for the last three
years and also being an expert relri-
gerating engineer, now having charge
of the construction of the two plants
which they are building, one at Col
ton in Southern California, and one at
Rosedale, just east of Sacramento.
These are large plants, primarily ice
plants, but having in connection the
rain room or cold blast system which,
instead of as in the Sprague system,
the fruit is put in the cars but no ice,
the cold blast turned on at tempera-
ture as cold as the fruit will stand.
With this system it takes two or
three hours to chill, while with the
Sprague system it would take six
hours. The object of preceding is
10 bring the temperature of the fruit
down to the chilling point as quick as
possible, which, when done in a car
or room without circulation, causes
a sweat or dampness to cover the
fruit, causing damage and decay.
The cooling, even with the Sprague
system, by the use of ice causes some
dampness, but with the cold blast
system, which is cold dry air, there
is no dampness, all the heat of the
fruit is passed off and the fruit left
in the best possible condition, when
the car is iced and ready to go. Fruit
treated in this way has been known
to be in transit three weeks and not
show over l per cent loss. All kinds
of fruit are treated, both citrous ana
deciduous, with equally good results.
The Sprague system was, or is, good
when you only have a few cars to
cool; the plant being cheap, while
the putting in of cold blast system
is rather expensive. By using the pre-
cooler, fruit coming in late at night
can be held, or undoubtedly the rail-
road would in the case of train
load which you will have in the near
future, time their trains to suit the
time when the greatest number of
cars could be got ready at a time
with the least delay.
By looking at a map of California
any one interested can see that the
lOcdllOu Vi lLt lWO piduCo
at Cotton and Rosedale is so situated
that they could catch all shipments
east or west or north or south, which
would mean the moving of the cars
to these plants under ventilation only,
stopping to cool and ice. | was
talking with the general agent of the
Pacific Fruit Express, and he in
formed me that since the use of the
preceding system, even in what
might be crude form, their loss or
number of claims for damages did
not amount to anything. also in re-
gard to charges for cooling there has
been no definite arrangements made
as to the handling of cars through
their new plants or charges for same
But from the best information it
takes three tons of ice or refrlgera-
ton to cool a car. The shipper has
to pay for it in some way or at some
time, and if he pays for it in the pre-
cooling he does not have to pay for
so much ice later, besides getting the
benefit of the preceding or chilling.
Mr.. FACET says from his experience
while experimenting that the result
was away beyond their expectations.
street, chilled it, held it in cold stor-
age for three weeks, took it out OF
storage and held for three more,
when they only showed very small
loss. He also says that he is salts
fed in the near future all fruit all
over the country will be handled In
this way. This also applies to vegeta-
bles of which California ships great
many and under the cooling process
there is very little loss.
The plant at Rosedale has a eapa-
city of twenty cars at time. This
is a big and expensive plant.
In the near future the summer
fruit of the Wenatchee Valley will
have to go 10 the Eastern markets in
competition with the California and
Colorado fruits, then the question
will be, 'Who can deliver the goods
in the best condition." | am sure
upon the trial of the pre-cooler with
the superior fruits of the Wenatchee