The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-12-06
CANNING PLANT
NEEDS LABORERS
New Industry Is Launched In
Georgia Seaport Town
TO OPERATE AT NIGHT
Canning of Sweet Potatoes Is Proving
ProftabIe-Big and Growing
Demand for the Product.
Large Capacity.
70 OPERATE AT NIGHT
From the Savannah Morning News.

From the Savannah Morning News.
Although turning out over 5000 cans OF
sweet potatoes daily. the Savannah Pure
Food Canning company expects to in
crease its output. To do this the COM
pany is advertising for more laborers
and expects to put on a night shift. From
so to rs negro women can secure profit-
able employment, and will be worked six
days in the week.
Only 10 days ago the company started
canning sweet potatoes. Since then 1t has
not only been necessary to increase the
force of laborers as rapidly as possible,
but 1t has been necessary to go into tho
open market to secure product for can
ming, so the orders could be filled. When
the company was organized last winter
1t was organized to can the output OF
local truck farmers. The industry has
proven of such magnitude the output OF
local farms is not half sufficient to sup
ply the demands.
The company is local concern, having
been organized among Savannahians and
truck farmers in this vicinity. The plant
was completed June /, and up to 10 days
ago was run in desultory manner to can
the crop of okra and beans. With the
opening of the sweet potato season a
steady demand for the canned product
has existed and forces the management
to broaden its operations.
Industry Is New One.
The sweet potato canning industry is
new one and bids fair to outstrip many
other canning industries which have held
sway in the south. A ready market for
canned potatoes is found In the west and
southwest and good prices prevail. Farm
ers who are having their potatoes canned
have larger source of revenue than in
selling the raw material
At the canning plant about 400 bushels
of potatoes are used each day. The pota-
toes are packed into three-pound cans.
The process Of canning takes in par-boil-
ing. and pealing before packing. After
packing the cans are subjected to high
temperature and the potatoes are cooked.
A skillful processmaker superintends the
work The canned product is said to be
superior to the potato as 1t Is usually
served.
Strange to say. the management hnds
large demand in Georgia for the canned
goods Hundreds of cans are shipped
daily to various sections Of the state. The
general information shows the product Is
taking well. None of it has been used In
Savannah so far as Is known. Those who
know say it will not be long before the
canned goods are used almost entirely.
Shipments to the West.
The plant is turning out two carloads
of potatoes every three days and is ship
ping them direct to western and south
western fruit brokers. The season will
last until January Is, when all of the po-
tatoes in this section will have been used.
IT is estimated that. at the present rate,
and with the expected increase, the bust
ness for the season will represent several
hundred thousand dollars.
This season the company's manage
ment expects to start an innovation In the
food line in Savannah. Five hundred
cases of white velvet okra have been
canned 1t is to be put on the market
for use in making soups. 1t Is SAID the
white velvet okra is superior to the green
okra for soups. The white velvet okra
has been placed in other markets with
more than satisfying results.