The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1915-02-11

Oak Grove school, on several occasions
the past year has brought members OF
her classes to the city on tours OF In
spection of the plants ofilocsl indus
tries. On a recent trip the pupils OF
the Oak Grove school were shown
through the warehouses of the Apple
Growers Association.
The story appearing below, telling
of the visit, was written by John An
nsla.
January is, at l.30 p. m, our party
from Oak Grove school met at the
office of the Apple Growers Assoeia-
tion, Cascade avenue. Here we were
directed to go to the Davidson ware
house On our arrival at that building
MIR. Csstner, the superintendent of the
warehouse, took charge of the party on
our observation.
The Association owns three ware
houses. The Davidson and Union ware
houses are Joined in one brick building
and are located by the 0.-W. X. & N.
railroad track. The National ware
house is by the Mount Hood railroad IN
the eastern part of Hood lRiver. Each
of these warehouses has a receiving
room where the fruit from the ranch
ers is received. At the receiving room
the apples are checked and sorted as t0
grades and four different sizes. The
apples brought in or shipped out by the
Association are so recorded that every
night they know the exact number ot
boxes in storage.
Different varieties of apples are re-
ceived at each of the warehouses. Spit.
zenburgs and Newtowns are received
at the Union warehouse. The mixeo
varieties at the Davidson warehouse
and Spitzenburgs and Newtowns are
also received at the National ware
house. Sixty.three varieties of apples
we're handled by the Association las'
year.
All the apples stored by the Associa'
ton are insured for the time they are
kept in storage. Firms from nearby
cities, like Portland, buy small lots o.
apples from the Association and keel
them in storage here, for use in th'
spring.
After this explanation. Mr.. Castne
took us to one of the storage rooms
The walls and floor of this room. wer
| insulated with six inches of cinders
four inches cork and two inches of con
crete. The temperature of this roor
was 33 degrees and was kept at tha
degree by two sets of ammonia ga
pipes, which ran along the ceiling
The other storage rooms in DaVldso
building, which we visited, were tn
same kind except that different kind
of apples were stored there.
Then we were taken to the ice pIar
in Davidson building. The great tan
in which the ice is made has capaclt
of % tons. At first brine is mad
which takes about ten tons of sal
This brine is placed at the bottom
the large tank. Smaller rectanguls
cans having a capacity of 400 pounc
are filled with water and set in tn
brine. Ammonia pipes run betwee
the cans which makes the water freez'
The freezing of this ice is done at abol
degrees above zero. At intervals II
ice is drawn out by compressed al
The cans are emptied by turning the
upside down and pouring little watt
over them.
A double action engine is in the san
room as the ice plant. The engr
congresses the ammonia into the pip'
in the storerooms and ice plant, whel
it is changed into ammonia gas. III
engine congresses the ammonia in
the pipes and then sucks it back agsi
Next we were shown the ice storat
room. Both the can and plate ice a
MI 70
ter quality than the can ice, but peop
, call for it because it is clear. II
temperature of this room was rs d
| grees.
Cans of arsenate of lead were store
in one of the storerooms. We were to
II that if arsenate of lead froze it wou
Il be of no use any more.
We then passed into the Union war
Il house, where men were loading tW
Il box cars of extra fancy Newtowns I
New York and London. The cars fir
had to be lined with straw and pap
to keep the apples from freezing du
II ing the cold weather. The labels a
put Oh the boxes after they are plac
| in the cars.
Il We went into all the storage roor
/ in the Union building, which were 4
/ same as those in Davidson building e
Il cept for system of air pipes to vent
II ate the rooms.
II A night watchman is employed
II the Association, who makes the roun
II of the storage rooms and other static
II every two hours during the night.
II each room is numbered key which t
II watchman inserts into the clock he C;
II ries. This marks on dial like that
II clock at what time he has been
II that certain place.
II Mr.. Castner then showed us the {
III CINE in the Union warehouse. 1t "
II larger than the one in the Davids
III warehouse. The large belt for the {
H CINE cost $500.
II The condenser room where the a
II monia gas is changed back to liql
II form, is on the roof of the buildir
II Water trickles over the pipe in
room, changing the gas to liquid. II
II was the last of our observation OF
II warehouses of the Apple Growers AS
III citation.
HI The Hood River Produce Exchar
u is located in the same building as
= Union and Davidson warehouses of
= Apple Growers Association. Our pa
entered the office of the firm, fir
where the man in charge took US to
store room.
Many different kinds of fruits, Y
etables and other small products W
there. Among the things shown
were sweet potatoes and Irish. potato
celery, turnips, oranges, bananas, ID
ons, pigs, honey, cabbage and coc
nuts.
Products from all nearby states
handled there and sold to the mercha