The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-03-22
Walter Drennen Fruit Pack ing Plant Is the Largest
 In Florida
SHIPS CARLOAD OF
 ORANGES PER HOUR
Orlando One of Florida's Beauty Spots and Has Become Popular Mecca Cor Birmingham
 Tourists
sy RICHARD w. .LussrER

Dy RICHARD r. sLUssIER Orlando. Fla. March '21--( Especial. )-Wal- ter Drennen and Dr. Edward Drennen. formerly citizens of Birmingham, are now the successful operators of the largest fruit packing plant in Florida The plant Is located at Maitland. few miles from Orlando and it is the most modern and sanitary factory within the borders of the state.
 The Drennen brothers came to Orlando in 1905 and in 10 years have acquired the control of hundreds of acres of fruit bearing property. The Drennens now own orange and citrus groves of 20.oeo trees and have 30.ooo trees in the nur- series
 At the Walter Drennen fruit packing plant, which was erected year ago and which for the first season will send out 15o,ooo boxes of oranges and grapefruit, a sight at once educational and interest ing. is presented to the casual visitor.
 Everything at the fruit packing plant is done automatically and all the hands have to do is feed the machines. The fruit is picked from the nearby groves and brought in what is called field boxes.
 When the oranges and citrus fruit ar rives at the plant it is thrown into wash ing machines which automatically wash and pick out the various sizes and grades of fruit. Along long rows of rapidly mov- ing rollers and belts the visitor sees the fruit bobbing until it seems by intuition it falls into it's allotted space.
 
 Boys Do the Packing
 After the fruit has been washed and graded the actual packing begins. This | is the only part of the work that re- | quires manual labor. Boys are used for the packing. With one flourish of the | hand skillful boy will wrap an orange or grapefruit very neatly and place it | in box. Once the box is filled it is pushed into an automatic press which | places a cover on it and nails and wires 1t up. The boxes are then immediately | placed in refrigerator car which is on track adjacent to the packing plant | The capacity of the Walter Drennen packing plant is one car an hour
 A refrigerator car carries approximate ly 300 boxes of fruit A box usually con- tains about 175 oranges and slightly less in grapefruit, according to the sizes. This means that a refrigerator car carries about 5000 pieces of fruit Shipping at f the rate of 10 cars a day when the sea- son is at it's height, the Drennen com pany sends out a half million oranges a | day.
 Shipping for Others
 According to Walter Drennen, the af nf fba nd the largest individual fruit packer in Flor ida, he is through packing his own fruit and is now shipping for others.
 We are shipping at the present time" said MT. Drennen, fruit from southern Florida points. We are going after fruit 200 miles below here and bringing it to the plant, where it is packed and shipped away.
 This plant, which is absolutely fire proof and sanitary, was erected about year ago at a cost of $50,000 It represents an example of the fertility of inventive genius for all the machinery is auto matic and there is very little to do ex- cept to feed the machines and see that they remain in order. The plant is op- erated by gasoline engines and even the | heat from the engine is utilized to dry the washed fruit.
 'I came to Orlando in 1905 and bought an orange grove or 10000 trees. I didn't have a nickel but managed to borrow $500 from the bank to arrange the deal. On the dropped fruit alone from the grove I had purchased I managed to make the first payment and then things started progressing. I still have my orig final grove of 10000 trees, which is un- der one fence and have other groves adjacent which bring the number of trees to another 10000. I also have 5000 trees under cultivation which will be fruit vI. ~xxf&J fxtzn ofscf |
 The story of Walter Drennen reads like fiction. yet the facts of his success are apparent when one goes his packing plant It shows the i, push and aggressive spirit of the Bir- mingham brand of young men in strange lands.
 Popular With Birmingham People
 Orlando since the Drennen brothers E have settled here is getting to be the { winter Mecca of Birmingham tourists. It is at present the winter home of J. H. Woodward, father-in-law of Senator Os- car w. Underwood, and father of Rick" owner of the Birmingham baseball team.
 Orlando is the capital of Orange coun- ty. Florida. It Is county with thou sand beautiful lakes and the prospectus of the town reads that 1t is forested as the wooden Arden. Whether this is so, it is quite certain that Orlando and the adjacent country comprise one of the earths garden spots.
 The city of Orlando is in central Flor ida, one of the most beautiful and health full regions in the entire state. Two great lake systems originate within its boun- dary. one flowing east into the St. Johns river. and to the Atlantic; and the other westward into the Gulf of Mexico.
 Orlando with it's paved streets and "white way" at once impresses the wis.,