Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1921-02-24
EGG IN TRANSIT
GETS ATTENTION
Product Comes High Because So
Many Are Broken.
AND II is NOT NECESSARY

Express Company Starts Campaign Of
Education Among Big Shippers and
Producers--Trying 10 Get Them TO
Comply with Rules Of Packing and
shipping Which win Avert Unneees-
sary Losses Both 70 Themselves and
to the Express Company.
In all big business this is an era Of
saving. Economy Is the watchword In
all the big corporations economy IN
operation. machinery, labor, food and
supplies Of all kinds, but especially
food. Now, take eggs
In the Office Of H. NJ. James. super
intendent Of claims for the American
RAILWAY Express company 10 New
York, is portfolio fun Of most con-
vincing looking photographs Of broken
eggs. And there need not be any
smashed eggs, or at any rate not half
so many, according to Mr. James. So
the express company has started an
educational campaign for making egg
travel gnfe.
Efforts are being made to reach the
big egg shippers In different parts Of
the country. bringing home 70 them
tho needless loss In eggs. and trying
to get them to comply with rules Of
packing and shipping which VIII avert
unnecessary losses both to themselves
and the express company. Another
campaign among handlers, including
all company employees. is also under
way. agricultural colleges and state
institutions are cooperating. 10 an Of
fort to bring forcibly before the pub
lic the fact that there is q tremendous
and constant loss in eggs, much OF Il
needless. The express company n nd
vertising broadcast the fact that II
viii welcome suggestions for the pack
ing and shipping OF eggs. II wants
new ideas for containers. already pat
ented or otherwise, all Of which ideas
win be sifted and tried out.
Seek Perfect contaIner.
Pending the discovery OF the per
feet egg container. eggs shipped In
the case now In general use. the
standard 8O-dozen affair famIllar 70
every one, would stand better chance
II shippers would not neglect 70 m
sert the excelsior-hiied pads which
are supposed TO be used. These -cush.
Ions,r as they are called, theoretically
20 on the bottom Of each egg case. and
on the top. as we'll aa under the tor
layer Of eggs.
1--WE don't get very large proper.
ton Of shippers 10 use the three cuah.
IONS. however, although the cost would
be but 0 cents to the case" said Mr..
James. '-rhey gtnnd the ioss--and
the public pays more for It's eggs
Better than the egg cushions ~
some respects are the brown card
board "honey-eomb" filters, Eve tiers
In each side OF the case. which hold
three dozen eggs each. and the crirs
cross sections which leave spnces two
and quarter inches high. These
would be almost pesSect, or 1T least
better. thar anything else. according
to Mr.. James, II the faithful hen could
be induced to lay eggs exactly 10 meas.
ure. or II shippers would ship eggs o.
exactly uniform size. But cases come
through with eggs two and half
inches in length, or even rs long ne
two and seyen-eighths. These bigger
eggs are the ones that arrive broken.
Then the ''honey-eomb fiilersr are
soon weakened and softened by damp
ness. according 10 Mr.. James. There
after they bend and the eggs may
move back and forth and strike on the
edge OF the ease or on the dividing
board 10 the center. Z
Figures for egg breakage, according
to claims passing through the Office o.
the American Railway Express corn.
pany, are truly enormous. The Produce
News Of January 10 set the amount al
100000 monthly. practically oil for
the IL Eastern states, and mostly on
shipments from the states Of Pennsyi,
vania and New York.
Eggs From Afar.
Eggs are moving freely. Hens have
laid well throughout the winter 80 faI
on account OF the open winter and
shipments have been heavy" said Mr
James the other day in discussing Tho
new campaign Eggs come here from
the South. the Southwest and the
West. In addition to the general move
ment from nearer points. The proper
ton OF breakage bears no relation Il
the distance. Perhaps 10 a Jonrnes
from point 100 miles away. the ship
ment Is handled more times thnn q
shipment coming from distant point
The number OF times a case 70 handled
in express service VIII average higher
anyway, than IN freight service.
"The method now In use, however
Is not the proper one.T said Mr.. James
There should be an improved method
Of packing. The losses are tremendoul
in this very valuable food product
The best Device IN my opinion, amonE
those already patented and on th'
market IL the cup-nller, where the or
binary cardboard fiat Is replaced b.
one with nodded cuplike indentations
| The thick nodded cupboard Of thii
cup-filler system affords more protec
tlon to the egg. which Is kept IN hI
upright position in It's compartment"
-----------------.----
| .xtumAwn.sS safhnn oInnas ftnst~. ~.