Without the shaker, not more than three hundred and thirty pounds of sugar could be put in a barrel, which would increase the cost per one hundred pounds to 15.1 cents. This difference on a single day’s output of two million pounds represents one hundred and sixty dollars, an eloquent argument in favor of the shaker.
FILLING BARRELS
METHOD OF HANDLING BARRELS
In packing barrels, the operative first lines the barrel with heavy paper to prevent the sugar from coming in contact with the rough wooden sides and to keep it from sifting out between the staves. The barrel, thus lined, is placed on the shaker, a valve on the spout opened and the shaking barrel filled to the top. The barrel is then removed and turned over to the cooper, who heads it up and rolls it on the scale for weighing.
Before an empty barrel reaches the packing room, it is weighed and the weight (generally from nineteen to twenty-five pounds) is stamped on its side. The gross weight of the filled barrel is determined by the packing-room scales. The weight of the empty barrel is deducted and the net weight of the sugar stenciled on the head. The full barrel is then sent down a chute to the waiting freight car or to the dock for steamer shipment, or to a conveyor that automatically delivers it to the storage warehouse.
In addition to the bags, barrels, half barrels, cartons and boxes, tins of various sizes are used for the different sugars. All of these are filled and weighed automatically, and taken from the packing room by conveyors. Some of the boxes are lined with paper and some with cotton cloth; some are nailed up in the ordinary way, and others are strapped with iron at each end. As a rule, the individual tins are cased with wood, but sometimes there are a number of tins in a case. Cartons contain two pounds, three pounds or five pounds of sugar. They are packed in fiber cases holding thirty twos, twenty threes or twelve fives and also in wooden cases which hold sixty twos, forty threes or twenty-four fives each. The style of package depends upon the demand of the trade catered to.
At this point a word or two about some of the specialties, such as cube, powdered and bar sugars, as well as yellow or soft sugars, may be of interest.