THE WAREHOUSING OF GRAIN. 129 



machines are of tlie most simple description of balance scale, 

 there being a hopper at one end of the lever and weights 

 corresponding to the weight of a sack at the other. When- 

 ever the weigher sees the balance tilt up, he shoves in the 

 slide valve and then allows the grain to fall down a shoot, 

 by which it is discharged into an opening at the top of one 

 of the special railway trucks. When a number of trucks 

 have been filled in this manner, they are taken and stored 

 under sheds which cover about five acres. These trucks 

 have four slide-valves in each side, and they can be placed 

 at such a level as to allow the grain to flow into sacks 

 standing on weighing machines, be weighed, and then 

 wheeled into ordinary railway trucks standing alongside at 

 a lower level. It is claimed for this system that it is ex- 

 tremely convenient for grain merchants, and that it is very 

 economical. However, the first cost is high and the extent 

 of ground is so great as, at most docks, to prevent the sys- 

 tem being adopted, even were it considered desirable. 

 These covered trucks are also used for conveying grain to 

 a granary situated some distance from the Dock. The 

 trucks are run close alongside the granary, the slides are 

 pulled up, and the grain falls into an elevator pit, from 

 which it is raised by the elevator to the top of the building. 

 The granary is about 160 feet long by 80 feet wide, and is 

 divided into four fireproof compartments by vertical walls, 

 there being an elevator to each compartment. The eleva- 

 tors are carried considerably higher than the building, and 

 there are two inclined shoots from each elevator, each shoot 

 discharging into a large bin and serving an area of 40 feet 

 by 40 feet. A number of shoots lead from each bin ; these 

 are for some distance radiating and inclined, and then they 

 are carried vertically downwards to the bottom of the build- 

 ing. Grain is thus got easily to any part of the various 



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