124 PACIFIC SALMON FISHERIES. 
The next movement forces the can out upon a table. When running 
at full speed, one of these machines will fill about 80 cans a minute. 
On being released by the clamp the cans roll upon a long table 
and are picked up by a man stationed here, who strikes each one 
upon a square piece of lead set in the table, in order to settle the 
contents down into the can and for the purpose of detecting any 
deficiency in weight. If not quite full the cans are pushed to the 
other side of the table, where a woman or man adds the quantity of 
fish needed, a supply of small pieces being kept at hand for this 
purpose. Generally the cans overrun in weight, frequently as much 
as an ounce. Occasionally a can is weighed in order to see that 
the machine is in perfect adjustment. In many canneries weighing 
machines are arranged in the ‘‘line” and these throw out the short 
weight cans. 
In the hand method the fillers stand on each side of a long table 
with a trough running down the middle from end to end. This is 
filled with the cut pieces of salmon, and the fillers, usually women 
and children, put into the cans large pieces at first and then smaller 
pieces to occupy the vacant spaces. 
WASHING THE CANS. 
In the old style method the cans are put upon an endless belt by a 
workman and pass from the filling-machine table to the washing 
machine. This is a rotating apparatus, consisting of an iron frame- 
work holding 10 rests or stands on which the cans sit. Immediately 
overhead are small perpendicular shafts with an iron cap, the diam- 
eter of a can, fixed to the end of each. Each can as it reaches the 
machine is caught by one of the washers and the cap brought down 
over the top, a tight-fitting flange preventing water from getting 
inside. Revolving rapidly as it goes, with a stream of water against 
it of sufficient force to remove the dirt and grease, the can is carried 
until the machine has revolved 180 degrees, when it is released and 
passes out on a belt. A more modern method is to use jets of steam 
for washing, while one of the latest devices is to clean the cans by a 
cold-air blast which strikes directly on the top edge. A set of brushes 
against which the cans revolve is used in a few canneries. 
After being washed the cans continue on an endless belt and pass 
two children whose duty is to put a small piece of scrap tin on the 
top of each. These pieces are called ‘‘chips,’’ are from 14 to 2 inches, 
and are scraps from the sheet tin used in making the tops of the cans. 
The shape is of no particular importance so long as the pieces are 
long enough to cover the hole in the top o/ the can, or the cap as it is 
called. 
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