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GOIN’ TO THE CORNER

COOPERS For hundreds of years barrels were handmade by skilled workers called coopers.

The fishing ports of Miminegash, Campbellton, and Cascumpec were busy shipping ports and in need of many barrels, so Elmsdale became a central location to estab- lish a cooper’s shop. Many shops were located in Elmsdale from the mid 18003 to

the early 19003 Some of the known coopers were:

According to the Lot 4 Rental Book, James Wells paid his rental fees for 1847 with 73 barrels. Barrels were used for many items including molasses, nails, chewing tobacco, potatoes, apples, flour, fish and soda biscuits.

The cooperage shops were dependent on blacksmiths, who made the rims or hoops

for the barrels. This is why blacksmith shops sprung up where coopers had set-

tled.

The sides of a woOden barrel are made of staves (strips of wood) bound together by metal or wooden hoops. The staves are wider in the middle than at the ends. This makes the barrel bulge in the mid- dle. This shape increases strength, al- though it wastes space in shipment. It also makes it easier to move barrels, for they can be rolled. The heads (top and bottom) of the barrel are flat wooden cir—

398

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Island Farmer, September 18, 1890