History

According to the 1914 publication Industrial Survey of Baltimore, the Baltimore food packing industries were growing rapidly in the few years just prior, doubling the value of the industries' output and causing proportionate increase in number of employees. The R. E. Roberts Company, Inc., located at the foot of Fell Street, processed and packed oysters. The industrial survey states that in 1914 there was only one concern in town engaged in clarifying and packing olive oil, which may have been the Pompeian Olive Oil Company, although the company is not found in the Baltimore Directory at that time. The survey also refers to the Pure Food and Drugs Act of 1906, which may account for the presence of a U.S. Department of Agriculture Pure Food Inspector at these businesses in 1914-1915.

Collection Origin

Gift of Harry H. Olmstead, 1981 (76025).

Scope and Contents

The collection is housed in 1 box with 4 folders containing 15 photoprints dated 1914-1915. The photos show early 20^th century food industries in Baltimore city. There are scenes of workers processing and canning oysters at the R. E. Roberts company, workers processing spinach, and storage apparatus in the Pompeian Olive Oil Company album with workers dispensing oil into containers. At several of these sites, inspections are underway by U.S. Department of Agriculture Pure Food Inspector John F. Earnshaw. All photographs are captioned "U.S.D.A. photo by A. J. Olmstead" and dated; some have subject identification.

Digital Images

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Arrangement

The photographs are arranged in 4 folders according to PP catalog number.

Container List
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1 Box

Box 1: 4 Folders

Box 1, Folder 1
PP133.1 - Earnshaw inspecting oyster cargo aboard boat in Baltimore harbor. 1 item. Dup/copy neg Z24.512.
 

Box 1, Folder 2
PP133.2-.6 - Raw oyster packing at R. E. Roberts Co.; workers engaged in oyster shucking, steaming, and packing, with inspections underway by Earnshaw. 5 items. Dup/copy negs Z24.84, Z24.707, Z24.763, and Z24.1082.
 

Box 1, Folder 3
PP133.7-.11 - Workers dispensing oil at Pompeian Olive Oil Company and oil storage apparatus, with inspections underway by Earnshaw. 5 items. Dup/copy negs Z24.1835 and Z24.1555.
 

Box 1, Folder 4
PP133.12-.15 - Earnshaw inspecting spinach cargo aboard boat in Baltimore harbor; workers engaged in processing and canning of spinach. 4 items. Dup/copy neg Z24.1090. © 2001 Maryland Historical Society - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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