Separating egg yolks from the whites has long been a problem. Many is the cook or baker who has tried to separate the two by tipping the yolk back and forth into half of the shell, only to come to grief when the yolk gets broken in the process.
As there are no coal mines in the area, most of the coal that area residents used was brought in by train from Illinois and Pennsylvania. Most of the coal yards in Burlington were located near the railroad tracks in the downtown area. Gus Polson’s was no exception.
To create the seal, most canners will use one of two methods: Immersing jars in a pressure canner or a big pot of boiling water. Either method means that the jars will be too hot to handle without help. The tongs allow the user to reach in and safely lift the hot jar out and set aside to cool.
Powder and shot flasks were once necessary for just about any early colonizer to Des Moines County. Guns were needed for self-defense and for acquiring food.