Sheeps Head
This piece of equipment came from the Union
Compress Warehouse in Oak Grove, La,
which was built in 1937. It was made by the
William C. Ellis Company of Memphis, Tenn.
and was an essential part o the compress
equipment. Gin sized bales, called Gin "flats"
were made 24 inches thick, 48 inches wide, by
52 inches tall. The purpose of a compress was
to reduce the size of the bales to a "compress
bale" 24 x 28 x 52. The metal bands, or strap-
ping, were cut as part of this process. This
machine was used to hammer the buckles
back onto the bands for re-use on the smaller
compress bales. The operator needed to be
both cautious and coordinated to preserve all
his fingers.
Compress Warehouse in Oak Grove, La,
which was built in 1937. It was made by the
William C. Ellis Company of Memphis, Tenn.
and was an essential part o the compress
equipment. Gin sized bales, called Gin "flats"
were made 24 inches thick, 48 inches wide, by
52 inches tall. The purpose of a compress was
to reduce the size of the bales to a "compress
bale" 24 x 28 x 52. The metal bands, or strap-
ping, were cut as part of this process. This
machine was used to hammer the buckles
back onto the bands for re-use on the smaller
compress bales. The operator needed to be
both cautious and coordinated to preserve all
his fingers.
The Sheeps Head was donated by Macon
Ridge, Warehouse Company, Harold Russell,
General Manager, to the the Dave L. Pearce
Memorial Foundation.
Ridge, Warehouse Company, Harold Russell,
General Manager, to the the Dave L. Pearce
Memorial Foundation.
We display the piece near the blacksmith
shop because it serves very much the same
purpose as a blacksmiths treadle hammer for
flattening. The base is NOT hollow, and
weighs about a half ton.
shop because it serves very much the same
purpose as a blacksmiths treadle hammer for
flattening. The base is NOT hollow, and
weighs about a half ton.
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