Stories of Paraná - The genius of my father

Stories of Paraná - The genius of my father

The ingenuity of my father
Lourdes Lacerda Suplicy

Morning sun.
Indian summer in the month of May, 1940. With my father, I visited barricaria of Ingenio San Antonio.
Within the routine nice and quiet in which wore on our lives, I could imagine that, in October of that same year, he rest in the family tomb? The girl who cried his death only much later came to be interested in the history of that mill mate, for decades one of the mainstays of the economy of the city of Lapa.
The story would have begun in 1879, when it was founded.
In 1884, according to the news paper "December Nineteen," Loyola firm and there Rebello inaugurated machines "systema locomovei", promoting a festive meeting.
During the Revolution of 1894 highlight the historians, the Mill was a landmark in the city.
Actually, my father, José Lacerda, settled in Lapa in 1898 as "Marketer of yerba mate and genres of the country." Negotiating a house in Largo da Matriz.
Fm 1921 he bought and Fido Fontana Manoel Rodrigues Pereira Pinto, Ingenio San Antonio.
This society soon fell apart, my father expanded its processing industry mate, which was exported to Uruguay on a large scale and also to Argentina and Chile.
The main building, where es-tavam machines was simple lines, low front, sash windows, roof gouges.
In this place the wagons poured gross yerba mate that turned the pleasant smelling and yerba mate, who was traveling on the famous wrapped barrels. The craftsmanship of barricarias revealed by real artists working task.
With scraper and cepilhadeira, confeccionavam pine staves of three colors: black, white and red.
The labels also artwork of lithographers, bore the names of various brands: La Oriental, Hercules, Lisinger, Lacerda, Olivia, Lolita, Mena, Gran Diogo, Maria Adela, Fábio Luciano.
Despite having only with an annual crop, Ingenio brought steady work for the inhabitants of Lapa.
When the crude herb arrived, the machines were powered and high-pitched whistle sounded like a code calling those who were willing to work.
My father always sought to protect their employees, especially the old barriqueiros and, since 1937, has implemented new laws
Social Security.
Between the 20s and 40s
Ingenio San Antonio was the only of the municipality.
After my father's death, the property passed to his sons, changing the name to José Lacerd
Every morning at seven o'clock, the whistle of the Mill sounded a festive dawn.
Even whistled at eleven o'clock at noon and three o'clock.
Finally, at six o'clock heralded the end of the workday.
The evocation of this sound reverberates longingly at my heart.

Lourdes Lacerda Suplicy, grandmother and homemaker


Source: Stories of Paraná, Brasil.