Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-10-02

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conception. But tbefooVing remarks, the
substance of which nc copy from the Lynchburg
Virginian, will throw some light on the subject.
The editor says:
Owe have been reading some accounts OF a
new business which we think may become m
mensely profitable in Virginia. 1t is the OK
tracing of the astringent Or tanning proper
ties of oak bark for the production Of Feather.
The information we have conviGc2s us that the
business will yield very large profits. An artl-
Gle we have before Us on The subject from
Georgia paper says:
| Give siyths Of the leather made III the Uni
ted States is produced il the New England
and Middle States. in the prosecution Of THIS
business, Boston and its immediate vicinity
alone are said to CONSUME about 100000
cords Of crude bark annually, and the enormous
consumption which this fact illustrates, ls very
1 rapidly cxhaustng all the accessible sources OF
supply of the crude material, and raising It's
value, as the distance from which 1t must &c
brought and the difficulties OF gathering It III
crease.
''Thesc facts suggested the idea OF inycntiDg
machinery to extract and c0ndcnSc the tanning
properties of the bark in the original forest, so
that cord of bark is reduced to single bai-
rel of torty-fvc gallons. This extract Is worth
in the Northern cities ten cts. u pound-or L
dollar per gallon-thc gallon Weighing ten
pounds-and the whole barrel, therefore, worth
SIS and the demand for it in Europe and
America can hardly be met by any probable
supply. :.
'Frhe machinery fer manufacturing this cz-
tract is very heavy and effective, and costs from
IS, 900 to $4,000 1t is driven by q twenty
five horse power steam engine. The bark III
slabs, as stripped from the tree, is first soaked
in a tank, with water kept at temperature or
l7Oo by steam. It Is then passed between iron
rollers which compress it to the thinncSs OF
wrapping paper, crushing every fibre and air
and water cell in sthe bark. La this condition
it falls into another tank where it Is broken up
and beaten, and agitatcd in warm water by
paddle wheels driven at velocity Of 100 rcvO-
buttons minute, and thereafter treated until
the water has attained the point OF saturati0n.
At this density it is carried to Il condenser and
further reduced to the desired point OF strength
for barreling and shipment.
We understand that IN ingenious and enter
prisiug gentleman on Buffalo Creek has been
giving his attention to this subject for some
months. a letter from gentleman in New
! York familiar with the business says:
1.-The tanning properties OF q cord Of oak
the gallon, which makes it imp crishaDic, weighs
$50 pounds. This is worth in Philadelphia
ten cts. Der pound, and in New York and Bos-
ton it commands ready sale at twelve and q
halt cents, while in London and Liverpool 1t
sells at fourteen cts in gold per pound The
demand abroad for American oak extract viii
for many years exceed our ability to supply !;
| while that for home consumption will test our
utmost energy to meet. Oak extract at ten
cents per pound, when bark can be had at 50
per cord, will yield to the manufacturer . net
profit of twenty-five dollars per cord and as
one machine is capable OF making two pounds
per hour or iorty-cight pounds every twenty
! four hours, it is easy to compute the returns
which may be realized by running 1t for 4 sin
gle year. These figures may seem incredible
| to your people, but challenge any one 10 show
| wherein they are Incorrect.
| If our land manifest any interest N
| this subject, we shall have something more to
| say about it hereafter. -IOchbrNiJc (f02ctic.
WASHINGTON ITEMs-A robbery and as
sauIt were committed by two negro men Oh last
| Friday at Bellevue farm, near Tcunalytown,
| d. &. The occupant Of the premises, Mr. }.
| W. Davis, had gone with his hired man, from
the residence, for the purpose OF attending to
| the stock During their absence, two negro
men entered the house, seized Mrs. Davis,
the mother Of the proprietor. "a lady seventy
| five years OF agc,) ch0kcd her, knocked hcr
down, and gagged her, They proceeded to
rummagc the house, ana finally taking m axe
| broke open trunk belonging to Mir. Davis,
| and stole thereirom all the money there was.
They then left the house, leaving the old lady
| insensible upon the floor.
Robert Brown, an old resident Of The Filth
Ward, of this city, died on the lst instant, at
| the age Of cighty-four years. Dir Brown was
| the superintendent Of construction of the Capt.
| to building until the present new wings were
| added. He was also superintendent OF the
erection Of the Presidents House, and The
dry dock at the Gosport Navy Yard, and
likewise one of the contractors for the General
Post Office building.
Mr.. J. George NaylCr has instituted suit
against Mr.. Alex. r. Shepherd for damages
received at his hands, and the consequences
thereof Mr. Naylor lays his damages at 52O,-
O00 Conrad Dietrich has entered suit against
the Washington and Georgetown Railroad
Company for injuries received by being thrown
from the platform Of car in 1867, by reason
of alleged carelessness of those in charge Of the
car. laying damages at $4,000.
Yesterday morning 4 new style Of pleasure
steamer for these waters arrived from Buffao,
New York, at Watts Bay. Itmcasurcs thirty
five feet in length and seven feet in width It
made the trip in fifteen days. The first part
of the trip was made through the canals to
Havrcd Grace, from thence it came through
the bay into the river to Washington. The
name Of this unique boat is '!rhc Mollic, y
Capt. j. Keller Col. Allbergcr has engaged
this steam yacht to run between his farm III
Virginia and Washington.
Mayor Bowen has made arrangements 10 en-
able the Treasurer Of Public Schools to pay the
teachers the amounts due for the months OF
August and September, borrowing from the
First National Bank the sum Of 81, 900 On
his own private security.
The Democracy last night held large meet
ing at Carusi's Hall, and addresses were made