Smyrna times., 1877-05-02
The Uses Of Paper.

1t will surprise many readers to know
the multitude of uses to which paper is put.
Many Japanese and Chineses domestic
utensils are made Of paper, as well as much
of their finest lacquered ware. Even the
cheaper kinds of clothing in Japan are of
paper. What is known as papier mache is
simply paper pulp, or else sheets OF spongy
paper pasted together and pressed into
such forms as the manufactures requires
the mass to take. Many Of the English
tea trays, caddies snuff and work boxes of
century ago were papier mache and even,
though more rarely, mantel-pieccs, card
tables, and other light and elegant pieces
of furniture. Sheets ofwriting paper passed
through diluted solution of sulphuric acid
are converted into substance very similar
and having pretty much the tenacity Of
parchment For some years past paper
has been coming into use in some parts Of
the western country in the construction of
cheap houses. Where wood is scarce, as
on the prairies, paper offers an acceptable
substitute. Paper for sheathing and roofing
has often been employed. Now it is eX.
pressly manufactured for outside and inside
walls and ceiling of houses, and is said TO
possess many advantages over wood. One
mill in Wisconsin, which is engaged eX-
clusively in the manufacture of building
paper, is turning out at this time sixteen
tons day, and the demand has increased
so much of late that it is far in excess of
the supply.
This building paper is thick and indu-
rated pasteboard turned out in sheets
thirty-two inches wide, and is divided for
transportation into rolls of varying sizes,
weighing from twenty-five to one hundred
/ Y1Oun1c Whiln fl,rO,,nh ba
chine whereon it is made it is subjected to
pressure of several hundreds of tons to
the square foot. This process YIELDS the
fbres into homogeneous mass, perfectly
air-proof. When dry and ready for use
this paper is superior to wood for building
purposes, being one of the worst conductors
of heat and cold eXtant. A house con
structed of this material is cool in summer
and readily heated in winter; neither does
it shrink or warp as wood does, and require:
no seasoning save the drying it gets at the
mill neither does it burn as readily q!
lumber does and is quite as impervious t.
water.
Papier mache is in steady use abroad fo
anatomical and many other figures anC
fancy articles and also for decorating tn,
interior of public buildings and houses o
the wealthy. The panels of railway car
riages are sometimes made of it; also
strange to say, railway car wheels, com
posed of successive thicknesses of mil
board nodded into the proper form unde
enormous pressure. These paper wheels
with iron tires, have been highly com
mended in some scientific journals for thei
lightness, tenacity, power of resistance ant
absolute freedom from fracture. What til
objections to them are we do not know, bu
they would seem to be serious, as in spit
of the valuable qualities ascribed to ther
, they have not been brought into active use
The Western houses built so largely {
| paper, the frame work alone being of wooC
are said by those who have occupied ther
, to be very comfortable, and as they hav
g the further merit to persons of limite
!. means of being very cheap, it is not su
4 prising to learn that stock companies al
r forming to manufature building paper
{ large quantities, and also to ultimatel
/ extend the uses of paper to many hous
hold articles.