Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-05-27
Historical Facts Regarding Paper.

In ancient times, when comparatively
few people could read, pictures of every
kind were much in use where writing
would now be employed. Every shop,
for instance, had it's sign, as we'll as ev-
erv public house. and those signs were
not then, as they are often now, only
painted upon a board, but were invaria-
bly, actual models of the things which
the sign expressed-as we still OCCASION
ally see such signs as a beehive, tea
e., canister or doll, and the like. For the
I. same reason printers employed some de-
vice, which they put upon the title
pages and at the end of their books.
And paper makers also introduced marks
Gby way of distinguishing the paper of
their manufacture from that of others;
which marks, becoming common, nat
urally gave their names to different sorts
. of paper. A favorite paper mark be-
tween 1910 and 1860 was the jug or pot,
and would appear to have originated the
term " pot" paper. The foolscap was
: later device and does not appear to
have been nearly of such long continu-
ance as the former. 1t has given place
TO the figure of Britannia, or that of a
lion rampant supporting the cap of lib
erty on pole. The name, however
has continued, and we still denominate
paper of particular size by the title of
g foolscap." Post paper seems to have
derived its name from the post horn,
which at one time was its distinguished
mark. 1t does not appear to have been
used prior to the establishment of the
General Post office 067O), when it be-
came a custom to blow a horn, to which
circumstance, no doubt, we may attrib-
ute its introduction. Bath post is so
named after that fashionable city. Ev-
cry kind of paper is known to the sta
stioner by its name-quartO post, Svo
post, foolscap, etc. The term foolscap
TO designate certain kind of paper no
doubt has puzzled many. The origin is
not only amusing but historical. Charles
i. of England granted numerous monop-
.olies for the support of the Government.
Among other things was the manu-
facture of paper. The water-mark of
'the finest sort was the royal arms of En-
gland. The consumption of this article
was great at this time, and large for
tunes were made by ttose who had
purchased the exclusive right to vend
it. This, among other mhnopolies, was
set aside by the Parliament that brought
Charles /. to the scatfold. and by way Of
showing their contempt fos the kingthey
. 'dered the royal arms to oe taken from
the paper and fool wish his cap and
bells to be substituted. Il is now over
200 years since the foolse.p and bells
were taken from the paper, but still the
paper of the size which tic Rump Par
lament ordered for their Journals bears
the name of the water n'nrks then Or
dared az an indiunitv tn Ghar1cs An
English paper says: TIE practice of
bluing the paper pulp had it's origin in a
singular accident. 1t occerred about the
year 1890, at a paper mi belonging to
Mr.. Buttonshaw. whose wife, on the oc-
casion in question, was experimenting
the washing of some lin.n, when acct
,dentally she dropped her bag of pow
,dered blue into the midst of some pulp,
in a forward state of PREPARATION, and
so great was the fear she entertained Of
the mischief she had done. seeing the
blue rapidly amalgamated with the
pulp, thatillusion to it was studiously