Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-02-17
A MONOPOLY IN CORKS.

The cork business is very large and
profitable one and, like many others, is Who'll
ly under the control of an association called
the Cork Manufacturers Union. This union
not only regulates the price, but the size and
length of corks, even determining discounts to
all buyers, and giving in its circular list
of those dealers and jobbers who are entitled
to special discounts. 1t goes further, and
says that no corks should be sold on longer
term of credit than sixty days; that none
should be sold to druggists in New York,
Philadelphia, Boston, Albany, Troy, Port
land, or Providence, or to bottlers anywhere
on longer term of credit than thirty days.
This ageement is entered into for the purpose
of protecting both the importers and manu-
facturers in their endeavors to promote the
best interests of the cork business. Before
the union was formed the larger manufac-
turers cut prices to such an extent and sold
so low that smaller manufacturers could not
live. Prices are twenty-five per cent. higher
than formerly, owing to the rise in raw ma.
terial, or natural corkwook, but as prices are
as numerous as the sizes and shapes of eorks,
it is impossible to give them. The use of
cork increases very rapidly. Heretofore the
refuse cuttings were thrown away, but now
every piece, large or small is utilized. From
the clippings is made linoleum. a kind of floor
cloth. Other refuse is granulated and used
in packing fruit. Shavings, or curled cork,
goes into the mattresses, which are very
cool in summer and more so in the winter.
The great use, however, to which corkwood
is put is for bottle shoppers, and in this it su-
persedes all other substances. The cork tree
is species of oak called Quercus suber. 1t
grows abundantly in the south Of France,
Spain, Algeria and in some parts of Italy.
This countrys supply comes from the Allan.
tic side of France and from Portugal. Cork
wood, so. called, is the bark of the tree which
1.-THE tree-throws of, the first time when
about twenty years old, and every nine or ten
years afterward. The tree is said to live 100
years.
PAPER Boxes SUBSTITUTED FOR TINA
few years ago process Of paper-box manu-
featuring was invented, which has since placed
paper, the rival of so many materials, in the
position of strong rival of tin in packages
for certain articles of commerce. Previous
to this invention the great objection to using
round paper boxes for small packages, when
tin was commonly used, was that the covers,
being in two pieces "a disk and rim), were
nat aq5fRs g. sa saSngh to 81 hs Essqss
process, the heads or covers of the box are
drawn from single piece of straw board,
so that not only is there no separating OF
disk from the lin by use, but there is no seam
through which the contents of the box can
find its way. The body of the box is cut
from paper tubes, made of several thicknesses
of light weight of straw board or heavy
straw paper. Almost any desired diameter
or length of box can be made. The heads
are made of heavy straw board, from what
is known as No. 80 to No. so, or heavier, if
desired, and are "drawn" under peculiar
process, with great rapidity. One of these
heads is fastened to the bottom of the box
another of the same kind is adjusted to the
top, not fastened, and the box is complete.
For these straw board lined with fancy.col-
ored paper can be used oftentimes tin.foil
paper is selected, in which case, with the body
of box covered with label, the package re-
sembles handsome, solid tin box. The boxes
have been introduced into great variety of
uses, where, on account of cheapness, they
have already superseded tin. Large quanti.
ties are used with and without water, air and
grease proof preparations, in packing such
articles as chloride Of lime, paris green, putty,
tar, seeds, etc. The same principle is applied
to the manufacture of small pill boxes and
toy-paper cap boxes, the latter being known
now by young America" almost to an en-.
tirety, as his CHIEF Fourth of July delight.
This class of boxes is made with astonishing
rapidity, as can be imagined from the fact
that they are sold, by the thousand gross, as
low as and cents gross.