The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1883-04-20
A PIECE OF PAPER.

But why need L save so, mamma?
Papers so cheap, and so easily made"
How is it made, Susie?o
Susie hesitated for reply.
81 don't believe know exactly" she
said at last. ''But know there is a
large paper-mill at Barrowstown, where
great quantity is made"
Wouldn't you like to go to Barrows-
town and find out all about itp" asked
Mrs. Harvey. 81 think then you would
not think the process such an easy one.
Come, Susie, you are always at loss
for subject for composition day. Sup
| pose you go with me, and find out how
paper is made, and then write it up. 1
am sure your young companions would
find food for great deal of thought in
such composition.
"Omamma, | should be delighted!"
cried Susie. "Can we go on Satur-
day?"
Mrs. Harvey nodded assent, and then
gave her little daughter couple of
sheets of foolscap, with which Susie be-
took herself to the library, where she
could write undisturbed.
| The next morning, as she was walking
TO school, her composition on "The
Waste of Time y in her satchel, she was
overtaken by Lulu Walters, her most
particular friend
"Lulu, she said, "I'm going to have
treat tomorrow. am going to Bar
rowstown to go over the paper-mill.
Tell me, do you know how paper is
madep"
"Don't they grind leaves and rags all
up together, somehow" asked Lulu,
whose knowledge on the subject was ex-
ceedingly vague.
81 don't know exactly" answered
Susie, "but I'll let you know all about
it this day week.
| Barrowstown was about sixty miles
distant from Glencoe, where Susie lived;
but by taking an early train on Satur-
day morning Mrs. Harvey and Susie
reached their destination little before
ten o'clock.
| Mrs. Harvey found the proprietor,
with whom she had slight acquaint-
ance, in his office; and as he happened
to be at leisure, he expressed himself as
very glad to have the opportunity Of
showing them over his mill.
"We will 90 to the sorting-room
first" he said.
The sorting-room was very large, and
| in it were about thirty girls and women
at work; some picking over the rags,
sorting the white from the colored, and
others sitting each at small table hav-
ing a wire network surface and fur
nished with large vertical knife blade,
no IF oh frvr vi 1o
orator. The rags were cut by drawing
them across this knife, and all hard
substances, as buttons, hooks and eyes,
and pieces of wooden and silk, were
separated and laid aside. Much dirt
and sand fell through the netting.
"What dreadfully dirty work." said
Susie; and she was glad to get out of
the room, for she found the dust very
unpleasant.
"Now,'' said the proprietor, as he
led the way along a passage, +" if you
take piece of coarse, soft paper. and
tear off little bit, you can see, by look
ing closely at the torn edges, the fibers
of which it is composed. In writing
paper they do not show so well, because
they are very fine, and are held together
by the size, or glue, which is put in to
make the paper stronger, and to pre-
vent the ink from spreading in it, as it
does in blotting paper. 1t is these
tibers which are spun together into
thread and made into cloth; and it is
these same fbers, broken up short and
matted together, that make paper But
paper can be made of other fibers, be-
sides linen and cotton. A vast amount
of paper used for printing is made of
corn-husks, and still more of wood
fibers. Silk makes a very fine. thin
and strong paper; and wrapping-paper
is made of straw, which, though of
course not so strong as that made of
linen or cotton, is still strong enough
to answer the purpose for which it is
intended. Now this" throwing open
door, els the wash-room.'
All Susie could see at first was thicks
cloud of steam; but, venturing little
further in, she saw an immense tub, six
feet deep and about ten feet across, out
of which two men with pitchforks were
dipping wet rags. A similar tub, closely
covered, with a steam-pipe passing
into it, emitted anoise of boiling water
Susie found the room very warm, and
was as glad to get out of it as she had
been to get out of the sorting-room.
"Now for the next operation said
the proprietor, as he led the way into
room where there two long vats, about
two feet deep and four or five feet wide,
with a partition lengthwise through
each, but not reaching to the ends
These were full of pulp, slowly passing
along on one side, around the end Of
the partition, and back on the other
side. About the middle of this side,
part of the channel was covered over,
inside of which they heard great
threshing and churning going on, the
work, very evidently, d whirling
shaft that passed in at one side.
"This shaft said Mr.. Cranch,
"turns a cylinder covered with iron
spikes, and the case in which it is en-
closed is spiked in the same way. The
wet rags are put into the vat with
water. This machinery is put to work,
and the rags, as they pass between the
spiked cylinder and the stationary
spikes, are of course torn to shreds, and
mixed all up into a pulp with the
water. 1t passes slowly around, in one
continuous current, every part in turn
passing through the mill, and being
ground finer and finer, till it is re-
duced to a uniform pulp, looking good
deal like corn-starch pudding. Then
it is drawn off into large tub just be-
low us, and is bleached by putting in u
chemical preparation. Then the size is
added; if it is to be writing paper, the
ruling done, the edges trimmed, and
the mark of our firm stamped in each
corner. Let me take you row into the
macnine-room.
The clatter of the wheels and rafting