Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-12-26
PAPER LUMBER.
Initiating All Sorts OF Natural Wood
in Grain, Color and Soiidity.
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
tall, elderly man, with round. pleasant
face, took from the marble mantel of a room
overlooking Printing House square, Yesterday
afternoon, section of what appeared to be
walnut board.
THAT is paper lumber" he said. you NAV
not be aware that process has been invented
for utilizing paper pulp in the manufacture of a
substitute tor natural wood. A mill has been
erected in western town for the purpose of
manufacturing artificial lumber, and a number
of capitalists have taken hold of the matter
We are thoroughly convinced of the perfect
practicabllity OF paper lumber In the manufac-
ture OF all articles at present made from wood
1t Is only question of very short time when
paper lumber will come into general use. I
feel confident that it will prove much cheaper
than wood, equally as durable and fully as good
for fine work"
Attention was directed to several articles Of
cabinet ware made of the material Two of
these We're ordinary parlor tables. one of which
resembed the peculiar notified appearance seen
In some choice hard woods. The surface of the
table was vanished and highly polished. The
other table was finished in exact imitation of
rosewood. panel door was also shown. the
finish resembling mahogany. A couple of ladies'
work boxes. made after an elegant pattern and
highly finished. were also exhibited
1.-The paper board" continued the gentleman
rs susceptible OF the finest polish and will take
any tint or color. The lumber is made pr,nci-
pally OF the pulp of wheat, rye and oat straw,
and other vegetable tibers, combined with chem.
ical ingredients and cements 1t is formed in
layers, about one-quarter of an inch in thick
ness, and these are pressed together by power
ful machinery, and thus rendered as hard as the
hardest wood. besides being much more dense.
The boards are also rendered waterproof in
varying degrees, according to the purpose for
which they are to be used. The material is as
durable as time. and can be sold at a
good profit for almost half less than Or
binary pine lumber. 1t will take any
finish, and in this respect alone is eoual tS
the finest hard wood. Moreover, 1t can be mar
bleized in imitation Of any kind of marble both
In respect to high degree OF polish and an
exact imitation of grain. 1t will not warn and
can be rendered perfectly waterproof if desired
thus making it suitable for the construction Of
burial caskets. 1t makes just as solid q surface
as any wood and may be made OF the hardness of
stone. AS a substitute for wood in the CONSTRUCT
ton ofbuildings it possesses qualities Of perfect
adaptation. 1t will make the finest material in
the world for roofing, not excepting slate or
iron. 1t can be sawed, split, or planed, and
boards made OF it are perfectly smooth, and fat
from end to end on both Sides without anv
knots, cracks, or blemishes of any kind COM
monty met with i'm wood"
do you think that the supply of paper stock
Is sufficient to permit the general use of paper
lumber as substitute for WOOd?"
"Why notI The production Of straw alone is
sufficient. 1t takes 100 years to grow 20 600
Ieet OF natural lumber on an acre of ground
This is according to official statistics. On the
other hand, an acre of ground will produce
every year straw enough to make Q 900 feet of
artificial lumber, and hence In hundred wears
it will produce 1000 feet-ten times as much
as the quantity of natural lumber"