The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-02-21
Paper Lumber Production.

a tall, elderly man, with round,
pleasant face, took from the markle man.
tel shelf of room overlooking Printing
House square yesterday afternoon Sec
tion Of what appeared 10 be walnut
board. "That is paper lumber" he said.
You may not be awars that process has
been invented for utilizing paper pulp in
the manufacture of substitute for natu-
raj lumber. A mill has been erected in
q western town for the purpose of manu-
featuring artificial lumber from paper
stock, and number of capitalists have
taken hold of the matter. We are
thoroughly convinced of the perfect
practicability of paper lumber in the
manufacture of all articles at present
from wood. 1t is only question of
very short time when paper lumber will
come into general use. feel confident
that it will prove much cheaper than
wood, equally as durable, and fully as
good an article for fine work"
Attention was directed to several ar
ticles of cabinent ware made of the ma
terial. Two of these were ordinary par.
lcr tables, one of which was finished in
the natural grain of the lumber, resem.
bling somewhat the peculiar mottled ap-
pearance seen in some choice hard wood.
The surface of the table was vanished
and highly polished, presenting a smooth.
ness equal to fine plate-glasS. The other
table was finished in exact imitation Of
rosewood. A panel door was also shown
the finish resembling mahogany. A
couple of jewelry or ladies' work boxes,
made after an elegant pattern and highly
finished, were also produced, showing the
adaptability Of paper lumber in the con-
struction OF ornamental article.
"The paper board" continued the
gentleman alluded to, "is susceptible of
taking the finest polish as we'll as any
tint, shade, or color. The lumber is
made principally of the pulp of wheat,
rye, oat straw, and other vegetable fbres,
combined with chemical ingredients and
cemeuts. 1t is formed of layers about
one-quarter of an inch in thickness, and
these layers are pressed together by pow
erful machinery, and thus rendered as
hard as the hardest wood, besides much
more dense. The boards are also rem
dered waterproof in varying degrees, ac-
cording to the purpose for which they
are to be used. The material is as dura
BILE as time, and can be sold at good
price for almost half the price of ordins-
ry pine lumber. It will take any finish,
and in this respect alone il equal to the
finest hard woods. Moreover, it can be
marbleized in imitation Of any kind of
marble, both in respect to high degree
of polish and an exact imitation ofgrain.
1t will not warp and can be rendered
perfectly waterproof, if desired, thus
making it suitable for the construction
of burial caskets. 1t makes just as solid
a surface Is any wood, and may be made
of the hardness of stone. As substi.
tute for wood in the construction of
building it possesses qualities of perfect
adaptation. It will make the finest ma
terial in the world for roofing, not e1cep-
ting alate 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 any knots,
cracks or blemishes of any kind COM
monty met with in wood"
"Do you think that the supply of pa
per stock is sufficient to permit the gen
eral use Of paper lumber as substitute
for wood ?"
"Why not? The production Of straw
alone is sufficient. 1t takes 100 years to
grow 10000 feet OF natural timber 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 mako 1000 feet Of arti.
fetal lumber, and hence in hundred
years it will produce 100000 feet, ten
times the quantity of natural lumber.
"What do We propose to do? It is our
purpose besides entering into the manu-.
facture of paper lumber on an extended
scale, to lease machinery to other parties
desiring to embark in the Industry
Correspondence Chicago Tribue.