, 1884-04-17
BETTER BLEACHING.
An Event In the History Of Scientific
Discovery.
An Application OF Resources In the
Manufacture OF Textile F'abrIcs---
What Is Claimed for tho
LnventIon-

The Boston Advertiser made brief refer
enca to a new bleaching process on the oc-
casion Of Its first public presentation and ex-
emplihcation before the Boston Scientific so
ciety by Mr.. John Richie, one of the active
member of this society. Since then the sub
ject has been again discussed by the same
gentleman before the Essex institute, with
practical Illustrations and demonstration by
Mr.. Charles Tappan, the discoverer of tho
principle and inventor OF the process, who
also assisted upon the former occasion. 1t liz
regarded as an event in the history of scien-
tihc discovery. Unless all signs fail, it marks
an epoch. An Improvement OF the bleach
ing method, within its present scope, is only
one of its manifestations. Its sponsors fore
see q readjustment Of values, and an amplih-
cation OF resources over the whole field Of
manufacture into which fbrous material en-
terz- Cotton, fax, wool, emf six are not
only TO be changed in their ,--'ns COM
mercially with each other, bu, are to have
new companions.
FROM PETROLEUM.
What is to bring about these changes is a
new chemical agent, the base of which is pc
troleum. Ths discovery of this new agent
has been reached through various expert
ments with petroleum, resulting in a series of
successes. An early success was in obtaining
Inc preparation Calteu "COSIlOllne, Ut pOpu-
larry ~vaseline," sometimes called by chem
lists petroleum jelly; another was in the pro-
duction OF paraflne paper and a preparation
to make cloth waterproof. Experiments
went also in the direction of improving lubri-
eating oils and curriers' oils, compounded in
part of petroleum, and eventually a petro-
leum or parafine toilet soap was made, 1t
was by accident discovered that this soap
helped / w.itcn clothes when washed with
"a -.
made, r .tow abundant laboratory and
pruct!cri ts : of the process have carried
it beyond the stage Of experiment 1t is be-
lieved that it is to occasion a revolution in
the present process Of bleaching as conducted
on a large scale. Cheaper bleaching, quicker
bleaching, better bleaching, and much better
and stronger cloth when bleached are prom
lsed to be the outcome OF this discovery.
WHAT CAN DE DONE
The bleaching process, now and heretofore
In use, is a-series Of long boils, and acid
baths, and treatment with chlorine, the
whole process extending generally through u
period OF ten days. While it whiteus, it also
Injuries IL cloth by reducing and weakening
tbe g.. ~ the material and diminishing it in
wei d. Go restore this loss of weight it is
custt al y to "fll" the new goods with
stii ch nnd clay. AT best this process is not
OF permanent effect The goods, If stored for
any considerable time, will gain a yellowish
cast The new process Il comprised esson-
tiaiiy In tho use of the parafiine soap, though
the preparation is not identically that of tho
toilet soap above referred to. But the paraf-
fins or this mysterious element, whatever 1t
may be, that is extracted from tho crude pc
troleum OF the Pennsylvania hills, effects the
wonderful results.
The new process in bleaching in the regular
course of manufacture, as shown by tests, is
completed in from eight to fourteen hours,
according to variations of the material. II
requires one short boil with the parafine
compound and n single treatment with acid
aud chlorine Tho loss of weight is so slight
that filling is unnecessary and as but little
more than the nnturnl coloring matter Of the
fiber is removed there is but slight loss Of
strength. The whitening is not only perma.
nent, 30 that the goods do not turn yellow,
but 50 congenial to the business are the magical
atoms now incorporated into the fiber that
the cloth even grows whittier by storing; and,
moreover, when stored, the goods will not
mildew under any circumstances A value
here instantly appears to any one who knows
the difficulties that yachtsmen and other
mariners who cherish pride in their sailing
craft have in preventing mildew in their
sails. This bleaching process is proof against
mildew; and, moreover, sails already thus
weather-stained may be permanently
whitened by the process.
STILL MORE REMARKABLE.
One of tho scientific experts says of the
new invention that the most remarkable out
coma OF the invention is, that the stalks OF
the cotton or corn plants or anything having
o tbrous growth are of more value than the
fiber. The cotton stalk thus treated Yields a
softer, nicer, and, In various respects, better
material for tho webs of commerce than does
the cotton boil. Even the root of the cotton
plant can now be used for threads and cloths.
The annual conlagration of the worlds cot
ton area for getting rid of last years stalks
and stumps is now to be stopped American
hax-6slds are to yield a harvest. Now ar
acre produces $40 worth of seed, and in all
some sl6, 900, 900 worth is gathered and sold
BY utilizing the fax hay rs well as the fax
seoi 500 per acre can DO obtained
The fax stalks, subjected, to three or four
hours treatment by the new method, can DO
shaken clear Of all unavailable matter, and
the white fax OF finer or more even filaments
than are now possible can be at once OBJ
tanned. Within four hours from the cutting
of the stalks a fiber can be obtained ready
for the factory.
The hber OF the cocoanut husk and that Of
the pine-tIee needles has been successfully
dealt with, and while these may not be spun
and woven into cloths. they may be wrought
into pulp for paper or applied in the many
ways in which a clean, pliablo hbrous sub
stance is called for. Bromolia and ramie,
two OF the finest and best hbers, now bleached
with great difficulty, may speedily become
staple articles of when treated by
the new process- Tnppan Invented vaselino
aud has also brought out a perfected .insulated
Telegraph wire and IN antiSeptic fluid now
used here with great success by surgeons.