The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1888-11-15
SOUTHERN FIBRES
NEW SOURCES OF WEALTH.
A Matter that Calls for Attention in the
South,

lam Lattlmer, president of the Acme
Fibre Company, Wilmington n. c.,
which appeared two weeks since in the
Manufacturers Ret0rN, has elected
many inquiries, besides calling atten-
ton to class of natural resources of
the South that have received no atten-
ton at ali as coli1pdred with their in
trin5ic value The fbre5 of Southern
vegetation are many and varied. At
the Atlanta Exposition Of 1881 Flori-
da's commissioner made an exhibit
that attracted much attention for the
time being, and there it ended, be-
cause probably no one had the e. ter
prise CT the necessary knowledge to
make practical use Of the lessons then
conveyed. 1t was apparent to all fa-
miliar with vegetable hbres and their
uses that the various exhibits III that
department of FIorida's extensive and
most attractive display were indica
tive of the abundance of fibre produC-
ing indigenous and cultivated plants
in that State, and in the sea and gulf
shore countries of the South. At that
time the straw of the long-leaf pine
was not utilized. But later an ingeni-
Gus inventor (whO he was we do not
know brought to PERFECTION 4 process
for extracting the essential oil of pine
needles, and of separating their pulp
from their tibres, leaving large resi-
due Of the latter of sufficient strength
and elasticity to be used advantageous
ly for ali purposes that hair and curlGd
moss are by uphoIsterers. Later the
Acme Company made a mating for
halls and offices from this fibre, and
succeeded in oDtnning large demand
for it wherever introduced. 1t was at
first 4 coarse open-work affair, but care
ful experimenting and liberal eNpendi-
lures for skilled labor resulted, as such
efforts generally do, in marked I'M
provements, until finally a fibre was
produced that in colors and texture
compared fairly with many older mat
tings, while in durability and cconom-
ical cost it surpassed similar fabrics
made Of other materials The Acme
Company had made this much prog
ress towards the creation Of an I'M
mcnse business, when recently the
plans of the 'jute trust" were revealed.
Instantly it turned its attention to
weaving from the same cheap fibre a
bagging that should answer all the
purposes of jute, and its efforts were
successful, as the certificates attached
to Mr. Lattimet's letter fully attest
There is now no question but that
pine fibre saCking will in time be sup
piled in quantities sufficient 20 meet
ali demands.
The Manufacturers Rer01-H once
again makes note of this enterprise,
not only as a creditablc instance of
what Southern ingenuity and enter
prise can do, but also to attract atten-
ton to other fibrcs that may be con-
verted to use with great profit to those
who have the capital and as much en-
terprise and pluck as Mr.. Lattimer has
displayed. Take the cotton stalk for
instance. In 1888 the writer was
shown long, strong, white and very
beautiful flores made from this stalk.
\ quantity of specimens were sent to
Hon. Edward Atkinson, of Boston, an
authority on textile materials second
to none. The gentleman examined
them carefully, and after testing them
to his satisfaction, and learning how
they were obtained, gave it as his ma
tured opinion that the time would soon
come when cotton stalks would be of
greater relative value to the lint than
was rye straw in the vicinity Of straw
board factories to the grain threshed
from it. We have recently seen EbreS
from cotton stalks obtained by a new
/ process that confirm the opinions held
bv that distinguished and eminently
practical gentleman. The American
Fibre company, of New York, which
owns this process, IS now experiment.
ing on this and all other classes Of
Southern tibre-containing plants. 1t
is also seeking the cooperation of the
agricultural departments Of the several
/ Southern States, and asking them to
procure and ship 10 them, in lots OF
200 pounds and upwards, specimens
of all ibrouS vegetation within their re
spective territories. the company agree
ing to test them without charge and
60 report the results. Learning OF this
the lLdnufathrcts' Ret0rd detailed
one Of its staff TO watch these expert
ments and report their outcome. HIS
preliminary statement says IN sub
stance that while the American Fibre
Company is not yet quite ready ioi
practical work. it has advanced fal
enough to satisfy the most lncredulou:
that its methods are economical, while
the results it has reached prove that II
will soon have perfected all matters o
lesser detail in its machinery, and bt
ready to teach the South how to utilize
! 4 great variety Of raw materials nos