The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-06-04
PAPER OUT OF COTTON.
THE GREAT DISCOVERY OF WALTER
7. FORBES. OF GEORGIA.
The Hull OF the Cotton Seed Found To
Be as Useful as Any Other Part of
the Plsnt-The Stalks To Be Utilized
as Well.

covery, the product OF southern genius, is
to turn into solid wealth what has hitherto
been regarded as the veriest waste. This
material long regarded as more than worth
less from the fact that ii was an inconven-
fence, is yet to rise as n material factor in
the manufacturing history Of the country.
The result to be mentioned is noteworthy
of a retrospect full OF fact, and at the same
time to show the utility Of modern and
most practical discovery.
As is well known, for long years cotton
seed, save what was used for planting pur-
poses, which required but small portion
of the yield, was not used except as fer
tilizer. On every farm the cotton seed bins
were closely guarded, in order that hogs
might not reach them, as the raw seed in
variably killed the hogs. Only when the
seed was well boiled could II be served
as food for stock, and then as general
thing only 10 COWS.
Later II was discovered that from the
kernels of the seed the best of oil could be
made, and that the meal, or kernels, after
being pressed, was not only most nutritious
food for cattle, but as fertilizer il was I'M
equaled. Within the past few years vast
fortunes have been made out OF cotton
seed oil, and now its manufacture is one Of
the leading industries Of the south. Cot
ton seed is no longer wasted but on the
other hand is source OF revenue 10 the
producers.
But all this time the hulls which inclose
the oily seed have been source of bother
to the mill men, for as they were stripped
from the seed they fell in the way OF the
machinery, and had TO be shoveled away
into a bin or some place where they could
be gotten rid Of. Besides the stuff being
dry and ever ready 10 burn, il is constant
menace TO the oil factory. A more utterly
worthless surplusage never cost more
trouble in being disposed of.
The difficulty has been solved, and
henccforth cotton seed bulls bid fair to be
as remunerative product as the meaty
substance which thny cover.
For number Of years Mr.. Walter T.
Forbes, OF Atlanta, Ga, has been largely
identified with the cotton seed oil interests.
After considerable study Of the matter
he came TO the conclusion that the hulls
could be made into pulp for the manufac-
ture OF paper. BY close analysis OF the
hull, he found that IL was composed Of
nine distinct layers. The two first are Of
black, coarse formation, while the other
seven are OF very fine fiber, and by a
proper chemical process can be bleached
TO ileecy whiteness. He laid his discoy-
cry before the chemist Of the Tompkins
Paper company, Albany, n. Y, and that
! gentleman replied 10 him at first that his
company had spent all the money they
cared 10 in experimenting on pulp ma
terial, and more than this he was quite
satisfied there was no earthly virtue in his
alleged discovery. The reason that Mr..
Forbes had singled out the Tompkins
company TO make the experiment was
| from the fact that Il had the most i'm
| proved machinery for such purposes in this
country. lie insisted that the test should be
made, and sent the company 500 pounds
OF the dry hulls. with the request that the
experiment be made nj his expense. IL
was done, and the result was the product
OF the finest textile pulp that the chemist
had ever seen. After having been put
through the proper bleaching process, il is
as white, light and soft as snow. II was
also seen that the process was much shorter
in time and far less expensive than the re-
duction OF any other material 10 pulp vet
tried. To reduce poplar wood TO pulp, II
requires l2' OF baume liquid, with 100
pounds OF steam pressure, and the time is
sixteen hours, while with the cotton seed
hulls the time is only eight hours, with
one-half the liquid and steam pressure.
The paper woven from the pulp makes
better and smoother article than that
which the present newspaper Is printed
on, and also n good class Of writing paper
The experiment was clearly successful
one, and paper manufacturers were de-
lighted with IL. State Senator Arkell, OF
New York, who Is the president OF the
Tompkins company, resolved 20 Introduce
IT, Accordingly Mr. Forbes and Gov J.
u. Gordon, OF Georgia, about two weeks
ago, went 20 New York and there sue.
ceeded In forming company with abund.
ant capital, OF which Gov Gordon or Sen.
ator Arkell will be president The com.
pany will be known as the Standard Pulp
and Oil company, for the charter will an.
thorize, and the company intend 10 ope.
rate, oil mills in connection with the pulp
factories.
Mr.. Forbes Is registered at the Gayoso
hotel, and his purpose Is, within the next
low weeks, 90 commence the foundation
for establishing a plant here, which will
DO the hrst Of the kind in the south. To
an ArrEAL reporter he stated:
1--WE have settled on Memphis as the first
point 30 commence operations from the
simple fact Il Is the mostcommanding trade
center In the cotton belt and before the
season Is over, though we expect 10 have
factories in New Orleans Mobile, Mont
gomcry, Vioksburg and other important
cotton points"
Can YOU make paper cheaper FROM this
pulp than II Is now being nader"
81 showed You n moment ago that the
time and cost Of reducing the huls TO pulp
cost only half what the present pulp pro.
cesscs require; then, as a matter OF course.
We can make the paper cheaper. Yes sir;
this process will reduce the price Of paper |
In about that proportion, and we will give |
a better quality OF paper"
"llow much will Il cost 10 establish a
factory VI this kindg'
THE machinery and chemicals required |
are simple and cheap. Thepulp machinery
can be put up here for about 5000. We |
will have 10 run an oil mill In connection |
with u for our protection, M all the cotton
oil mills are tied up in this Southern Trust,
and they would make rs pay their price
for the hulls. There win be no trust about
this business, either pulp, paper or oil.
We have the capital 10 stand alone.
more than this, the cotton stalks can
be made into pulp, and by the very same
process ~ stated above can be made 10
yield good class OF paper. In addition
to this, We will also utilize the palmetto
and ramic stalks, both Of which make ex-