The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-12-14
suLPHITE FIBER.
The Business that Whitney and
Dickinson are In, and Some Of
Which May Come to Maine.
detroit Free Pressl


Hon. Don NJ. Dickinson was seen by a
Free Press representative in regard to sui
phite fiber works that himself and other gen.
tlemen are Interested in.
swell, don't see any objection to brief
statement in regard to it, especially In view
of the many erroneous statements regarding
the formation and composition Of the New
York Company and its purposes which have
been published In the press of the country.
''Sulphite fiber or cellulose Is not wood
pulp. Pulp is made in mill which grinds
wood, and its product is wood -four. Pulp
cennot be used in making paper or anything
else except in connection with fbrous ma
terial. This may be of linen rags in the
finer qualities Of paper, and cotton waste or
other fibrous matter, including raw vegeta-
BILE aber, in the coarser qualities. Suiphite
fiber is a substitute in all grades Of paper for
all other fibrous material 1t is made by a
chemical process which dissolves all other
elements of the wood except the fber, which
1t preserves in all its strength.
Ten years ago 1t was unknown in practi-
cal paper making anywhere in the world
and was little used in the manufacture of
other products. Its manufacture and use
originated In Germany, where 1t has entirely
revOlutioniZed the paper trade OF that cUun-
try. The exporting of their surplus paper
made throughout Germany demoralized the
paper men of England and their business
did not revive until sulphite fiber was adopt
ed there. The English now have mills in
Norway and also in England, importing the
wood from Norway for making the fiber.
"Underground piping Is now made from
Ghpr nuitp lQFQalU
may be stated that all the water piping of
the city Of Vienna Is Of this material doors.
ceilings, car wheels, barrels, buckets, trunks
and fancy goods are made from 1t and its
uses are multiplying. You can buy In all
blankets and clothing made with foer. II
has the quality Of lightness and great
warmth. In the paper manufacture OF this
country alone the amount invested Is one
hundred millions Of money, and
country for the current year will exceed
100000 tons. The use Of fiber has grown In
six years in this country, from occasional
use as novelty, to consumption OF be-
tween 800 and 1000 tons per day, and, as
stated by Mr.. j. G. Newton, the great paper
manufacturer of Holyoke, before the com
mlttee of the House: Its use Is doubling
every year."
"How is this demand supplied?"
'In this state Of things the market In this
country is largely supplied from the foreign
market with the exception Of that made by
the old process of soda ash, which makes a
poor material in fiber and Is much dearer
than the process shall mention. The sup
ply Of the domestic manufactures does not
exceed 100 tons per day. A large number
small factories and make the fiber for their
own use."
"What is your company called?'
"Our company here was called the Inter-
national Sulphite Fiber and Paper Company,
and five mills were erected, and in the course
Of erection, with an aggregate capacity of
about 100 tons per day In this State, New
York, New Hampshire and In Canada.
"The enormous demand for sulphlte fiber
attracted the attention of eastern capitalists,
and in the spring Of the present year
brought the subject to the attention Of
friends in New York. including Hon. w. G.
Whitney.
80 oe brief, it led to careful investlga-
tinn OF all processes In use In the United
States and abroad. All the processes were
examined by the best experts In this country
and Europe, and the experiments made in
Providence in the manufacture. which cost a
million dollars and over, and which failed,
were carefully studied by these men. Album
dant means were used In this investigation,
and as result there was q concurrence In
all the reports in the early autumn In favor
of the invention of Professor Alexander Nit
Scherlich. Thereupon the gentlemen who
had been interested in the investi CATION, and
had been informally associated for that pur-
pose, formed company Tor the manufacture
of fibre and paper under the laws Of New
Jersey and New York. The company was
made up OF w. G. Whitney, Pierrepont Nor
gan, George G. Havens, III. Nick. Twombly
aud Hon. Daniel ). Lamont OF New York
Oliver Ii. Paine of OHIO, and James McMil-
Ian and myself of Michigan. This company
purchased of the International Sulphite Fl
Der and Paper Company the exclusive right
to manufacture under the Mitscherlich pro-
cess In the United States and Canada, with
the condition which they entered into, to
erect mills SUFFICIENT to supply the demand
for fiber in the United States. or course
this Is subject to the rights Of the five mills
already in operation or now going up under
former licenses.
'They are now erecting one mill Of ca
pacity of 80 tons per day in Maine and are
selecting other sites for building purposes In
the east, west, northwest and south, and are
pressing ahead with the work vigorously
with capital practically unlimited. They do
not propose to touch any other process ex-
cept the Mitscherlich, and their express pur-
pose in the original informal arrangement,
which will be carried out, Is to reduce the
enormous cost of fiber and paper products,
especially of all grades Of paper and make
their money rather from an immense bust
ness and small profits than from holding
down the supply and large profits.
'Y0u can Judge of the ability Of this com
pany to carry out its purposes from the
names of the men whom have given you.
what wood is used In the manufacture of
fiber?"
''All pine woods make excellent fiber of
great strength. Spruce is usually preferred
by mill men in handling throughout the pro-
cess of manufacturing.
'The new company is equipped with a
force Of mechanical engineers and experts
second to none In the world"
Ia a nSf n n mil nj a n