Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-06-10
Artificial Silk,

The JouRSAL has frequently alluded TO
the rapidly widening field for the use Of
wood pulp, and has expressed the convic-
ton that this important industry is, AS yet,
merely in its infancy. Next to the world
Of electrical wonders. the greatest discover
les of the age are in this field Numerous
~ are the uses to which wood pulp is al
really applied we believe that they are com
paratively few to the vastly widened field
of utility which the future has in store for
this wonderful product. We believe that
there is scarcely department of industry
to which II is not destined to contribute.
Art, science, literature, have already put it
under contribution. Ii is already used in
the culinsry department, by the railroads.
In u rapidly increasing number of ways in
the building trades in fact in multiplicity
of ways, aside from the manufacture Of paper
which was once believed to be its sole func-
ton. This question is an important ques-
ton to tho people Of Maine, for there is
every reason to believe that the future ma
terial growth and prosperity of our State
lie not only in the manufacture of wood
pulp-for our large forests furnish US adj
pirable equipment but. to much larger
degree. the products of wood pulp.
Clear headed business men see this clear
ly. and are taking measures to ''be in the
swim in the rapid development of this
great industry, and the rapid r-
crease Of wealth that is sure
to attend it. SO keen a business man
m William C.. Whitney Of New York.
would not be investing in Maine pulp mills.
did he not clearly foresee the rapidly grow
ing value and importance of this product
Wonderful as have been the purposes to
which wood pulp has already been applied,
we question whether it's most sauguine adj
u,irers would a few years ago. have i'm
agiued that il could BY any possibility ever
supply the place of the silk worm. Yet
there appears to be every reason to believe
that /, will do Jus, this to very large de-
gree. In very interesting re
port to the state department Consul
Loomi. of St. Etieune, thus describes the
great invention of Count Chsrdonnet for
producing this silk" The raw material is
made from wood pulp, such as il used for
the fabrication of certain kinds of paper.
This pulp is carefully dried in an oven and
plunged into mixture of suphuric and
nitric acids. then washed in several water
baths and dried by alcohol. The product
thus prepared is dissolved in ether and pure
alcohol. and the result, is collodion. similar to
that used in photography. This collodion,
which is sticky and viscous, is ipclosed in a
solid receptacle furnished with a filter in
the lower end. An air pump sends com
pressed air into the receptacle and by its
pressure the collodion is passed through
the filter, which removes all impurities, and
flows into tube plsced horizontally. This
tube Is armed with three hundred cocks. of
which the spouts are made Of glass and
pierced by small hole OF the diameter of
the thread Of cocoon as it is spun by the
silkworm The spinner opens the cock and
the collodion issues in thread of extreme
delicacy (it takes six to make thread of
the necessary consistence for weaving
This thread is not. however. fit to be rolled
on the spools by reason of it viscosity and
softness' the matter Is as yet col
lodion, and not elk. To pro
duce the necessary hardness. the inventor
resorted to very ingenious but simple
method. The little glass tube already men,
TONED is surrounded by small reservoir of