The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-04-24
WHITES RAMIE MACHINE.
1T WILL SOON BE TESTED IN
THIS CITY.
Something That May Make Ramie
Culture Well Worth While
Expert Opinions.

A short time ago ]. c. White of
Honolulu, left for San Francisco where
he is having built large ramie machine
from the model decorticator which has
hitherto turned out some very fine
samples Of ramie, pineapple and aloe
ibres. The first model of the new
machine was made last September and,
if success attends Mr.. Whites efforts,
one of the larger machines will likely
be brought down by the next trip of the
Australia.
+. /. Winter is interested in the en-
terprise, and has for many months been
developing the new industry in the
hope that a successful decortcator
would be invented. If the excellent
work done by the model is sufficient
mechanical test that end has now been
reached By the last steamer Mr.
White writes that he can get all the
fibre plants in San Francisco that will
be wanted, including ramie, pineapples,
New Zealand flax, etc.
The Honolulu enterprise is being
rapidly pushed forward abroad by Mr.
Winter, who has received most encour-
aging advices from interested persons
in both America and Europe. Charles
Richard Dodge, special agent in charge
Of fibre investigations for the Depart.
ment of Agriculture, Washington, D..
c., writes: "There is lively interest
in the United States at present regard
ing the manufacture of ramie, and the
indications are there will be large de-
mand in the near future for raw mate
rails. The French works at Valobre
have proved success, and last year
paid nineteen per cent. dividends on
its stock"
Charles Toppan, who is the inventor
of the degumming compound and large
Iy interested in furthering the ramie in.
terests, writes by the last steamer to
Mr.. Winter
Gan appointment has been made for
me to meet the Secretary of Agricul
ture on ramie, during which your case
will be brought up and talked over"
A batch of samples of the work done
by the model machine has been sent
Mr.. Toppan, who will show it to the
Secretary of Agriculture. Mr.. Toppan
further says the samples received are
the best work he has ever seen, and he is
sanguine the new machine will succeed
at the point were others have failed.
Even far Fiji is taking up the matter
of ramie culture in good earnest, and
the Fiji Times Of February 18th, con
tains an article on the new industry
which has the following During
the last two or three months, whispers
have reached Fiji, that the ne Plus
ultra of such a machine has at last
been attained by an inventor in Homo
lulu, Mr.. ]. c. White, Engineer tC
the Hawaiian Water Works. White,
however, the merits of the new in
vention were being discounted freely
so many claims having been put for
ward yearly for the past quarter of a
century-as if to emphasize its reality
an agent for Mr.. White, has arrived ir
FIJI in the person of Mr.. Leather, who
has exhibited his credentials and
shown samples Of the fibre (ramie, pine
apple and aloe) decorticated by the
model machine of the inventor"
1t is the intention of Messrs Winter
and White to give a public demonstra
ton of the capabilities of the new
machine as soon as it arrives from San
Francisco. 1t is claimed the machine
will "deCorticate" equal to any hanc
stripped Chinese ramie.