Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-12-28
THE HARD FIBRE INDUSTRY.
1t is In a Good Condition, With
Very Bright Prospects.


Reports That Failures In This Line of
Business Had Been Occasioned by tho
Wilson Bill Prove to he Untrue--The
Local Concerns in Active Operation,
In speaking recently upon the general
condition of the hard fibre industry,
Robert r., First, superintendent OF the
Nonesuch Fibre Company of Newark
and stockholder of the Delaware Hard
Fibre Company of this city, said there
was II bright outlook for the trade and
that business at the present time is bet
ter than 1t was six months ago. Hesaid
that this was the case with the firm at
Newark, and that the factory was put
ting out more goods than they had for
some time past. This was likewise the
case at the factories in this city, and the
general condition of the hard fibre trade
was never brighter
Hard or vulcanized fibre, as is gener.
ally known, is made from pure cotton
rags and wood pulp, and is utilized in
manufacturing various articles both in
this country and in Europe. 1t is used
in electrical insulation of all kinds and
is made both hard and flexible. Its
consumption in the United States is ex-
tensive.
In speaking further upon the fibre
industry Mr.. First said:
lizard fibre is more largely utilized
than the indurated fibre, which is made
from poplar wood pulp and the residue
OF oils and converted into different
forms under hydraulic pressure, and
finished with waterproof coatlngs. Con-
duits, buckets, pals and other articles
are made from the indurated fibre,
which is exclusively an American
patent. There are about five factories in
the United States, all Of them controlled
by ono company or trust. The elements
which compose indurated fibre are en-
tirely of domestic production"
Has the proposed passage of the
Wilson bill in any way affected the hard
fibre industry of this country?" Mr..
First was asked.
~ cannot SEQ that the Wilson bill will
at all interfere with the hard fibre in
dustry. Certainly the inclination to-
wards the adoption of this measure has
in nowise affected the business so far,
but on the other hand, as have told
you, the trade is unusually active and
the output is greater than il has been
for some time.
"rhe Wilson bill touches the hard
fibre trade only In the importation of
rags, which were high during the
cholera scare, but which can now be
bought comparatively cheap, and which
are used to a considerable extent in
making hard fibre. They are not used
In the indurated fibre, which is an
American production.
"Reports in this city TO the effect that
the Laminar Fibre Company of Cam
bridge, Mass, had shut down owing to
the Wilson bill prove to be groundless.
This factory is controlled by stock
company and l understand that business
with them is very good In fact, am
inclined to believe that reports of this
character are started in order to make
political capital out of them. The
Laminar Fibre Company is competitor
of the Wilmington factories. 1t is en-
gagged in the manufacture of the sub
stance which is known to the electrical
and mechanical world as hard fibre,
which has proven to be a perfect in
sulator of light quality, having dense
and homogeneous lecture. 1t possesses
the electrical qualities of hard rubber
and is as durable as metal.
"The great use for hard fibre which
has sprung up during the past few
years for electrical construction, coupled
with its universal utility as an excellent
insulator and its adoption for usage In
other fields, has made it one of the I'M
portant and growing industries to-day.
1t is a material the electrician cannot
well do without, and something that
machinists are largely acquainted with"
James McCrea, formerly employed by
the Laminar Fire Company of Cam
bridge, in speaking Of the trade in
Massachusetts, said: 1.-THE Laminar
Company is running on full time, and
business at the Cambridge factory is
very good. The factory has been greatly
enlarged, and the output is larger than
it has ever been. The reported closing
of the factory is untrue, us l received
only last week letter from Alexander
McCrea, a brother now in the employ of
the company, stating that the business
was good and the factory now employ
ing more hands than had been done be-
fore. In fact, some new men were
taken on only recently, have been in
formed, and their business capacity is
now greater than it ever was. The
condition of the hard fibre industry was
never brighter"