The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-03-19
TANNING IN The SOUTH.
Capitalists Investigating the AdVanta-
8eS Of Location Here.

The Palmetto Manufacturing Com
pays New Patents Covering the
Difficulties of Tanning in Hot
Weather-The Probability of More
Tanneries Being Started Here Soon.
1t is now one year since tanning with
palmetto was actively and practically in
augurated on large scale, under the
auspices of the Pa lmetto Manufacturing
Company. During the early stageslof the
industry it became quite evident that
palmetto was very valuable cheap and
efficient tanning mate rial and as it repro
duces itself annually, the supply is prac-
tically inexhaustible
u was found with the advent offhot
weather, that either the climate or the
extract from the saw palmetto itself, re-
quired a different treatment from the
process heretofore used as the extract in
which the raw hides are placed is very
apt to sour and become useless in a short
time, before the hides have absorbed all
the tannin it contains. Palmetto is nat
Urally a quick tanner, and the remedy
was found in accelerating the tanning
process by means of pressure, heating the
ooze to blood heat, agitation and circula-
ton of the fluid around the hides
AN IMPROVEMENT TRIED.
At the suggestion of Mr. W. T. Harri-
son, well known practical engineer of
PoOler, an injector was attached to a tight
vat and tried. The hides suspended in
the ooze tanned very quickly and all the
tannin was absorbed by the hide a long
time before the OOze had an opportunity
to sour or TO ferment. The test was sue
cess, as far as it went but it was found
that the use of the injector was lin
tied to a short time as the oOZe soon be-
came sufficiently heated, the heat of the
steam necessary to operate the injector was
too much for the hides and the circula-
ton of the liquor had to be kept up by
means of pump, which also maintained
the required degree of pressure.
PATENT REFUSED.
Mr.. Harrison having assigned two
thirds interest to J. w. Preston and NJ.
Rohres, made an application for patent
on process and apparatus, covering four
claims, all Of which were rejected by the
patent examiner, as they were already
covered by patents, and not new. The
only thing allowed was the application for
apparatus, covering the use of an injector
fed by a steam boiler and applied
to a tight pressure vat. The use of
pump in connection of a pressure vat was
already covered by patents issued in 1892.
and as the apparatus does not provide for
circulation except at long intervals by
the injector it is of little commercial
value, and if it is operated with the adj
junct of pump, it infringes on another
patent
MR.. wARRAND's INVENTION.
Mr. C. B. Warrand on behalf of himself
and the Palmetto Manufacturing Company
applied for letters of patent on another APP
paratus and process based on the hy-
drostatic principle, which performes all
requirements very perfectly, and the
pressure heating circulation and
agitation are all performed au-
t5omatically. The pressure is pro
ducct by water column and tanks at
different elevations, by pumping from
out of these elevated tanks to
the other the circulation is produced, and
by giving to the end of the pipe of the in
flowing liquid certain turn a whirl is
produced which insures an automatic
agitation and circulation. The applica-
ton was for an apparatus and process
covered by his claims. The application
granted in full, allowing both APP
paratus and process. This gives to
the Palmetto Mandatory very
broad and exceedingly valuable patent
as it supplies link in the chain of pat
tents exclusively owned by the company.
All the claims were adjudged as novel,
original and patentable and were allowed
in full.
LOOKING INTO THE INDUSTRY.
A number of capitalists and tanners
have been investigating the advantages
offered by the south for the establish
meut of tannerleS and extract work to
utilize the vast supply of palmetto, and it
is only question of very short time be-
tant factor as a leather producer, or as a
new source of tanning extracts.
The depression in all industries gen.
orally, has delayed large investments in
the south, but, while every leather trade
denied low prices of leather-so low, in
making expenses It such prices.
During this whole time the tanneFy using
palmetto has cleared steadily from 40 to SO
per cent. on the turnover Of its working
capital and the tanpery has sold all it
produced. and could have sold much
more. This is a practical proof that the
south can hold its own under the most ad-
verse circumstances, and can make money
where others are either making very little
or are even losing money The new process
has also added much to make the business
d very lucrative one, as the leather is
being tanned at the rate of ton a week
in six or eight days instead of as many
weeks by the old process, giving such vast
advantages, that no amount Of competi-
ton can overcome 1t.
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