Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-03-10
IS IT THE PAPER AGE
SINCE PULP CAME INTO USE THERE
 HAVE BEEN MANY CHANGES.

Paper Is Taking tho Place or Wood, Stone
 and Iron-Ts Is Now SIade Absolutely
 Fireproef- Shirt Bosoms That Don't
 Have to Be Washed.
 Without steam and railways modern society would undoubtedly exist. But what state of intellectual darkness would be that of civilized mankind without paper and theseeret of it's man. ufaoturel For many years the rag met all demands of the paper industry. The increasing diversity of uses to which paper and paper pulp have been put in the last decade have made it necessary for manufaeturers to cast about for more effective elementary substances. Boots, money, boats, gas piras, impermeable casks, toys, bottles, pipes, floors, doors, ceilings, architectural ornaments, roof. ing, chimneya and even complete fire. proof houses are now made of paper Many claim that it will eventually sup plant wood, for it will neither ornok uor warp. It can be triturated, put un- der great pressure and subjected to cer- tain chemical treatment and will then take a high polish and will resist the eff. feots of fro better than any other ma terinl known. Paper is gradually sup planting metal in certain lines. Loco motive wheels have been made of it for several years, and even rails for rail- roads. The next progressive step will be to use it for Che manufacture of ord. nance, which is not by any means re- mote possibility. Paper has largely tax. en the plaee of linen. We have paper collars and cuffs and blankets. An in. genious inventor has devised paper shirt bosoms, which can be torn off like the pages from a calendar, thus enabling the wearer to have a clean shirt front as often as he desires. It is only a mat ter of time before cloths, dressing gowns and entire suits of clothes will be made from paper. Tho soldiers of the Japanese army wore paper trousers and jerseys during their famous winter campaign.
 Wood pulp is tho most effective sub stitute for rags In the manufacture of paper. Nearly every species of wood can be used Some kinds yield moro than others. More pulp can be got from will low and chestnut than from walnut Different woods give various qualities and effects. Aspen will yield a very white paper, but defective ill solidity, and is therefore mixed with fir. This latter wood is most generally used. It was first imported from the Black forest, in Germany The chief supply is now obtained in Norway and Finland. in the form o2 blanks or poles, never exceeding 5 feet or 8 inches.
 For the last half century tho worlds production of paper has increased ten fold. Tn 1850 1t was 29l, 900 metric tons. The latest recent estimate was 2, 900, 900 metric tons The European manufacturers are suffering from glut in production. The price of paper has fallen one-third, while wages have dou-
 lied. The European plants are not so progressive as those in this country. They depend too much upon manual la bor fn the United States the manufac- turers have substituted machinery for hand work, and as 0 result of tho de- crease in tho number of their employees are enabled to pay high wages.
 Attention has recently been called to the utility of Q little known species of paper called the boabab, or Ansonia. It is made from the wood of tho boabab tree, which is a native of west Africa, and is known there as the monkey bread tree '' It is found in Abyssinia, Senegal and south of Coyo river. It is of low growth and has very thick trunk. While it rarely attains 0 height of 25 feet, tho trunk Is usually 20 to 25 feet in diameter. Tho branches are pen dulous and bear an edible fruit. The in- ner bark of this tree Is very fbgQus. It is used for making superior wrapper pa pers, which have great tenaoity. When the inner bark is stripped from the tree, a fresh growth supplants that taken away, and in a couple of years the tree is again ip normal condition. The bark is peeled of but once in four years.
 The latest addition to the paper in- dustry is sanitary note paper which is claimed to be germproof. It has long been known that letters frequently spread infectious diseases by means of the germs that contaminate tho paper. An English firm has produced paper which is impregnated with an antiseptio substance which kills all germs that may come in contact with the paper If this paper proves to be what the proprie- tors claim, it is certainly O meritorious invention and will become generally used by hospitals and during the rage of future epidemios.
 Chinese and Japanese papers have long been noted for their quality. It has recently been ascertained, however, that even finer grades are produced in Korea. One eminent authority states that the Korean paper exceIs the very best that is made in China and Japan" It is manufactured entirely by manual labor. No machinery whatever is employed. For the better grades tho bark of the Broussonetia papyrifera is used. This is oaShnrad in fha St11iOp of tho ynnr If is