The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-13
SALTWATER NEWS.
Manufacture of Binding Irvine From
Wire Grass Will Be Tried.

The board of prison managers, at It's SEES
sion today, transacted considerable business
The morning session was devoted to appllca-
tons for parole and discharges, ana nine II
mates were paroled and four discharged. In
the afternoon Messrs. T. w. Pratt and NJ. j..
O'Shaughnessy appeared before the Doard anu
asked permission to establish FACTORY LOT
the manufacture OF binder twine rom s sao4 .sn
years. contract but the board dfdn [ see Mt
to enter into a long-term contract WIN tnsn !.
On the other hand they will be permitted 10
nllf in. their machines and the board reserves
the right TO order them to stop manufacturing
at any time. The required NUMBER OF con-
victs will be furnished them at ABOUT the
same price that the Union Shoe and Learner
company is paying for convict LABOR. rem
machines will be put in, and the projectors
of the enterprise are anxious TO get stdrtea
in time to have some OF their tWlne Oh tne
market for this seasons use. Mt. frate, III
speaking to G b representative, SAID
that he was sure the factory would prove
success. The experiment has been tested, and
good Irvine has been made, at price lower
than any other twine can be purchased. ms
idea is to introduce the twine as soon as
nossibe and make a demand for 1t. samples
of Irvine were shown. 1t is unlike the twlnes
now in use for binding, being considerable
On any binder with slight change in the
knotter The Irvine is made from ordinary
slough or wire grass. which grows IN an
parts of this state. The process OF manu-.
the prison. but after the grass is carded and
snl1n it is wrapped with thin cotton tWlne.
which prevents it from unravehng. ROPE anu
mating are also manufactured from tne
grass It is estimated there are 25,0O0 acres
of the grass within ten miles of this city, and
the originators of the Irvine enterprise Will
tut in ten machines as soon as they can De
shipped and set up
question the board fixed prices for this sea ,a
sons Irvine output The price Of pure manila
has been reduced from cents to w cents per per
pound Mixed has been reduced from o 70 o74
cents per pound; standard has been reduced
from to Az cents per pound anf a reduc-
ton of a quarter of cent per pound mas also
been made II pure sisal. which VIII De solo
for AZ cents. large number OF orders Ior
Irvine have been booked, anu snippihs wiz
begin Immediately.
At the meeting held Tuesday evening ior tne
purpose of devising some plans WHEREBY ths
Saltwater street railway couio ne PuIenoseu
from the present owners and operated, an
idea was advanced that it would be advisable
for the city to purchase the property, II IL
could be had for reasonable figure AFTER
considerable discussion, comlteeg was e ap
pointed. consisting of Hon. ]. ). o'Brien ana
the nine members of the city council rms
committee me. again last evening, ana a
citizens meeting will be called, when the
nan win be discussed further.
The board of education met Tuesday even
ing and awarded the contract for the cree
ton of the new Nelson schooi oulioihg 70
q. H. Olson 4 Co.. OF lniS CITY, a. a ooSs
~ s13s25. Ten bids were presented, OF
which Mr.. olson's was the lowest: a A.. com m
mittee was appointed to select new site Ior
the building. the, board being opposed to the
plan of tearing down or removing the pres.
emf Nelson schoal74 ewing to the demands that
are constantly being made for additional
school room E. H. Beckman, who has been
the principal Of the saltwater hign senool.
resigned. and Miss Ada 3. Smith was chosen
as his successor. Mr.. Beckman has accept
ed position as teacher OF sciences IN the
high school at Aurora. Ill.
The city will appeal from Judge Williston' s
decision IN the street railway Injunction mat
ter and notice of appeal was served yester-
'day by CITY Attorney Comfort.
In the district court yesterday special
vensre was issued for seven jurors who are
to take the places of those who did not ap-
near and those discharged. The action now
on rial IS that of ellis VS.. Swain.
The miscellaneous cash receipts OF the
prison for the month Of April aggregated
IS, 109. go. Of this amount the Union shoe ana a
Leather company paid s3.4Sl.10 for convict
labor and sl4slet was realized allied from rom
collections on account of binder Irvine. me
remainder was for the sale Of high school
apparatus, visitors fees, etc.