Evening star., 1898-05-06
UTILIZING WASTE.
Sawdust and Shavings, Once Thrown
Away, Are Very Useful.


Away, Are Very Useful.
From the New York Times.
Not very many years ago both sawdust
ana shavings were esteemed a disagreeable
waste, and were shunted as quickly as
possible into some handy river or stream,
or burned in heaps on waste ground.
Nowadays these bye-products Of saving
ana planning mills have become a con-
siderable source of revenue to the latter.
Sawdust was the first to creep into general
use. It's availability for the packing and
preservation of ice in icehouses has long
been public knowledge. Butchers Shops
saloons, and public waiting rooms of all
descriptions buy sawdust in quantity for
use in sweeping, as an absorbent Of mois-
ture or DIRT of every kind.
AS machinery became cheaper and COM
petition in business neceSSitated economies
in every department, machines were con-
structed for compreSsing Sawdust, mixed
with glue and like material. to make the
composite mass as dense and compact as
possible. Briquettes are made of sawdust
and pitch or coal tar Tor kindling fires
An especial quantity of light porous build
ing brick is prepared by subjecting clay
cement and sawdust to hydraulic pressure
All the sawdust from the hard woods
or every variety is reserved in separate
bins for sale to these who compress it in
to boards for use in the veneering of cheap
furniture. or mold it under pressure into
imitation carving for modern picture
frames.
; Sawdust is purchased in quantity for the
filtration of crude sugar liquors in the
factories of the sugar trust. Asphalt
VIC rkS utilize Sawdust in their factories.
Its serviceability for the packing Of bottles
and glassware OF all kinds is familiar to
all. SO universal is the use of sawdust
that 1t Is now graded and sold according
to its porosity the coarser grades usually
commanding the better prices.
Large quantities Of sawdust are used an
nually for admixture with artificial hyd-
roxide of iron for the publication of nlum-
mating gas. There Is, of course no chem
ical affinity between sawdust and impure
gas, but In order that the gas may readily
be forced through the purifying mixture
porous substance must be mingled with
the heavy powdered oxide Of iron, and
SaW aWduSt or Shavlngs are utilized because
they are comparatively cheap and plenti-
full.
When 1t is necessary to fill the space be-
tween the outer and inner walls of houses
and other buildings to render them par
TALLY II not wholly freproof. sawdust is
pounded into these spaces by rammers,
thus cutting off all draughts and circula-
tion of air. Buildings protected in this
faShlOn are warmer in winter and cooler
in summer than those less fortunately con-
structed, for sawdust is a non-conductor
of heat.
Many men gain their entire means Of ex-
istence by the sale of sawdust. One firm in
Brooklyn devotes its energies solely to the
purchase of this bye-product on yearly con-
tract. with planning mills. agreeing to buy
all they produce This firm then sells 1t
wholesale or retail to smaller dealers or
directly to the consumer. Some idea of
the magnitude Of their business may be
gained from the estimate that their annual
output of sawdust II spread out on Broad
way. New York, to the depth of one foot
would cover that thoroughfare from curb
to curb from the Battery to 34th street.
Somewhat later than the sawdust indus
try took its rise shavings came to be util-
lied These shavings are not the long
shops. but short chips, about an inch
square, and are largely produced by box
factories and planning mills where dressed
lumber is prepared.
Shavings are sold in bulk by the wagon
load. in bags. and in large quantity in
bales. Baling Is accomplished by pressing
the shavings into compact form In q press
similar to that used in baling hay. These
from breakage by laying strips of waste
lomber beneath the girCiling wires
The shavings industry finds it's largest
customer in the livery and stabling busi-
ness. where 1t Is used as bedding for
horses. In our large cities It may be had
cheaper than straw. and it Is generally
more economical, for the bed requires re-
newing less frequently. If 1t were more
manure made by decomposed shavings con-
tains more fertilizing properties than
straw manure they would be enabled to
economize both in cattle bedding and fer
tiiizers- Straw. on account of its hard
surface and lack Of substance is capable
of absorbing little Of the urine, which Is
rich in ammonia. but the shayings absorb
nearly all Of the liquid, thus making a
drier bedding ana a richer manure
Producers OF shavings count on them for
their entire boiler fuel nowadays. The
mSiern planning mill sucks all of the
shavings. directly they are made, through
huge pipe and a suction below into q
storage bin. whence they are drawn as re-
quired. y other blowers. and forced upon
the hearshs below the boilers. thus dis
pensing with hand labor entirely; thus
mill