Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-26

produced experimentally at COST or ~
a pound, presenting marvellous ngures OK
assumed possible profits, without WORD
regarding the obstacles TO success ana
displaying a. list of NAMES OF people who
have ignorantly lent their names, but NOT
their cash. 10 the enterprise, no Is aDio
TO .'organizc company" and even 10 IN
corporate ii, as this is mere form. lneh
stock is sold TO those who can be guilea.
The bubble bursts and the promoter rush.
es to new fields. leaving the company
TO settle or TO go into bankruptcy.
When the Office of Fibre Investigation
was first established such schemes were
very common, and they were able TO
thrive because there was no literature re-
latfng to past experience that could %.
consulted. With the existence or n
government office, where reliable informa-
ton at all times can be secured, these
concerns practically have gone out OK
business though a bubble rises OCCASION
ally. and attempts have eyea been made
recently TO work Congress 10 lively
tune.
Another way I'm which the government
| assists the fibre industry is in its study
| of machinery for treating the raw ma
| terial. Ii is no common thing for invent
! ors 10 go over their plans with tho speciai
agent in charge, when ready 10 pesin
| building their machines, the matter, OF
|
Dental. In some instances the inventor
has been shown so clearly the weak
| points or the impracticability OF his pro-
| posed construction that the machine mas
been abandoned and money iosS
avoided.
This Office also tests fibre machines that
are offered TO the public In order ofhciaiiy
to demonstrate what the machines arc
able 10 accomplish. Companies have put
oil
official trial has shown TO be utterly faise'
resulting. I'm the abandonment or manu-
facture one OF these machines whicn
was offered to farmers as a practical de-
| vice. and which proved failure Was
never taken away from the testing
ground after the trial, but lies to-day III
a fence-corner. a mass OF old iron ana
decaving woodwork. while tho company
! | has been out OF existence ever since.
Not only does this office give opinions
, regarding fibre machines. but the hbreJ
themselves are sent 10 the department I"
be reported upon as to their Utility III
manufactures. Among such specimens
. may be named the straw and scutcnsd
? DAY from EXPERIMENTAL culture samples
y ~ hemn, grown under new conditions. or
!, prepared by new processes or new ma
: chimes. specimens Of ramie prepared py
new degumming processes, and even un-
known fibres extracted from indigenous
a | weeds.
All Of these native species have peen
reported upon. and thousands or letters
have been answered giving their history,
: ana presenting statements concerning
!, their merits or dement's as hbre plants
. or as the sources OF new Industries. he-
centlv.a so-called new cotton was doomed
y TO such an extent that II Is SAID ssN
bushels OF the seed were sold for N,ir'.
The fibre special agent having been ASKED
!. !. for Information concerning this Cotton
/ the mater was investigated, and by a
demonstration OF the strength and spin
Q ming value OF the lint alone. y was
Q shown that the cotton was inferior 70
many well-known varieties already 10
- cultivation.
Is rho Office OF Fibre Investigations Inn
'e ports seed OF fibre plants for particular
N experiments. and az the present time ma
10 some four hundred pounds OF jvte sec
- for distribution next year. IL also WI
Di import over five thousand pounds OF max
seed for the Pacific Coast. and VII max
vi other experiments next season.
y THE office assists technologsts by fci
OF nlshing them samples Of Identified nbre
VI for examination. and aids colleges an
III schools by sending out classroom spec
Is mems. IL prepared the magnificent ome,.
en- collection that has been exhibited IN gu
al Field Columbian Museum. at chicago
Il
or prominent worlds fibres shown IN ~
ne United States Museum. During thc ia'
RI three years It has prepared dictionai
us of fibre plants OF the world. which NJ
OF been placed In the worlds botanical az
sis scientific libraries. being the FIRST con
da plets work Of the kind published IN 81
country. A.
mt AS an illustration OF the appreci9ue
ret OF the work that has been accomplish
he ia the fibre Investigations Ia tnis cou
In try. inquiries for information ana q
ny mAnds for the published literature on y
pm subject are received from every ror.n
10 OF the globe: so much 80, that the un,c
led states iibre reports have come 20 % &C.
$50 sIdered the best authorities regsrdli
on. the nbre Industries OF which they trsat
les As 10 the cost OF this work TO tho Pc
,on ple. the total annual appropr'auonS' :
the cepting the frss year, have been on
an Soooo' and In only a few years mas
10 his been expended. For several yea
,,v more than a 900 each year has D>sA WI
cen ed back into the treasury