The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-13
MARKET FOR SWAMP GRASS
IMPORTANT INDUSTRY TO BE
STARTED IN ST. PAUL
Minnesota Grass Twine Company
Purchases the Northwestern
COrdage COmpany's Plant and
Scale Cotton Bagging, Twine,
Mating, Etc.

The farmers Of this state and the
Dakotas will soon have a market for
their waste swamp grass in this city,
for within few weeks the Minnesota
Grass Twine company will have its
plant in operation, and agents will be
in the country buying all grass that is
suitable for the company's business.
deed was filed yesterday transfer
ring the property of the Northwest
ern Cordage company on Como avenue
to the Minnesota Grass Twine company,
and that was the last link in the chain
of negotiations that has been going on
| for several months. The latter compa-
| ny is now in position to go ahead
and put its machinery in the buildings
purchased by it and to begin work as
soon as machinery and men are ready.
The parent company Of the new con-
Germ is the Northwestern Grass Twine
company, of which eX-Senat tor Warner
Miller, of New York, is president As
sociated with him are Henry E. How
land, of New York; S. H. Chisholm, of
Cleveland, a member of the wire nail
trust, and J. F. O'Shaughnessy, of New
York They command unlimited CAPT.
tai and are prepared to manufacture
their products on a gigantic scale.
The Minnesota Grass Twine works
will be under the supervision of M. j.
'Shaughnessy Jr., who is also general
marager of the Northwestern Grass
Twine company. His Western office
will be in ST. Paul and his Eastern Of
ha OF
York.
The company already has plant in
operation in Oshkosh, Wis. It was
started Jan. 1 last, and so great has it's
business become that the factory has
doubled its capacity, and it is now run
ming night and day.
One of the principal products of the
new company will be cotton bagging.
The cotton bagging now in the market
is made from jute, which is imported
from India. The annual consumption
of cotton bagging is about 77,O00, 900
yards. Mr.. O'Shaughnessy said yester-
day to reporter for The G l o b that
the grass found in Minnesota was quite
as good as Indian jute, and would pro-
duce cotton bagging of as good quail
ity and more cheaply than that now in
the market. Another important manu-
facture Of the new company will be
binding twine.
Experts" said Mr.. O'Shaughnessy.
have estimated that the raw material
used In the manufacture of binding
twine last year amounted to 78,5O0 tons.
Every cent paid for that material went
out Of this country Binding twine
has been made exclusively from sisaI.
which grows only in Yucatan, and ma.
nilla from the Philippines. The grass
we shall use will be the product of the
Northwest, and every cent we pav for
1t will go to the farmers Of this conn
try. And the farmers will be able to
use our twine and will give value to
land that is now valueless to the own
ers.
But we shall not conffne our MANN
factures to cotton bagging and twine
We are able to produce from native
grasses mating as good as any import
ed from China and Japan This coun-
try spends millions Of dollars annuallv
for mating. Our mating will be
cheaper than the average Chinese and
Japanese grades, but they will be as
durable and as attractive in design.
We shall also make rugs. In fact.
there are many ways in which we can
develop our industry, and we are cer-