Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1899-01-31
GERTRUDE DENNY
Talks to a Reporter About Flax
Culture,
The Astonishing Performance Of Mime
sots, Where conviets Earn Money
for All the Taxpayers.

A JOURNAL writer spent a short
time today In the presence Of Mrs
Gertrude j. Denny, secretary OF the
Oregon Woman's Flax Fibre associa-
tion. She has labOred, with other
ladies', Two years TO develop an inter
est 10 this industry. lie learned the
latest facts about retting, breaking
and scutchlng from an enthusiastic
teacher.
The dlaphanous reporter was not 10
on FAX, but he did grasp the idea that
Courtrol FAX from Belgium was the
hnest In the world, and that Oregon
fax has been produced equal 10 this
highest commercial grade.
Mrs. Denny has headquarters at
Hotel Willamette and would be glad
70 demonstrate to any legislator, who
would be 20 fortunate as 20 take the
time, that fax culture is an industry
worthy OF state encouragement, She
has been The able aud energetic second
OF Mrs. w. p. Lord OF this city aud
these Two ladies have accomplished
wonders with little enough means.
These ladies have worked like
beavers for two years and now offer ~
turn 3hcir enterprise aud accumula-
tlon OF experience aud information
over 10 the state. LOppen's retting
tanks, 90 or 70 tons OF lax, rettlng,
breaking and scUtching machinery.
The industry Is admirably adopted TO
employ prison labor
Oregon has blown ia about 100000
on state prison stove works and Will
spend still more. Oregon Appropriated
$4,000 on juto mill. the entire raw
material for which has 10 be imported.
Gan Oregon convict labor be employed
making lax hber ? Can't II be used
for twluo and sackinR
The ladies say II can and who will dis
pute the ladies But the ladies are
loaded with facts and statistics and
VOC unto the luckless legislator who
gets entangled In the meshes OF their
tlaxen web He Will never escape.
II haX can be made Into binding twlne
the prison labor should be set 10 work.
The annual report OF The orncials
Oi the Minnesota state penitentlary
40 saltwater Is or peculiar Interest 10
that IL shows how that state has been
able o. control the prices on binding
twine, aud 40 the same time make
profit Of some sG5, 600 per year for the
state treasury. Ia 1891 the Minnesota
board Of managers OF the Saltwater
prison secured au appropriation OF
$4,000 for the purpose OF purchasing
the necessary machinery, aud build
Ing a plant for the manufacture OF
binding twlne In The state prison
For several years the manufacture OF
binding twlne by the state did not
bring any profit, but the last report
shows the following interesting
terms.
Output per year, pounds 100000
Net profit for two years 1892 $50 So
Daily capacity, tons ..... u
Number conyicts employed 40
In this plant 40 the penlten-
tlafy the state manufactures ouc-thlrd
OF the binding twine used Ia Mia.
nosola and has thus been able 20 Sc.
cure for the farmers OF that state low
prices on all other twlnes, The re-
port says Ia part
We have Increased the capacity Of
twlne factory from 100000 10 jOOO,.
900 pouods per aunum.
The prison plant can supply only
about one-thlrd ~ the twine used by
farmers Ia the state ia an ordinary
crop year This being au unusually !
heavy crop year We have been unable /
10 furnish much more than onefuurth /
ot the amount required in the state. /
The balance unfortunately, were al /
the mercy OF the famine caters.
The fact that the twine industry
has Ooen success 20 the state Hnan.
'lally aud through 10 a direct benefit
10 all the tax payers of the state a,
we'll as a success la that IL has saved
.he farmers OF The state thousands Of
iollars, not alone un account uf the |
money saved by ne having been sold
Il lower price than other twines. bat
ly the competitive effect the prison
wine hnA had in hnIHt,., a.,., ,t