The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-06-21
$50, 100000 for Cornstalks.


stalk combine, with capital of $780,
| O0O,OOO. Its promoters say that il they
are successful i'll carrying out their
ideas, 0,000,0 900 tons of cOrnstalll that
are burned or left to rot by the farmers
of the United States will prove to be
| as valuable rs coal, OF about SO per
| ton.
w. II. Tate, representing II syndicate
of ST. Louis, Chicago and Cleveland
capitalists, is now in the city, preparing
the way for a meeting of the promoters
of the combine. which is to be held ut
the WaldOrf-AstOria OH August 15,
when the scheme of financing and the
details of organization will be perfected.
While he was reticent when seen yes
terday, he intimated that the combine
would not have for its object the sitting
OF competition, but simply the develop
ment of the cOrnstalk as IL commercial
commodity and the creation of markets
for it's several products.
! Mr. Tate has been III communication
in the last few days with several we'll
known promoters of this city: and from
one OF these the purposes of the new
trust, clong with some interesting
figures, were secured.
| Over 250,000,000 tons of cOrnstalxs
are grown i'll the United States every
year, the acreage averaging $4,000, ,OC0
and the yield about three tons to the
acre. OF this immense amount. two
thirds, OF about 160,000,000 tons. has
waste and litter, less than one third of
the total weight Of the stalks being
serviceable as fodder for cattle. This
waste matter has been serious trouble
to farmers for long time, not because
of an understood loss of revenue by it,
but simply because of the necessity of
| getting rid of it, by burning or other
/ 1vJS in, fA fi,f, >fO
cumberance.
Science has demonstrated now that
this sO-called waste has value all it's
own. and reckOncd at it's present mar
ket price it is now known that the
farmers of the country have been
throwing away or burning up and
otherwise destroying $9OO,OOO,OOO a
900, ,000,0 900. 1t is q safe estimate that
| twice that enormous sum has been
allowed to go to waste in cOrnstaiks in
this county alone in the present cen
tury.
A company organized a few years
ago by Mark w. Marsden, of Philadel-
phia, which has two factories, one i'll
boro, KY, has been successfully man
ufacturing six different products from
cOrnstalks. These are cellulosc, which
is used for the lining of battleships,
serving as an automatic leak stopper,
the value of which is we'll known; n
first-class cardboard, splendid paper,
an unequalled foundation for dyna-
mite. O patent cattle food and a glue.
tits these products and others that the
cornstalk may in the future be capable
of yielding that the proposed combine
intends 10 handle. Whether or not the
Marsden Company will enter the COM
bine is not known, but according to
Mr. Tate the success of the scheme
does not depend upon the securing of
the Marsden' patents, he intimating
that the promoters of the trust control
their OwIi process.
Mr.. Marsden has contract with the
Government for cellulOse at S400 per
ton, and it is figured that he can man
ufacture one ton of cellulOse from Ii
tons Of stalks, or $4OO worth OF ceilulose
from $50 worth of stalks, not counting
his by-products. Ground cornstalks,
cooked and sweetened with molasses
and pressed into brick, is regarded as
one OF the most nutritive cattle foods
yet placed OH the market. The paper
and cardboard manufactured from
cornstalks are already recognized as
exceptionally superior articles.
1t is the dust Of cellulose that is used
for making powder and dynamite. BY
reason of its powers Of absorption and
retention of nitro -glycerine, it is de-
clared to be immensely superior to sea
island cotton, which heretofore has
been the chief base for high explosives
The glue manufactured from corn.
stalks finds a ready market with jewel
ers and artists.
Mr.. Tate will leave for Washington
in few days to look after severa
pgtents for which ne is negotiating
AS far as could be learned, the trus
will erect five factories in the North
west and Southern corn belts, and I'M
mediately upon organization will begiI
! Operation.-NeU York Commercial.