The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1900-04-04
ADVANCE IN PAPER.
Which will Lead to an advance In
Subscription Prices.

" Hill VIII IV0U " 0n tsOvouNV "a
Subscription Prices.
The probability Of a general raise
in the subscription price of every
paper in Redwood county on May
1st, from 25 to so cents, will natur-
ally lead the subscribers to wonder
why such an increase is made. But
when it becomes known that print
paper has increased in price from
25 to 50 per cent. the wonder will
be small. For instance, ten months
ago, The GAZETTE would purchase
two tons of paper like this on which
THE GAZETTE is printed, on board
cars at Minneapolis, for $50, or $40
per ton. On last Wednesday, at a
wholesale paper house bargain sale,
caused by the removal of the paper
house from one building to another
in Minneapolis, The GAZETTE con-
tracted for one ton of paper at $50
per ton, or at an advance of $40 per
ton over the amount paid ten months
ago. and had it not been for the
bargain sale it is probable that an
additional 81 would have been add
ed to the cost.
The paper industry is pictured
as an octopus, but the travelling
salesman of the wholesale house
with which The GAZETTE generally
makes it's print paper contracts,
contends that the trust is not re-
sponsible for the increase in the
cost of the goods. To confirm his
statement he points to the action of
the Canada paper manufacturers,
who have also increased the price on
their output. It is contended that
every article used in the manufac-
ture Of paper has advanced as much
as, and in some cases more than 100
per cent. For instance raw pulp
was $14 a ton. 1t is now $24.
Chemical pulp has gone up from $32
to $45 per ton. Rope, which is
used in the manufacture of -four
sack paper, has nearly doubled in
price. Rags have considerably in
creased in price, and jute has gone
from Z of a cent to II cents. These
facts, say the manufacturers, make
it absolutely necessary that the
prices of paper should be increased,
and they 90 SO far as to say that
some goods have been recently sold
at cost and even below.
The price of paper has advanced
in other countries quite as much as
it has in the United States. In
Great Britain all grades have adj
vanced. The interest in the South
African war has created an unwont-
ed demand for paper, which the
English mills have been quite un-
able to meet, and there is no sur
plus in any other country available
to relieve the situation. In view OF
the situation ip other countries, it
would certainly not be strange if
the price Of paper advanced in the
United States simply on account OF
the conditions prevailing in the
European markets, which afford
great opportunities for American
export. But the United States has
not been able to avail itself of those
opportunities, for like conditions
have prevailed in this country. The
demand has increased, while the
unprecedented drought, which
started early in the summer and
has continued to the present time,
has given rise to great difficulty in
meeting the demand for all kinds Of
paper.
President Chisholm of the Inter.
national Paper Co. says that there
is an advance in the cost Of almost
everything that enters into paper
the most important being wood
wool, chemicals and coal. Wages
too, are higher than they have beer
for Is years. Continuing, he say:
that the United States is in almos
all respects the greatest pape1
making country in the world, in tn
amount of capital invested, value Q
output, product consumed, natura
facilities, and the superiority Q
many of it's methods and products
Almost every variety of paper an
= pulp is made in the United States
!. The total amount Of paper made il
: this country every year is approx
imately $3.50, 600, 900, which is NOR
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