The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-21
FLoa.DA's RESOURCES.
And 0kum Factory 10 he Put In
Operation at Early Day.

Jacksonville Fla, June IS.-Editor
Morning News: Dear sir-I noticed in
the article referring to old discoveries in
Florida, the article stated the great an
fteIest your valuable paper was taking in
our state, 1 would, like to say that there
is as great field for improvements and
invention, as well as new discoveries,
which are made daily, but are not pushed
Just simply because there is a lack of
capital, to promite the interest of the
people and state. 1 inclose a sample of
oakum, which is a recent invention OF
Mr.. W. 7. French. of the firm of W. T.
French Fiber Machine Company at Jack
sonville, Fla. This inventor deserves great
credit and will in time go down in his
tory. Mr.. French some years ago in
vented and patented a newspaper mailing
machine that actually cut its wrapper,
folded, wrapped, pasted wrapper on and
addressed $3.50 newspapers OF any stan
dard publication. There was also a signal
given at the change of each mail route,
5000 papers ready for the postoffice per
hour. Mr.. French was soon discouraged
in this line by similar ma
chine being put on the market that
tied papers in bundles. Invention No. 2
was a neat continuance in the way of
weighed only six ounces, but failed to in
terest capital in this line. Invention No.
3, a return envelope which allows of one
envelope being used twice. which thus
doing away with sending an envelope for.
a reply. This invention Is an Amerl-
can wonder, and when patented will take
the country by storm. Invention No.
is one that will defy snow and ice in
fruit growing. This invention is in its
lrruarimpnfal and II
cess, will prove to be ten years in adj
vance Of science. Mr. French has a pine
apple growing in his front yard that
stood the coolest winter days last win
ter. The life and heat was kept up in
this plant by a current ofelectricity vary
ing according to the weather. The plant
is there to show for itself, and has a
pineapple just as natural as those grown
in the most southernly part of the state.
Mr.. French is a very peculiar person. He
never speaks of invention, except
when in company with very init
mate friends. He has an idea that people
consider inventors cranks. The saw pal
metto was almost useless until Mr.. Miller
and Mr.. French began their study of its
value.
With improved machinery Florida is
rich in this palmetto fiber Industry.
Oakum is made from the leaves of a
throughout Florida, and Mr.. French
claims to be able to manufacture oakum.
when made in large quantities, at a cost
of 2 cents per pound. baled ready for
market, which is less than half the pres
ent cost of manufacturing. He also claims
there is raw material enough to run
factory with a capacity of ten carloads
per day for at least five years. Is not
oakum of as great value as oil, and why
should we not consider this great dis
covery? I, of course. could give the kind
of tree of which the leaves are used.
believe all Mr. French lacks Is what the
whole Sotuh lacks capital. This oakum
will be manufactured on a small scale in
the near future. The factory will be at
Jacksonville and owned and operated by
the inventor. This article will deceive
experts when put to severest of tests.
Albert v. Thomas.