Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1902-04-18
Various Uses of PAPER.

Paper manufacturers have developed
their industry i'm two ways in recent
years, and the results Justify all labor
and experiment carried on through the
application of science and chemistry.
The application of machinery to cheaper
the process of converting the matcri
al into different grades of paper has en-
ormously stimulated paper production in
this country, and the various processes
employed have often been described
But "A no less important expansion of
the paper industry has been in increasing
the manifold uses 60 which paper can be
put. Here, too. science has been the
chief agent. and II has wrought remark
able changes and improvements. Chem
istry has been laboring in this field for
two decades. and from the laboratory
have come discoveries that have made
possible the numerous side-products OF
the paper trade that are now manufac-
tured on a large scale.
One of the things IN the paper industry
that seemed almost incredible a number
Of years ago was the manufacture of car
wheels. 1t seemed incomprehensible to
the lay mind that wheels made of COM
pressed paper would stand the strain
better than wheels made of steel But
the manufacture of paper wheels is no
longer novelty and they are made In a
great variety OF sizes and shapes for use
on roller skates up to heavy car wheels
After the car wheels made of paper were
announced somebody applied paper 10 the
construction of hollow telegraph poles
which were designed to take the place of
those which had heretofore disgraced our
streets and highways. But paper tele-
graph poles have never proved OF any
great value except to illustrate to the
skeptical what can be done with paper.
There have in recent years been made
of paper. water and sewer mains which
~ utAs. fsa I.. Of In.
ened and treated chemically so that they
are more imperVious to water than some
of the iron and earthenware mains. 1t
remains to be proved by actual test
whether they can outlast some of the
latter. The announcement was made
few years ago that paper window panes
had actually been made and used but
these We're much like the oyster-shell
window panes of the Filipino huts. They
may admit certain amount OF light 10
brighten up the interior. but they could
never be looked through with any degree
of satisfaction. sun. a semi-opaque
glass is often needed for the ceilings of
public buildings where the light admitted
must be dimmed and diffused in passing
through the substance. Paper window
panes have been used in this way with
more or less success.
We are not only the greatest produ-
GERS of paper in the world. but we have
adapted IL to more practical uses than
any other nation. Our machinery for
making paper. and for converting IL into
useful articles OF commerce. surpasses
that of any two European nations, AMI
even in France and Germany, where the
refinement of paper finishing has for
years reached the high-water mark. our
machinery is largely used, In fact, It
might be said with considerable truth
that our paper machinery has outstrip-
the latter is, the former eclipse it in eX-
tent and variety
BY means of improved machinery and
new chemical processes wood pulp can
be drawn out into the thinest imaginable
sheets. In this spinning and squeezing
the paper does not lose its toughness.
Thus thin paper napkins and table cloths
are produced and printed with fancy Dor
ders and patterns. Some of these arti-
cles are almost as tough as linen in re-
sisting the attempt to tear them. OF
course, they will not stand wetting and
soon lose their toughness when moist
ened. But otherwise they make SER
viceable substitutes for table linen. Like
wise the paper vests and paper under
clothing and lining of winter suits are
prepared for practical use, and they ac-
complish nearly all that is claimed for
them. The paper vests and lining are
made so thin that their weight is practi-
wind and cold. They are chemically
treated, so that they will last a long time
They are also manufactured so that they
do not make the rusting sound usually
characteristic of paper, and they are
pliable enough not to stand out or bulge
the cloth in any way.
Waterproofing, and more recently fire
PROBING, of paper have occupied the at
tention of chemists and practical paper
makers. Paper made waterproof and
as fine as ordinary napkins and table
cloths would prove boon to many lines
of industries, especially at restaurants
and hotels. 1t is said that public eating
houses are waiting anXiously for durable
paper napkins and table cloths. Water
proof paper is made to-day, but not in
such a way as to be valuable for table
use. Waterproof paper sheets are fire.
quently glued to cloth, and in this way
the latter is rendered impervious to mois-
ture. This waterproof paper is good
however, only for limited lines of articles
Lately the paper pulp mills have been
experimenting with fireproof paper. In
hreproofing wood II has been found neces-
sary to inject into it under great pressure
non-inflammable chemicals, and thus
either drive out or neutralize the infiam-
mable material of the wood. 1t has
been found that these fireproofing sub
stances can be introduced into the paper
pulp much easier than. they can be inject
ed into wood Many attempts have been