The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-08-04

Island Product is Test
ed By Ex.
perts.
(Man Special to the Advertiser.,

WASHINGTON. ID. c., July 21.-A
careful investigation has been made by
the bureau of plant industry at the
Department of Agriculture as to wheth-
er olona fiber can be worked by the ma
chinery in use IN any of our American
spinning mills. One of the objects was,
If possible, to show that this fiber could
be made into fishing line Some weeks
ago Mr.. Charles Clark took several
samples of this fiber to the bureau of
plant industry. Mr.. Lyster H. Dewey
the botanist in charge of fiber plants,
has made inquiry in several quarters.
Il took samples of the fiber, person.
ally, to the Barbour Flax Manufactur-
ing Company, at Paterson, N. J.. to the
Travers Bros. Twine Company, in New
| York City, and to the Lawrence Cord
age Works, also of New York" Mr..
Dewey writes to Mr.. Clark in reporting
the results of his investigation. THE
| Lawrence Cordage people stated that
| they would be unable TO prepare the
fiber and spin it on their machinery.
They make hard fiber twfnes and cord
age Travers Bros. make large vari-
ETY. of twine cordage from various kinds
of soft fiber. chiefly jute and Ameri-
can, Russian and Asiatic hemp, as well
as manila and sisal rope and binder
twine. Mr.. Travers told me that by
having the fiber hakled, so as to pro-
duce the ribbons to a dbrous condi-
ton, it could probably be spun upon
their machinery, but he thought it
doubtful whether it could be made into
a satisfactory twine by any machines
that he knew of.
Il then sent samples to nine different
manufacturing companies, forwarding |
them with a letter. I have received |
replies from all except one of these |
companies. I regret that they give lit
tie encouragement as to the possibil-
ity of working the fiber on any ma
chinery now used in American twine |
and ccrdage mills
In his letter forwarding the samples,
Mr.. Dewey explained that olona fiber
is produced only in Hawaii, that in
former years it was extensively used by
the natives there for fishing lines and
other cordage and that it was much
sought after by whalers, for harpoon
ines. Mr.. Dewey also explained that
olona is very strong and light and re-
sists the injurious action of salt wa
er. He stated further that if it could
De worked on machinery. steps would
De taken TO produce it in commercial t
quantities.
Copies of the letters received from
have been forwarded to |
honolulu. One of these letters from the
edwin H. Filter Company, of Philadel-
,hia, says:
Our machinery is intended for long
tered hemp, anywhere from three to (
en- feet, and the hemp to work sue
essfully. should all be properly cleaned :
nd in ibrous condition. On exam
ming your sample we find the length
the strength excellent, but
he hemp is of ribbon character and
ot fibrous; and never having tried to I
sc hemp in that condition we are un-
BILE to say what the result would be,
hould we run it through our machin-
ry, but for fine work we feal IT would {
g so lumpy and uneven that it would
ot be a merchantabIe article. If at
ny time you should have 300 or 400
ounds and would like us to experiment
nd report the results, we should be
cry glad TO do so"
The Ashaway Line & Twine Com
any, of Ashaway, r. l., suggested
nat samples be forwarded 10 some lin II
n thread manufacturers. We think" a
aid an official Of that company, that "
ley could put this fiber through a SINH p
II process as they do fax and reduce
to a fine thread. in which shape we
,uld twis- same into fishing lines of CO
ny desired diameter" ci
The A. H. Hart Co, Of New York, IL
rote: This fiber is a member of the :,
ard fiber family. and we are of the
linion it can not be successfully work III
| on soft fiber machinery. but il can ia
-oba bly, be spun TO the desired size VI
: hand spinning, or TO cordage by IA Ia
of hard fiber" u
LISIANSKI ISLAND.
The report of Capt. .. c. Hamlet, A.
no commanded the revenue cutter or
letis on her expedition TO the island 70
Lisianski. where seventy-seven Jap ne
lese subjects We're taken off and car Oh
ID to Honolulu, has reached Capt. c. ed
Shoemaker, chief of the revenue 6r
tier division OF the Treasury Depart mr.
ent, and turned over to the State De- no
rtrnent The documents have been m,
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