The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-09-23
MIRACLE OF THE
PRESENT CENTURY
Are Making S5OO,OOO,OOO An
nuaIly Out of Nothing
SAWDUST MADE lNT0SUGAR
We Make Clothing From Pine Needles,
Perfumery From Street offal and
Heavenly Azure From
Old Hoofs.
SAWDUST MADE INTOSUGAR

The value of products annually manu-
featured out of material which thirty
years ago were thrown away as waste
today amounts to fully $500 600, Goa sum
equal to nearly seven times the annual
production of gold in the United States.
Sawdust was for years looked upon as
an absolutely waste material says
Moodys Magazine, and was either dump
ed into stream of flowing water or
thrown into heap where 1t could be con-
veniently disposed of. During the last
few years process has been discovered
which has given sawdust a value greater
than that of solid lumber.
BY the use of hydraulic pressure and
intense heat the particles are formed
into solid mass capable of being moulded
into any shape and of receiving brilliant
polish. The only materials used are saw
dust, alum and glue.
Imitation marble can be manufactured
from a mixture of sawdust with ivory
waste, watergrass and glue. In Norway
acetlc acid, wood naphtha, tar and alco-
hol are produced on a commercial scale
out of sawdust.
Factories have been erected in this coun-
try and in Europe for converting pine
needles into forest wool. This is used for
mattresses and furniture; for manufac-
ture into hygienic articles and for such
things as undervests and chest protectors.
The principal use of sawdust seems de-
stined to be in the production of sugar
and of alcohol 1t is practically pure
cellulose and easily convertible into those
products.
For many years bituminous coal opera
tors threw away slack as waste. Later 1t
sold for cents a ton! Today 1t commands
at the mine 70 cents q ton, or within .
cents ton of the price of run up mine
coal
Coal In Cement
The increase is due to demand coming
from makers of cement. Formerly they
bought lump coal and pulverized 1t. Final
ly one of them experimental with slack
and found it satisfactory and cheaper. He
is said to use 40 tons of slack daily.
In the Allegheny mountains there are
cliffs composed OF almost solid quartz
rock These cliffs were considered pract-
cally worthless until 1t was discovered
that glass could be made-and very cheap
ly-from quartz rocks.
It has been known for years that cof-
fms. tombstones. bricks, things and similar
articles could be made of glass. Nearly
ten years ago experiments showed that
railroad ties which were almost indestruc-
tible could be manufactured from glass.
Now that process has been discovered
for utilizing these cliffs, 1t is claimed that
glass manufacturers will be able to extend
their field of operations. There are even
some enthusiasts who predict that the
time will come when people will live In
houses made of glass bricks, walk on
floors made of glass things, sit in glass
chairs sleep IN glass beds and be buried
in glass collins.
Each large packing establishment now
has its long list of by-products The prod
ucts of the gray brain matter of calves
are employed in affections of the nervous
system, such as nervous debility, nervous
exhaustion, st. Vitus' dance, mental dis
order and insanity.
The blood of the slaughtered animals is
CONCEALED and manufactured into buttons.
and is also utilized in the production of
albumen for the use Of the calico printer,
the sugar refiner, the tanner and others.
The bones are used for a score of diff
ferent purposes, being manufactured in
to knife and toothbrush handles, chess
men, combs, backs of brushes, mouth
pieces Of pipes and various other articles.
Black hoofs are used in the manufacture
of cyanide of potassium for gold extrac-
ton. and are also ground up to make
fertilizer for florists, grape growers and
others.
By-Products OF Abbatoirs.
Among the other articles manufactured
out of the former waste products of the
abattoir are glue, hypaper, sandpaper
gelatine, isinglass curled hair. bristles'
wool felt. hair felt. laundry soap. soap
powders, gycerIne, ammonia, bone meal