East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-10-29

ficient to establish a large jute plant
at the Oregon penitentiary
The Walla Walla Jute Plant.
Gentlemen, in your investigation of
the Walla Walla jute plant, you will
find some interesting features and the
East Oregonian presents in a con-
densed form some valuable informa-
tion concerning it secured from w. HI
Mead, the capable and 'gentemanly
superintendent of the plant.
The Walla Nalla jute plant was es-
tablished in 1892, at an initial cost of
S130,0G9, but Improvements and new
machinery have been added until II
now represents an outlay of S175, 900.
1t is operated by electricity now, but
for number of years it was operated
by steam. The installation of cleo
tricity has reduced the cost of opera
ton considerably, but this question
would not enter into the establish
ment of a plant at Salem since the
state could secure electric power very
cheaply there.
The daily output of the Walla Walla
jute plant when running full capacity
10 hours per day employing 200 men,
is 7C00 wheat sacks, or $500 yards of
burlap.
The price of sacks is fixed by the
state board of control. This year.
GsG6l the price of sacks manufacture
ed in Walla Walla was but 6 y cents
EACH while the market price was
from 10 to II cents for the same quail
ity of sacks.
With jute at s1s.34 per bale of 400
pounds, and sacks at 6is cents each
the state of Washington made a clear
profit this year of l cent per sack,
or $40 per day on 1000 sacks, the
average daily output.
Owing to the jute trust which has
recently ben formed the price of raw
1ute has neen advanced from S1S.S4
per bale of iQ0 pounds to S27 per
bale, which will be the price for the
next year.
The tariff on jute is rs of cent
per pound and 10 per cent ad valo-
rum. The tariff charges on a bale
of 400 pounds and costing S27, are as
follows: At rs of a cent per pound.
$500; 10 per cent ad valorum on S27.
$4.O5; total tariff charges. S7.55 per
bale. There is no tariff on manu-
facturcd sacks.
The Walla Walla jute plant manu-
factures not only wheat sacks and
twine, but wool sacks. hop cloth and
kiln cloth, all of which are used in
Oregon in enormous quantities in the
wool and hop industry
The Walla Walla iute plant consists
of rs looms and each operator is ex-
pected to turn out 100 yards of cloth
III 10 hours, although this average is
not msintained during the season.
During the 13 years in which the
Walla Walla plant has been in oper-
alton there has not been an outbreak
or rio; among the convicts in the
plant From 200 to 275 men are en-
ployed there continually.
Owing to the advance In the prica
of raw 'jute from $1S.34 to s27 per
bale. it is thought the state Of Wash
ington will be forced to increase ths
price of sacks next year from 6n
cents to perhaps Z u cents to meet the
increased cost of jute and maintain
the jute rlant on a profitable basis.
Owing also to the trust in the lutte
Industry it is very probable that the
price Of sacks manufactured bv the
trust will be as high next year as this.
with the output very much restricted
on account of the increase in the
wheat producing area of the world
Canada alone adding several million
acres to the total area this year
oregon's Need of a Jute Plant,
Three great industries of Oregon.
wheat growing. hop growing and
wool growing, demand relief from the
jute trust. Three-fourths of the men,
bers of the Oregon legislature repre-
sent sections of the state where one
or more of these great industries pre-.
dominate and therefore are directly
interested in furnishing relief to their
constituents.
The contract with the stove foundry
people will soon terminate and the
labor of the Oregon convicts, or such