Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-31

officials who, with a handful OF SudaneSe and
Sikhs have taken and held the country for the
crown operations that often involved heavy
fighting. and have continued down to few
months ago.-here in the equatorial wilderness
the best Cevlon methods have been materially
improved. both in tapping and coagulation;
better tools have been devised for stripping the
outer bark off desired incision line, a hooked
blade that cuts an even depth and width, and
a set of spurlike roller blades for quickly run
ming along incISion lines and tapping the latex
cells, while prolonged experiment here by Chem
st John Hughes has at last Welded &" dhowa
or chemical formula, which coagulates the latex
almost simultaneously at a cost of one-tenth
of cent pound.
Rubber Makers Work
X/HEN work begins in the morning bucket
w of boiling water, the hotter the better
containing a scant ounce of the dhowa, is
poured into nysambia trough made on the
place, three feet long, about eight inches wide
and eight inches deep, into which IS immedi
ately poured five pints of latex. Instantly the
yellow resins and foreign substances are elimi-
mated and taken up in suspension by the hot
water, and within one and a half minutes a
thick mass of clean rubber is formed, which is
carried to and passed three times through
steam driven rolls which press out the moisture
and give it form. from which it comes out
beautiful milk-white strip of what the market
calls crepe" rubber, ten feet long and six
inches in width, deeply stamped with diamond
thin. the outlines thick. which at little dis
lance make the ribbons look like strips of lace,
about two and one-third pounds the product of
five pints of latex.
These strips are hung ii a steam heated
driving room until all moisture is expelled, then
matured or cured in the smoke room, in the
creosote-laden fumes . wood fire, which
renders it proof against all forms of attack by
bacteria and consequent decomposition
From the smokeroom the strips issue of the
boo Coll nIn bod
under high pressure in hundred-pound boxes
for shipment.
Thus Mondays latex is by the next succeed
ing Monday converted into the highest type Of
commercial rubber and on its road to market,
where as now cleaned and prepared, the prod
uct of these wild Fntnmnid e!dSticd trees Is
commanding as high price as the best cult
waited Para.
And notwithstanding prevailing high export
duties and unreasonable excessive freight
rates between Mabira and Mombasa. can see
no reason why within another year this product
should not be laid down in London at cost
well inside of forty cents pound.
The first week Of my visit | spent in and
about the factory and offices.
Visit from Native Chief
THE third day, the hi native chief of kioga
district arrived, attired in a well fitting
Norfolk jacket and boasting a silver watch
chain, nickeled poceman's whistle, and
sandals for decorations, followed by his minis
ters court band and hundred nondesCript
followers. Returning from the exhibition
at kampala. he stopped to pay visit to his old
friend Martin, who employs some hundreds of
his subjects and to see the wonders of the new
rubber factory.
After the inspection, Mr. Hughes handed him
a bottle of ammonia TO smell, a sample of the
dhowa used IN COaguation. At the first Whit
he nearly threw a back somersalt and then, as
salve for his wounded dignity, proceeded to
compel every last one of his followers. down TO
the meanest porter, to take a stiff Whit of the
bottle holding the noses of several tight to its
mouth until they were nearly strangling.
OF evenings, dining in bungalow heavy
with the sweet scent of the scores of rosebushes
and violet beds that hedge it roundabout. what
with my hosts fascinating stories of stirring
incidents of the early days of Uganda empire
building delicious curries hot they would
make hades feel like a skating rink; weird
Arab dishes, "muscatis" and "pillous" that
would conjure new joys for the most blase
gourmet; lettuce and watercress tender as true
charity; palate tickling combinations of toma-
toes and anchovy paste; fresh pines juicy and
sweet (almost) as the lips you best love. and
Chianti that made you want to kick some
bodv's hat off, Mabira has taken permanent
Judgement among the dearest treasures of
my memory.
Indeed if after death my spirit contrives to
have quite its own way, more than likely any
interested will find ii wandering in some duSkv