Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-03-31
DISCOVERY OF BLOTTlNG PAPER,

Botting paper was discovered purely
by accident. Some ordinary paper was
being made one day a a mill In Bcrk
shire when o. careless workman forgot
to put IN the sizing material. 1t may
be imagined what angry scenes would
take place in that mill, as the whole of
the paper made was regarded as being
quite useless. The proprietor Of the mill
desired to write a note shortly after
ward. and he took a piece of waste
paper, thinking it was good enough for
the purpose. To his intense annoyance
the ink spread all over the paper. All
Of sudden there flashed over his mind
the thought that this paper would do
instead Of sand for drying ink, and he
AT once advertised his waste paper as
"blotting." There was such a big de-
| mdud that tie mill ceased to make or
dnary paper and was soon occupied in
making blotting only, the use of which
, spread to all countries. The result now
is tina the descendant Of the discoverer
owns the largest mills In the world for
| the manufacture of this special kind of
paper TDc reason the paper is OF use
( in drying inh is that really it is "A mass
/ Of hairlike tubes. which suck up liquid
! by capillary attraction. II IA very fine
! glass tube is put into water the liquid
/ will rise in it owing to capillary attrac-
/ ton. The art of manufacturing blotting
/ paper has been carried to such de-
gree that the product has wonderful alb
sorbent qualities.
All blottins paper is made from rags.
| The original blotting paper was of a
| pink color. due to the fact that red rags
We're used-rags which could not be used
for making the ordinary paper, as the
color could not be removed. Here WAS q
method OF using the apparently useless
matter, and for long time pink was
| the predominant color 1t Is a matter
for surprise what curious preferences are
( shown by various people with regard
to tho color Of the blotting paper they
use Business men greatly prefer thai
! OF a buff color This Is preferred &c
white from the fact that it is more
easily distinguished from the letter.
that are handled, while at the same time
II is not sufficiently striking to seer
out of place in an office. 1t Is only II
England that huf-Colored blotting paper
is the favorite. Countries which possess
hot climates prefer green. and this pref
it is remembered that green is such I
restful color to the eyes The people OF
the continent have quite a differen
taste with regard to the color OF TN
MINER. they prefer vivid colors. showing
especial preference for deep pink
Ladies' OF all lands prefer more daint,
colors. chiefly mauve, The coored blot
ting paper. by the way. was accidental!
} produced In the first place: In this cas-
some blue and red rags became mixed to
gether. and so this color was produced.
There is an opinion which seems To b
fairly prevalent that colorod papers d
not blot as well as white. As matte
of fact the color makes no difference "A
all to the absorbent quality of the paper
the particular tint depending purel
upon the blending OF the rags. Quit
the newest tint is black This Is pre-
farred by persons who do not wish any
hodv To see what has been written,
an ordinary piece of blotting paper, sa
white. has been used it is quite oas
tn re.a what has been hlotted simply b
holding the paper up to a mirror Tn
b,nck paper however, absorbs the IN
marks without showing them. In ih
case of The sovereign, any piece Whio
has blotted His Majcsty's signature
at once destroyed. AS a matter OF fac
King Edward VII. always uses an oNtr
: thick white sheet Of blo,tlng papc
known technically as "F'ords s0-poun
white" though until recently very thi
pink paper was that preferred for OF
cial use.