Devils Lake weekly world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1911-1914, 1911-09-29


AS plans for the new paper mill
which is projected at Devils Lake go
forward the people Of that section are
waking up to the fact that they are to
have within their borders, not only
mandatory which will give employ
ment to nearly hundred workmen and
bring many, new families to the city,
but that the first step is being taken
toward the utilization Of great waste
product, something now Of little or no
value, but which, by the process Of pa
per making, will be turned into reve-
nue. producing source for grain growers
all over the state.
The mill at Devils Lake will undoubt-
edly be but the first Of string of mills
to be started all over the best grain
producing sections. It seems absurd
in the face of the decreasing supply OF
wood pulp and the consequent need Of
some other source from which to secure
a supply Of pulp for making print paper
that straw, grown in such tremendous
quantities in this section, should be
burned in the stack while straw pulp
which is used in the manufacture OF
the finest linen papers is imported from
Germany at high prices.
Straw Chief Material.
In the early days of paper making
straw was the chief material used for
pulp, and up as late as 1880 it supplied
the greater part Of the fibre used in
the making of print paper. The intro
duction of improved processes for re-
ducing wood fibre to pulp and the de-
creasing supply of straw within a fair
distance of the mills which were al
ready established, were the factors
that gradually decreased the use. Of
straw as the chief material in the MAX
ing of print paper, though several
mills still produce very fine quality
of paper from the straw pulp and a
great number of mills originally engag-
ed in making print paper from straw
are now making rough grade of wrap
ping paper and straw board from the
poor quality of straw obtainable in
their sections.
First Attempt in 1856.
Munsell's Chronology states that the
first attempt to manufacture paper from
straw was in 1856. The Germans were
first to realize the need Of something
besides rags from which to make paper
and an exhaustive treatise was pre-.
pared showing how to reduce the vege.
table fbres into pulp and bleaching
the same. Yellow straw paper was the
first result Of these experiments and it
VISA probably made many years ago
substantially the same as at the pres.
ent time.
In 1857 M. A. G. Mellier of Paris
France, was granted patent on a sim.
pie and concise formula for making
white paper from straw. Though white
paper had been successfully made from
straw as early as the year 1900 by Mat
thias Koop, and later by Montgolfe,
and under patent issued to Lemuel
Wright in 1847, the Mellier process
gave great impetus to straw paper
making and most Of the newspapers of
the day began to print their issues Oh
the product Of the straw paper mills
Most Simple Way.
Of all paper making processes that
of straw paper making is most simple
and easy Of operation. Almost any
kind of straw will make paper but
wheat, rye, barley, oats, esparto and
flax is best; indeed, it is claimed by
some authorities that within a decade
the finest Of writing papers will be pro
duced from the fax straw, while, az
stated earlier in this article, imported
German straw pulp is utilized by Amer
lean manufacturers in the making OF
fine writing papers disclosing a way il
which our waste fields Of straw may be
used to our profit and advantage.
The Devils Lake project had its in
ception in the observation Of an eco
nomically trained Yankee, DR.. Fred j
Pierce, Of Boston, who, riding from
Rochester, Mimi, to Devils Lake, where
he had been called to help out a friend
with his practice, noticed in the even
ing what seemed to be large buildings
in process Of destruction by fire. In
quiry Of fellow passenger elected the
fact that the fires were caused by the
burning Of great straw stacks which
the farmers could dispose Of in no 9th
er way. Right then DR.. Pierce decided
that there must be a profitable method
of utilizing this great waste product
in making print paper and upon the
first opportunity he returned east an6
began investigations which resulted il
the formation of company with the
building of mill at Devils Lake a:
its object.
Experienced Men.
Associated with DR.. Pierce in thu
project are some of the shrewdest bus
mess men and best paper makers Of thu
east. Among the first to whom DR.
Pierce presented his ideas was VIM
Berry, superintendent Of one Of thu
most successful mills in the paper max
ing district of Maine. Mr.. Berry O.
course was familiar with the fact tina
paper making from straw had beel
proftably carried on up to about 1881
and realized that with up-to-date pro
cesses and modern economics there wa
a greater field than ever for its manu-
facture today. Another Of DR.. Pierce
associates and advisors was NJ. J. Bak
er, of Portland, Me-, whose judgmen
as an expert on paper making method
has often been accepted by group o
the big Maine mills, and who becam
enthusiastic over the prospects Of sue
cess in making paper from North Dako
ia straw.
So sanguine was Mr.. Berry of tn
success which would follow the intro
duction of straw paper making in thi
great wheat growing country that h
entered into an agreement to give VI
his position as superintendent of tn
mills with which he is connected an
take charge of the Devils Lake mil
when completed. This insures the mos
successful management by an expert i
paper making and mill methods and au
ours we'll for the stockholders. 1t
expected that Mr.. Baker will dispos
of his business in the East and come t
Devils Lake to have charge Of the sell
ing organization and act in an advisor
capacity with Mr.. Berry, so the ne1