The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1911-02-23
UNCLE SAM STARTS
"A WOOD PULP MILL
Great and Beneficial Changes
Are Expected to Result
Therefrom.


Therefrom.
WASHINGTON. D. C., Feb. ls.-
Officials Of the United states Depart
ment OF Agriculture have received
with satisfaction announcement from
the experimental ground wood pulp
mill which the department has been
equipped at Wausaa. Wisconsin. in
corporation with the American Pulp
and Paper Association, that the mill
has begun to grind. The carrying on
of the tests now announced as under
way was provided for by special ap.
propriptlon, placed at the disposal o!
the secretary OF agriculture BY Con.
gress last winter, to conduct tests OF
the SUITABILITY for pspe:. making Of
plants and woods which seem likely to
become valuable sources OF supply OF
nuS material.
Service Makes Paper.
Secretary Wilson considered that
the best use which could be made OF
this money would be to conduct ex-
perlments on commercial scale, with
various kinds OF wood. Some OF
these have already been studied in the
laboratory. and found to be lntrinsl-
cally suitable for pulp manufacture.
Indeed, the Forest Service has actual
ly made paper by one of the chemical
processes from several of them. But
in order to know whether they can
probably be utilized, under present
conditions, ii is necessary to test them
under methods of manufacture COM
parable to those employed in actual
business operations. In particular, 1t
Is desired to find out to what extent
new woods can be used for ground
pulp, the cost of which is usually less
than that of chemical pulp.
The Wausau mill has been built es-
pecially for the use of the government
for as long as the experiments may
require. Its inside dimensions are
forty by one hundred feet, and it is
equipped with electrical machinery
and all necessary apparatus of the
most up-to-date type. Part OF the
equipment is contributed by the
American Pulp and Paper Association
and part is furnished by the govern
ment. The association will also fur
nish the wood for tho tests. The
wood now on hand includes carload
lots of jack pine, spruce, hemlock, and
tamarack. The jack pine Is to be the
tirst wood tested.
Tests to BE Made.
While the experiments are intended
70 coves woods crom all parts OF the
country which, from the standpoint of
physical properties and available sup
plies, promise to furnish new mater
!al for the paper-making industry, a
special point will he made OF tests of
western woods which are abundant in
the national forests. There are enor-
nous supplies of various softwoods in
these forests for which there now en-
sts little demaad, and this fact CON
stitutes one Of the serious problems
of management u the national for
ests. In order to have forests produce
timber steadily they must be cut; hut
If there is n market only for timber
rom the most valuable kinds of trees
the result Of cutting is likely to be
The disappearance of these trees ana
Their replacement in the forest growth
y species which are not in demand.
Since the pulp mills take material too
small for the lumber mills, species
suitable for paper making can be cut
to low timber diameter, and thug
he 6alancc may he turned in favor of
the reproduction Of the more valuable
kinds Of trees.
Cheaper Paper.
In addition to the benefit which the
public will derive from the advance
ment cs forest conservation in conse-
quence Of the wood pulp experiments
OF the government. there Is the fur
ther benefit OF cheaper paper which ii
is believed these experiments should
make possible. The price of paper
90 the cheaper grades, including
news paper, has been advancing rap.
idly of recent years as the supply o.!
spruce has dHindled, and American
mills are now drawing large part Of
their supply from Canada, If grouno
pulp OF the requisite quality can be
made from spruce, one of the most
serious problems OF the newspaper
publisher nowadays will or Should be
considerably simpllfcd.