Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-01-14
: g. !. 90
:. TO USE FLAX STRAW FOR :.
!: PAPER. :.
-

New Rockford Provost: That
North Dakota may furnish the much
sought after substitute for wood pulp
in the manufacture of high grade pa.
per is strongly indicated by the sue
cessful operation of a fax pulp mill at
McCanna. Thirty-three per cent OF
the raw straw is being turned into
marketable pulp that finds a ready
market. McCanna mill is attracting
considerable attention from the fact
that the United States government
is at the present time engaged in
tests to determine whether or not
North Dakota fax straw can be util-
lied in this manner During the fall
an expert was sent from Washington
and secured a carload Of. straw at
Dickinson, Stark county, for tests at
the mills at Cumberland, Maine. No
report, however, has been made as to
the success or failure Of this test.
At that time the expert declared his
belief that fax straw would become
a staple in the manufacture of high
grade paper if %thirty-fve per cent or
nearly that proportion of the raw
straw could be turned into pulp. At
torney 81 McCanna, formerly of Far
go, who is one Of those interested in
the McCanna mill, is authority for the
statement that an average of thirty
three per cent cf the straw is being
converted into paper pulp and this is
not especially grown, but the ordinary
flax straw. ..4.
The mill that is being used for the
manufacture of paper pulp at Mccain
ma is a landmark. The building was
erected some eighteen years ago and
machinery installed for the manufac-
ture of fuel from straw. Much of the
machinery is suitable 70 rthe making
Of paper pulp. This mill was built by
eastern capital, a relative of one OF
the prominent farmers living in the
vicinity of McCanna being at the head
of the company.
When the investment had been
made and the work of turning straw
into a product similar to cord wood
in shape vas begun, it was found that
when the product left the mill it was
SO water soaked astobeun SHR D D
SO water soaked as to be u~nsaleable
and of such an absorbent nature that
slow drying out process vas not feas-
ible. More fuel for fires to dry out
the product was required and the fin
ished material proved too porus and
light to furnish a steady burning fire.
A short, hot fire was all that could be
obtained. Not only was this a fact
but an investigation of costs showed
that the value of the fuel required to
produce the manufactured product was
more than the product was worth, pro-
vided 1t could have been sold at fuel
prices. The mill was finally re-opened
a few months ago by a company in
which Attorney McCanna is interested.
"A conditional lease on the property
has been obtained.
Fifteen men are now employed in the
mill and the manufactured produce is
being shipped by the carload for good
returns. The demand for paper pulp
is unlimited and wood pulp is com.
handing unusually high prices because
Of its scarcity. While the company is
not making e%xtravagant claims regard
ing the success of the project, they are
already planning on increasing their
capacity and expect eventually to build
mills in various parts Of the state to
be closet to the supply of raw material.
1t is estimated that between two and
three million tons of flax straw are
wasted every year in North Dakota.
The addition Of this vast quantity Of
material to the paper pulp supply
will materially. affect the paper mar
kets Of the country and in addition will
furnish for the North Dakota farmer
a market for what has been up to this
time considered a waste product.
FEED PRICES At WILLIS SEED
STORE.
Ground Feed, per cwt. ........$ 1.S0