Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-11-22
FLAX INDUSTRY IN
STATE IS NOT A
FAILURE SAYS KAY
State Treasurer Takes Issue
With Recent Article In
Portland Paper

"The flax industry as conducted by
the state is not failure,'' said State
Treasurer Kay, this morning, "and in
no sense does the state stand to lose
money by its efforts The article In
the Portland Journal was entirely mis-
leading"
State Treasurer Kay made the above
statement in reference to an article
which appeared last week in the Port
land Journal which said the state was
losing money on the flax business and
that Superintendent Cady was incompe-
tent and was unable to carry on the
work to a satisfactory conclusion.
! Mr.. Kay went on to state that of the
$4,000 which was appropriated by the
| legislature not all of it was to be spent
in raising and manufacturing flax but
was to provide means of employment
| for the convicts at the state pen. OF
this sum $1,000 or more was spent on
roads, a rock crusher was purchased and
motor installed to run it near the
feeble minded institute where q gang
of convicts might be employed. Some
of it was spent for hard surface roads
inside the fair grounds. About $4,000
was spent for machinery and the
freight on the machines now in use at
the flax plant and about 600 tons of
flax straw were purchased from the
growers One item of profit is in the
seed and already 5000 bushels have
been thrashed and cleaned which will
bring SO per bnshel in the open market
if it were sold but 1t will be turned
over to the farmers who will grow the
flax next year and they viii pay but
$3.50 for it.
As to the flax that has been spread
out to ret and which is reported to be
ruined, Mr.. Kay says that only small
percentage, if any, will be damaged.
None will be lost because even the poor
est quality of the short fibres can be
sold for 500 per ton to manufactur-
ers who use it for tow and for uphol-
stering.
Again but so tons have been spread
out and 300 tons of the straw is still
stored in the building where it remains
in exactly the same condition as it was
when brought from the fields. Owing
to the unusual hard rains which have
fallen this year it is possible that some
of the straw which was spread out to
ret will receive more water than is goor
for it and that it will be hard matter
to dry it but Mr.. Kay maintains that
the flax business even this first year
will return a handsome profit to the
state as well as providing employment
for the convicts who have heretofore
basked in idleness.
Mr.. Kay says he has received his in
formation relative to the condition Of
the flax from Eugene Bosse, of this
city, who is recognized as an authority
on the growth and preparation of flax
Mr.. Bosse explains that there are three
processes of retting the flax which is
the process of rotting the outside Of the
stalk from the fibres which lie within
One process is "dew" retting and this
consists Of spreading the straw out
upon the ground to allow the dew tC
fall upon it and supply the moisture
! but this is only successfully employed
in countries where there is little rain
The process of "tank" retting con
sists Of spreading the stray out in huge
tanks where running water is allowed e
cover the straw. This process, says Mr.
Bosse, is the most successful as it is the
, most easily controlled but it requires
expensive equipment.
The process in use at the pen under
the supervision of Mr.. Cady allows tn,
rain to supply the moisture but the par
/ ticularly noise Oregon climate this fal
has supplied furthermore rain than hal
been necessary but in no manner ha
the straw been ruined. The matter o.
9 the flax business was left to the boart
Of control and Mr.. Cady was employed
to superintend the manufacture Of tn,
plant. Governor Withycombe apepar
to be satisfied with the work so far a
II has proceeded. Secretary 0lcott i
non.committal on the subject and Mr.
Kay is strong supporter Of the presen
system and says he can prove his con
i tentions by showing q good balance OF
: the right side of the ledger when th
final accounts are settled.