Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-04-28
WASTE PAPER GROWING Val UABIF
ny FREDERIC J. IIAsl<I>

are allowed only one sheet OF nan.r
on which TO do their written lesson,
no matter how many mistakes they
make, another sheet cannot b. haa
until the first ono is filed. The Gin.
cinnat Board OF Education expccts In
advertise for Its yearly supply Of paper
next month. and anticipates great dir
hcuity in obtaining II even then Tho
old fashioned slate, relic OF an insan.
itary age, may have TO be resurrec,ed
as a last resort.
for the hrst time In it's history the
Government Printing Office has had to
advertise for bids on It's annual paper
supply. so that the government has
aIso mao occasion TO be impressed with
| inc scarcity OF paper. Al the suRges-
ton OF various large manufacturing
houses the Department of Commerce
has issued bulletins. 10 be distributed
throughout Office buildings and puhltc
places. explaining the existing condi-
lions. and requesting everybody TO save
his old rags and trash paper as
means OF relief to the paper indus
try.
1t Is estimated that approximately
l".oou tons OF different kinds Of paper
and paper board are manufactured
every day in the United States
large part OF this Is afterwards burned
or otherwise destroyed and has TO be
replaced by raw materials Now, II
me people stop destroying this paper
and turn it back 10 the manufsc-
turcrs, at profit TO themselves tho
strain is relieved on the raw mater
ia!s. Most Of the old rags used I'm MAX
ing paper and also in making guncot-
ton IN the munition plants have been
Imported from Europe. Quite rccentl,
there was rag boom in this coun-
try. which somewha, reduced their sell
ing price. but this soon ended ana
rags are again scarce, averaging i-a
cents pound Old awnings bring
cents pound. towels. S cents; nap
k!ns. cents and even dirty wash
, rags arc worth - cents a pound
The time is rapidly approaching when
two old dresses Will sell for the price
OF new one.
Manufacturers Taken by Surprise.
The excessive demand for paper
struck the Industry all OF sudden,
taking the manufacturers by surprise
For the nrst twelve months OF tho
war the paper trade In this country
was extremely inactive. no doubt due
10 the fact that all business was on
an uncertain basis. The retailers were
buying only enough 10 supply their i'm
mediate needs Last juno. however.
orders began multiplying and b. oc-
rober the boom had struck the indus
try fnd'nG II unprcpared with but
small reserve supplies Of raw ma
terials. In the meantime. Norway and
Sweden had placed limited embargo
sulphite was practically monopolized
hy tho munition industry in the manu-
facture Of explosives The two most
important items in papcr-making are
wood pulp and sulphite. Other neces-
sary materials arc alum, rosin. bleach
ing. fluids and dycstuffs-thc latter
equally hard to get
The situation is now 20 critical that
the Typothctac Society. OF fhiladel-
rhia. has potitioncd Congress 10 place
an embargo on expectation Of manufac-
turcd paper and paper materials from
this country, stating that IL the eX-
port OF paper to Europe continues. a
paper famine In the United states
would result.
Under these circumstances. II be-
comes the duty OF every American citi-
zen to conserve his old rags and waste
paper to the relief of the paper in
dustry and the greater profit TO him
self. With existing prices. your old
rag bag corner rubbish heap may
make your fortune.