Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-06

not be had until the first one Is filed.
The Cincinnati board of education ex-
poets to advertise for its yearly sup
ply of paper next month and antici-
pates great difficulty in obtaining 1t
even then. The old fashioned slate,
relic of an unsanitary age, may have
to be resurrected as last resort.
For the first time In its history the
government printing ONCE has had to
advertise for bids on it's annual paper
supply, SO that the government has
also had occasion to be impressed
with the scarcity Of paper. AT the
suggestion Of various large manufac-
turing houses, the department Of COM
merce has issued bulletins, to be dis
tributed throughout Office buildings and
public places, explaining the existing
! conditions and requesting everybody
to save his old rags and trash paper
as means of relief to the paper In.
dustry.
1t Is estimated that approximately
Is 900 tons Of different kinds Of paper
, and paper board are manufactured ev,
cry day in the United States. A large
part of this is afterwards burned or
otherwise destroyed and has to be re-
placed by raw materials. Now If the
people stop destroying this paper and
turn 1t back to the manufacturers at
q profit to themselves, the strain is
relieved on the raw materials Most
Of the old rags used in making paper
and also in making gun cotton in the
munition plants. have been imported
from Europe. Quite recently there
was rag boom in this country, which
somewhat reduced their selling price
but this soon ended and rags are
again scarce, averaging eight and a
half cents pound. Old awnings
bring four cents pound. towels six
cents, napkins eight cents, and even
dirty wash rags are worth two and
half cents a pound. The time is rap
idly approaching when two old dresses
will sell for the price of new one.
The excessive demand for paper
struck the industry all of a sudden
taking the manufacturers by surprise
For the first twelve months Of the wal
the paper trade in this country was
extremely inactive, no doubt due tc
the fact that all business was on ar
uncertain basis. The retailers were
buying only enough to supply theil
Immediate needs. Last June, how
ever. orders began multiplying and
by October the boom had struck the
industry. finding 1t unprepared with
but small reserve supplies OF raw ma
ter1als. In the meantime Norway and
Sweden had placed limited embar
go on the expectation of wood pull
and sulphite was practically monopo
lized by the munition industry In the
manufacture of explosives. The two
most important items in paper max
ing are wood pulp and sulphite. 9th
er necessary materials are alum, rosin
bleaching fluids and dyestutfs-tht
latter equally hard to get.
The situation is now so critical tina
the Typothetae society OF Philadelphi,
has petitioned congress to place al
embargo on the expectation Of manu-
fractured paper and paper materials
from this country, stating that If thu
export of paper to Europe continues Z
paper famine In the United State:
would result.
Under these circumstances 1t be
comes the duty of every American
citizen to conserve his old rags and
waste paper to the relief of the paper
Industry and the greater profit to him
self With existing prices, your ole
rag bag or corner rubbish heap MAJ
make your fortune.