Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-03-27

It looks now as If the problem of
disposing Of waste paper would soon
be solved, and that Augusta house.
wives would have the opportunity of
turning their old newspapers and
magazines into cash and incidentally
help out the paper and cupboard man
ufacturers of the country, who are
hard up for stock. The following COM
munication has been received by the
Augusta Board of Trade from the
United States department OF COM
merce at Washington. outlining the
situation:
Save Your Waste Paper and Rags
The attention of the department of
commerce is called, by the president
Of a large paper manufacturing COM
pany, to the fact that there is a Sc
rious shortage for raw material for
the manufacture Of paper. including
rags and old papers. He urges that the
department should make 1t known that
the collecting and saving of rags and
old papers would greatly better ex-
listing conditions for American man
ufacturers.
Something like 5000 tons Of differ
ent kinds of paper and paperboard are
manufactured every day in the Unit
ed states and large proportion of
this, after it has served its purpose,
could be used over again in some class
OF paper. A large part of it, however
IS either burned or otherwise wasted
This, OF course, has to be replaced by
new materials. In the early history of
the paper industry publicity was Civ
en- to the Importance Of saving rags. 1t
IS OF scarcely less Importance now
The department Of commerce is glad
to bring this matter to the attention
of the public in the hope that practi-
cal results may flow from it. A little
attention to the saving Of rags and old
papers will mean genuine relief to orr
paper industry and a diminishing drain
upon our sources of supply for new
materials.
A list of dealers in paper stocks can
be obtained from the local Chamber of
Commerce or Board Of Trade.
WILLIAM c. REDFIELD, Secretary.
The Augusta Board Of Trade has as
yet taken no action in the matter but
it will be considered by the board at
its next meeting which will be held
in the near future. and at which it is
probable that a list of paper stock
dealers will be secured for the conven-
fence Of those who may have old pa
pers to sell.
1t is said that owing to the increas-
ed demand for paper it is now worth
while for housewives and other indi
viduals to save their old newspapers,
magazines, pamphlets. etc. which in
these days constitute a nuisance in
many households after they have ac-
cumulated to any extent. Some bust
ness houses make 1t custom 20 bale
and sell their old paper but never be-
fore has it been worth while to save
paper on a small scale. Over in Ban
gor it is said that one dealer pays 20
cents per 100 pounds for newspapers
and magazines, and larger sum for
larger amounts delivered by the ton.
The paper is shipped in carload lots to
mills in Maine and Massachusetts,.
Some business houses have found it
more profitable to burn their paper, as
1t is food fuel for certain types of
boilers, but for the ordinary house fur
mace and stove. paper is useless, ex-
cept for starting fire. 1t will put a
coal fire out in short time if burned in
a house stove. For those who have
many papers and magazines that are
not desired, the information that they
may now be sold will be welcome in
deed.
An indication that the opportunity
for selling old paper is being taken
advantage of may be seen each
| Wednesday and Saturday morning. at
which time the garbage wagon makes
its rounds on Water street, when a
man may be seen going along the
street and filling a bag with old paper
which he takes from the waste bas-
kets and cans. This practice will re-
lieve the city dump Of a great deal of
work and lessen to great extent the
risk which comes from the dump TAX
ing fire.