The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-11-15

investigation up to the present time, is
convinced that such o plant, operated
in connection with some of the big lum-
Der mills, would prove wonderfully sue
cessful in this section.
The laboratory of the government for
estry department, of which Mr.. Weiss is
director is the largest of its kind in the
world. Forty experts are spending their
entire time in finding out how to make
use of the waste timber products and in
teaching lumbermen how to prevent
needless waste and expense.
That an inspection of this section was
made was due to the efforts of John L.
Kaul, who persuaded the government ex-
pert to stop over here and visit the
Raul plant at Tuscaloosa. Exhaustive
data has been compiled and is now
held by Mr.. Weiss regarding a paper mill
and numerous other by-product plants
which might possibly utilize the waste
products. naddition he made a personal
investigation of the conditions at the Kau
properties, which are considered highly
favorable for the proposed developments
POSSIBILITIES GREAT
The possibilities for paper mills. for
various kinds of paper by-product plants,
for the manufacture of chamicals and
any one of the other hundred things which
the government has demonstrated can be
made from the lumber waste are unriv-
allied in this section" declared Mr.. Weiss
last night. Il have known of this sec
ton for many years, and have been
rather familiar with it's advantages in
all lines.
Knowing Mr.. Kaul through his reputa-
ton as one of the most modern and most
scientific lumber manufacturers in the
country, 1 took advantage of his invita-
ton to visit his plant in connection with
the work the government is doing through
our department What / saw convinced
me that the trip was most profitable. The
plant of the Kaul Lumber company at
a suburb of Tuscaloosa, is the |
most modern in the country. 1t is op-
Grated upon the most approved style and |
the very best methods are employed in |
all lines.
But despite these facts, there are mill |
lions of dollars of products which could |
be extracted from the waste materials |
ing the waste products of lumber is rath- |
er new, but the government investiga- |
ton, conducted by our department has |
proved that the possibilities are unlm-
tied. There are companies which have |
made millions and are still doing it out |
of the smoke from the coaking of coal. |
This was formerly thrown away and still |
is very largely wasted. The same is |
doubly true in regard to lumber.
ONE HUNDRED PRODUCTS
1T has already been demonstrated that |
over 100 marketable products can be made |
from lumber waste materials More than
20 of these can be manufactured and mar
ceted very profitably without fear of COM
petition from other substances. The |
others which we have thus far discovered |
will have to compete with other articles
which might be substituted. For instance,
pure grain alcohol is now being made
from sawdust. Mind you, it is not wood
alcohol. but is the pure grain article,
which is sold as such by chemists. That
s. just one example of what can be made.
But the greatest opportunity in this
line at the present time seems to me to
De the manufacture of paper. Wrapping
paper, for which there is tremendous
demand, can easily be made in this dis
.rict or state wherever there is a large
sawmill. The price of this commodity
s excessively high. The waste products
n this section are ideally suited for such
| paper mill.
But the wrapping paper mill is just
he beginning of what should follow. The
great iron corporations now do not stop
with the mere manufacture of pig iron.
They make steel billets and wire, nails,
plate and various other finished products.
So do the modern paper mills. From
paper can be made better rugs than half
thaca W nd n
A considerable part of the stuff |
which goes into the manufacture of
furniture comes from this wrapping
paper. The possibilities are unlimited.
GOVERNMENT HELPING
ST am keenly interested in what I
have seen in this section. The govern
ment is making an effort to prevent
the waste which is costing this coun-
try unlimited millions yearly A be-
has been made in many sec
tons of the country in the manufac-
ture of various kinds of paper. The
rugs and other useful products is also
more or less general. The oppor-
tunties for this development are such
that l am sure they will be realized
without any great delay"
Mr.. Weiss is by no means II stranger
to Birmingham. Soon after the United
States Steel corporation acquired con-
Railroad company, he constructed a /
wood preserving plant for the corpor-
alton at Ensley.
Following his visit to Kaulton, he |
to Birmingham last night,
and left later in the evening for New
Orleans From there he will visit Ro-
galousa, La, one Of the great lumber
centers of the country. He will make |
an inspection of the methods and will |
assist by giving the benefit of the |!
scientific knowledge which the gov
eminent has gained for the improve
mani of conditions in the lumbar in