Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1916-03-16
WAR THREATENS
PAPER INDUSTRY
CHEMICALS SOAR IN PRICE,
MANUFACTURING INGRED|-
ENTS GETTING SCARCE.

War threatens the paper industr
and every newspaper, magazine an
Job printing office in the Unite
States is going to be handicapped t
such extent by high prices ON a.
kinds Of stock as to make the cost Q
their production so much create
than at present, that prices vii
either have to be advanced by man.
Of these institutions in the near flu
ture, or they will find themselves
confronting certain bankruptcy.
The paper houses of Portland, Ore
gon, which are the principal sources
of supply for this section of country
have been forced to advance prices
so rapidly that the Oregonian is lead
to make the following comment:
Rags, the badge Of poverty the
world around, have so advanced in
price that fine papers, of which they
form the base, are going skyward. AL
papers, in fact, due to complications
brought about by the European war,
are rising rapidly in cost, and the
problem. it is declared, will soon be
to get them at any price
Importation of rags and paper
pulp is shut off by the war and
chemicals that enter into paper are
already skyhigh in price. Bleaches
are practically out of the market,
there is an acute pulp shortage and
dyes used in paper-making have ris-
en- 1900 to 1000 per cent In cost,
with further aeroplaning in sight.
1T is being predicted now that
It will be but matter of short
time, if the war continues, until the
white letterhead of COM
nerce becomes obsolete and natur-
al-colored writing paper, innocent Of
bleach, takes its place. News paper,
100, if the present situation lasts
much longer, threatens to become
Fellow and take on a faded look due
20 the lack of chemicals used in its
Linen, cotton and other rags so
in papermaking of the
pest class, can no longer be import
I'd. This Is the source of large
part of the normal supply. The con-
iition that exists at present is unique
since 1901, with the exception of
wo months, ten years ago, when
he import of rags was shut off by
he Government because of the fear
If spreading bubonic plague. Such an
,utcry was raised at that time that
he embargo was soon lifted.
Not only is the supply Of import
'ags cut off, but the domestic prod
let is being snapped up by munition
makers, who are able In this way,
t is said, to add to supplies Of gun
cotton and other high explosives.
This makes it doubly difficult for
he papermakers and, indeed, i'm
,ossible for them to procure sup
,ly. In fact, the American Writing
'aper Company, perhaps the big
.est concern In the country in the
manufacture of fine papers, has been
to shut down ten OF its
nils at different points because of
he impossibility to procure rags
nd other essentials for papermak-
ng."
One Portland firm reports a gain
from 25 to so per cent on fine
apers and it is being predicted
nat within sixty days the prices |
f papers will have advanced 100
er cent over the quotations of three
lonths ago.
When there is an advance In the
rice OF sugar, flour or any other
it doesn't take the bust
ess man long to regulate the sci
ng price Of that commodity to cor
,spond, but with the printer 1t is
sually a case of "watchful waiting"
hich results in the pocketing OF
,nsiderable loss before he is able
work out such an adjustment as {
i'll protect his business. &
7