The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-06-03
Evening Chat

: &
That the paper problem has become
acute has been realized in every es-
Enlistment where print paper is used
for some time, but the situation Is es-
peciaiiy serious in newspaper offices
where the price Of paper has advanced
to an almost unbelievable figure. In
New York where the newspapers con.
sumo the product Of hundreds of acres
OF trees each day the various papers
have got together and adopted pa
per saving program which It is con-
ddently expected will reduce the
amount Of money they otherwise
would have to spend for white paper
by half a million dollars year. AS a
result Of this program New York is
practically on the same basis as Lon.
don where the government regulates
the consumption Of paper with an Iron
hand. People who want to be sure OF
getting their ifayorite New York paper
these days must order II In advance.
The dealer, 10 not only not permitted
10 return unsold papers. as In the good
old days Of cheap paper. but he is even
not permitted TO have any more pa
pers than he has orders for. In other
words, to put It in tho language OF
one OF the announcements issued by
the newspapers, lowing to the short.
age OF pews-print paper the newsdeal.
ers' orders are limited to actual sales"
Il might be worse. In Berlin and the
other large cities throughout Germany
and Austro.H Hungary the only way a
news hungry man or woman may OBJ.
tain today's paper Is by returning yes.
terdayis together with the regular
price for the publication. Paper is so
scarce, inside the Iron Ring that not
o scrap of tits permitted to be lost.
That satisfactory wood pulp can be
made from q number OF heretofore lit
Tie known woods is evidenced by
Government publication Just Issued.
which contains seventy samples OF pa.
per manufactured by different pro-
cesses. chiefly from woods heretofore
practically unused for this purpose.
II 10 pointed out that the spruce for
ests OF the country are threatened
with exhaustion and that the cost Of
spruce pulpwood has steadily increas.
ed. Hthe price Of newsprint paper Is
TO be kept at a reasonable figure, say
the exerts, more efficient methods OF
converting spruce Into pulp must be
developed or cheaper woods subsutu.
ted for3it
The bulletin goes on to say that the
method of manufacturing groundwork
pulp has changed very little since It's
Introduction into this country in 1867.
1t was with the idea OF developing new
methods and improving the old that
tests were undertaken at the Forest
Service laboratories at Wausau and
Madison. Wisconsin. AS result. the
relation Of the different steps in the
manufacturing process to each other
has been definitely established and the
merits of each treatment determined.
The paper made from new woods was
given o practical tryout by two large
newspapers with satisfactory results.
The tests showed that eleven new
woods give promise Of being suitable
70 rtheg production of news print pa.
er. while q number OF others will pro.
duce manila paper and boxboards.
Most o. these woods are confined to
the West, while the groundwork In.
dustry now obtains the bulk Of its raw
material from the East. 1t Is thought
that pulp-making plants must eyentu.
ally move to points where they can
obtain plentiful supply Of wood and
an abundance of cheap water.power,
two prime requisites In the business.
The experts say that because the Ma.
donai Forests contain immense guam.
titles Of the suitable woods and abund.
ant opportunities for power develop.
ment they will undoubtedly play an
important part In the future OF the
wood pulp industry.