The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-08-19
no longer endangers ncwsprint sup


ply.
Y It is an interesting and romanti
story which is1associated with the dc
velopment of this pulp. Now come
r the report that in Florida two com
C panies have been organized for tn
: manufacture of paper from tine ma
e tive saw grass of Florida and on
b company in Texas which processes T.
c have perfected a process for making
= paper from cotton lirters.
t Thirty-fve years ago United State
2 Senator Warner Miller, who was on
: of the first promoters of the wooC
pulp industry of the United States
said that he was convinced that some
where in the country a vegetable
could be found, annual growth
which contained a fibre capable OF
commercial utilization for paper
pulp. This statement caused some
Investigation to be made but none of
1t was satisfactory and probably be-
cause at the time no threatened
shortage Of pulp suitable FOR the
manufacture of newsprint paper ex-
listed.
Some time ago the attention of DR..
b. r. Logan, a chemist of high re-
pute, was called to the possibility Of
discovering a vegetable growth
which would yield satisfactory pulp
for the manufacture of newsprint
paper. Various tests were made and
he received the suggestion that the
saw grass of Florida might contain
a fibre which would be suitable.
In Florida there are millions Of
acres OF this saw grass. Hitherto it
has been regarded as not only worth
less but an impeachment to the i'm
proyement OF the land 1t grows as
rapidly as seaweed and the cutting of
it seems only to stimulate new
growth Experiments with this
grass justified the undertaking of
the manufacture of pulp from it and
it was some of the first pulp thus
made which was taken to Hoosac
Falls. They are about to establish
in Florida therefore, sawgrass pulp
in few months as many as ten
mills in various parts Of the state
The paper which was delivered
from the paper manufacturing ma
chimes at HoOsac Falls has been sub
jected to careful tests. Specimens
of it have been shown in this city. /
If the predictions now made are
justified by the event then again
there will be demonstration as there
have been so many In the past twenty
years OF the uncomfortable great !
wealth in natural resources which |
are in the Florida peninsula.
In addition to this again will he
set forth proof that whenever any
or scarcity of any article
which enters into industry is report
ed science and the Ingenuity of man
are able to furnish a new commodity !,
which will make good the deficiency. |,
Many times n record of this kind has 1
been established in the United States
Florida sawgrass is reported TO be {
from insect pests. 1t grows {
y
Prolific. 1t can be easily cut and it,
S estimated that Florida alone If II
his new process Is to be successful
will be able to furnish within a COM ;
'aratively short time all the pulp j.,
Ieeded to meet the American demand ,
Or newsprint paper. ,
The paper which came from the p.
aper making machinery at HOosac :,
'alls Is very strong. When deliver d,
d from the machine II is somewhat :,
ark in color but 1t has been found =,
hat it can be easily bleached 1t =,
lso needs calendaring in order to :,
i've 1t the required smoothness. :,
pecimens OF this paper have passed =,
trough the printing press. 1t takes :,
rinter's ink and the type with clear -
de as upon the other
In commenting upon this new de-
,lopment the Manufacturers Record Ell
Baltimore recently said that it IN
)pes that all that has been antici- |,
tied will be realized for the success ty
the undertaking will mean a great ell
set to the country and will be of lii,
value to newspaper and ce
per consumers. Furthermore the mr.
ilization OF two hitherto waste pro- az
lcts, saw grass ard cotton linters in W,
G manufacture of paper will open
w source of wealth to the South ii,
d will greatly conserve the rapidly IS
clining supply. in Wall al
rect News4 if
VI -- ~