The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-08-14
TO PREVENT PAPER
FROM DETERIORATION
Problem Believed to Be Solved After
Seven Years of Experimentation.

NEW YORK, Aug. 13.-The prob
lem of preserving for prosperity impor-
tant newspaper flies which, since
wood pulp superseded rags in the man
ufacture of newsprint, has baffled IL
brarians all over the world, at last
apparently has been solved by Off
Gals of the New York public library.
After seven years of experimental
ton. backed by the cooperation of
three New York daily papers each of
which has spent $4,000 a year to find
the best preventative method, the Of
ficials believe they have discovered the
correct solution, that of mounting each
newspaper sheet between two sheets
of thin Japanese tissue.
This shuts the original sheet from
the air, reduces its legibility but slight
ly, strengthens the page and permits
its free handling without danger of
disintegration.
AS almost everyone knows, the
newspapers Of fifty years ago were
printed on rag stock and were tough
and durable. You see them in the IL
braries almost in as good a condition
as the day they were printed. Not so
with the journals printed since the
7os and 80 of the past century, accord
ing to Harry M. Gutenberg, chief ref
erence librarian in the New York pub
lie library. Wood pulp paper becomes
yellow and brittle after exposure he
said.
Bound volumes treated by the new
process have been in daily use at the
library for some time and are free
fr~0v hA 0rlrey -
shown by less fortunate contemporary
les.
The library has regular depart
ment for the treatment of newspaper
files of three New York dailies. With
the aid Of recently perfected mechani-
cal equipment 1t prepares the papers
at cost of about $35 to $40 a bound
volume, which is paid for by the pub
fishers in order that their papers may
be preserved In the library archives.
The tissue paper used in the process
is imported from Japan. where 1t is
made by hand. 1t is applied with rice
paste, and adds only one-thousandth of
an inch to an individual sheet, making
a volume about one inch thicker than
it would be ordinarily.
~The paper problem is acute only
in the case Of papers printed on
ground pulp stock" continued Mr. Ly-
denberg
Papers OF the present period are
certain of complete disintegration
within short time. Paper makers
could make better stock IL the pres
sure for speed was not so great and
more time could be taken to wash the
chlorine and other bleaching elements
from the pulp. But makers must keep
their cost down, and that usually
means a weakening of quality"
Mr.. Gutenberg said that extensive
experiments with chemical solutions
put on new stock by spray or brush
had failed because no chemical treat
ment would patch up torn sheets nor
fill in broken spots. The use of chiffon,
or thin light silk, also failed to come up
to the tests made with the japanese
paper.
Experiments are being continued at
the library, Mr.. Gutenberg said, with
the hope that some still better process
of preservation may be found. He said
that experiments were also being made
with an American manufactured tissue
paper.
I'VE may also use this method to
preserve old books" he added, "as It
will work out the same there as with
the newspapers"
The New York method, Mr.. Lyden-
berg said, is now used by Chicago
newspaper.