Year: 1869

In recent issue of the Dispatch it was
noticed that the Choate farm, near Nor
| folk, Va. had been sold to party OF gen
| tlenen, and that al establishment of what
is known as the American Fibre Company
was to be erected thereon for the purpose
of blowing the cane which abounds in the
southern swamps into fibre, the pulp or
| fibre to be carried to Richmond and man
ufactured there. In this connection an
article taken from the Cincinnati Common
er will be found of interest. That paper
says:


1--WE think we may congratulate the
south on the prospect of this new manu-
| facture, of which it will become the seat.
The cane from which the fibre can be made
in any quantity required by the wants OF
the world, is the spontaneous growth of
the swamps and lowlands of the southern
States. The patentees of that product, to
be known very extensively hereafter in
commerce as the cane fibre, have secured
by their patents the monopoly of both the
article itself and the peculiar process OF its
manufacture. They have made up their
minds that it will be most profitable to
them to set up their works at Norfolk and
! Richmond and Baltimore, and probably
Petersburg, and to 60 into the business to
an extent that shall know no limit but the
demand. It is therefore business that
will soon amount to twenty, fifty, or hun
dred million of dollars per annum. The
patentees are solid men, and intend to
keep control Of the whole affair themselves
by their agents, but possibly allowing some
Of the manufacturing of the articles from
fibre to be done by persons engaging to
pay q royalty,
81 s..
making all manner of articles will be es-
tablished but the Southern States can add
to their cotton staple another new article
of commerce which bids fair to be only
second to it, and not unworthy of such a
distinguished associate. Cheap fibre
cheaper than cotton, and adapted to coar-
ser uscs--is q desiderntum of the age. And
cane is the most abundant, cheap, and in
exhaustible source of supply. The process
OF converting cannot possibly be suppressed
ed, for it is efficient and expeditions. re
qniring very little labor and no chemicals
nor delay. It is the expectation of the
patentees that they have monopolized not
only On article for paper making, to be
used in all ordinary cases, but also for
houses and ships, which, it is claimed. can
be built lighter. tighter. and stronger, than
in any other way. They make the same
claim for buckets, barrels, tubs, and for
furniture, and even for clothing ITSELF
They announce that in consequence OF their
invention, which they say is the first ex-
ample on record of the monopoly of any
new material of extensive use, the whole
manufacture of paper box board and com
mon wrapping paper will be transferred
from the North 20 the South. Thoy cay in
one of their circulars that Richmond ought,
and probably soon will, in consequence of
their invention, become of more impor-
tance than Lowell as q manufacturing city.


cit is claimed that straw makes too hard
a paper, but mixed with Il little cane fibre
the paper is soft and flexible F.; indeed, that
the mixture of straw and cane pulp is the
thing-jnst right. Every day develops
some new feature of the invention. 1t has
recently been discovered that the cane can
be reduced to fibre at an actual cost of
three dollars ton for all expenses, and
that In most cases a ton or fibre costs less
than ton of timber. The fibre is easily
mixed with clay. and can be made up into
boards, slabs, or panels and that with
powdered slate and coaltar it will make an
incombustible roof which will be both fire
and water proof. 1t will make excellent
clap-boards and not only roofs, but
floors, outer and inner walls and ceilings
may be produced from the cane fibre
All these can be put up in winter as well
as summer, and the house made ready for
Immediate occupation. There is no warp
ing, cracking, or shrinking and house
of extra comfort can be built for half the
ordinary cost so that there will be cheap
houses for the millions. Ships and steam
ers can also be constructed for great deal
less money from this cheap material, and
they will last much longer than the wooden
ones, and defy the d1y-rot, worms, and de-
struction by fire. The twin products of
the South cotton and cane, if properly
managed, will bring back to her greater
prosperity than ever ; for which she has
our best wishes and heartiest congratuls-
tiOnS" .r