20 KANSAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



milling machinery. In spite of the greatest care, pieces of wire and nails would get 

 into the machinery, and finally the feed, which, as stated, became a very serious ob- 

 stacle in the way of using wire. It was customary to use magnets to take out all of 

 the metallic contaminations, and I have heard it stated that it was quite amusing to see 

 the odd pieces of metal that would be taken out by this means — nails, screws, parts of 

 buckles, etc. The magnet was found to be inadequate; the metallic contamination 

 would remain in spite of the magnet, and often to such an extent as to render the 

 feed positively dangerous for horses or cattle. Binding twine thus became an ab- 

 solute necessity for the cereal products. 



In 1883 there was started in Lawrence a manufactory of twine. This establish- 

 ment was at first confined to the making of hemp cordage. The capacity of the 

 mill was 20,000 pounds per day. After a time the idea was suggested that binding 

 twine could be made profitably; and for this purpose a mixture of hemp and "sisal" 

 was used. The name "sisal" is derived from its habitat, Sisal, a part of Yucatan. 

 The fiber is known in the market as sisal-hemp or sisal-grass, and is prepared from 

 the Agave Americana. 



The feasibility of making this product was arrived at by the following consider- 

 ations at the time: The company having in charge the above manufactory figured 

 that the sisal could be brought here and made for 8 to 9 cents per pound — whole- 

 saled at 12h cents per pound. Now the price is 15 to 17 cents per pound, and the 

 market is controlled by what is practically a trust. I may add in passing, that the 

 relation which sisal twine bears to hemp is about the relation of linen thread to 

 cotton — sisal representing the linen. At this time there was made on the product 

 of this factory a profit of 50 per cent. It would prolong this paper unduly to trace 

 the history of this enterprise further; but I will state that the manufactory was dis- 

 continued for the reason that the manager was found to be an impractical man, 

 and his financial ability was insufiicient to meet the demands of so large a concern. 

 It was just as well that it was discontinued, for the " trusts " would have made its main- 

 tenance impossible in a short time. The method adopted by the trust for the pur. 

 pose of controlling the market in such a case was to negotiate for the purchase of 

 ^he factory, of its product, or to lease the factory. If neither of these could be accom 

 jplished, the trust would "freeze the factory out" — a term well known to the trade. 



Speaking with one of the capitalists of Lawrence, I learned that money could be 

 ■raised now, in Lawrence and elsewhere in the State, to start and help along an in- 

 dustry of this kind. 



These are the figures for a mill of $20,000. This amount would cover the cost of 

 machinery as follows: One lapper and comber; one drawing-frame, medium size; 

 two spinning-machines, which spool the thread; one balling-machine — balled from 

 spools. This factory will have the capacity of 15 tons per week, running 24 hours 

 per day. Six men would be required to run such a mill. A capital stock of $25,000 

 would pay for plant, machinery, and stock. To keep stock ahead, which would be 

 necessary, the bankers would loan on stock in hand. 



I should state in closing, that this paper has been written at the request of the 

 Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture, Hon. M. Mohler, who desired me to in- 

 vestigate the matter for his satisfaction. 



