April 15, 1863, Montgomery Weekly Advertiser
One of the greatest difficulties with which publishers have had to contend during the present war is that of procuring an adequate supply of paper. There are several mills in the South, but their capacity has not been equal to the demand made upon them, and some newspapers have been compelled to suspend in consequence of the inability of their owners to obtain paper.–Manufacturers have been troubled to procure machinery and materials, and very naturally prices have steadily advanced.–The cost of paper has doubled several times, and there is every indication that it has not reached the maximum. One of the principal ingredients in the manufacture is cotton, and it can be easily imagined what effect the recent rise in the price of that staple will have upon the paper market. The cost may, however, be diminished to some extent or at least prevented from increasing greatly, if every one who is interested in reading will make an effort to preserve scraps of cotton or linen cloth, rope and thread, refuse cotton, and all waste material of which either cotton, hemp, or flax forms the fibre. If every housekeeper will keep a “rag bag,” and preserve all materials which can be converted into cotton, an immense benefit will accrue to the country. The contents of these “rag bags” can be sold to the paper mills, and the manufacturers may then be able to furnish paper at the present prices. If something of the kind is not done, it is probable an increase in the price of paper corresponding to the increased cost of cotton will take place, and publishers, in self preservation will be compelled to advance their rates. Some have already done this. The Jackson, Mississippi, papers are now furnished at thirty dollars per year, and the Richmond Enquirer is published at fifteen dollars. Those of our exchanges who were receiving their supplies from the Bath mills, near Augusta, Georgia, recently destroyed by fire, are indulging in the most gloomy apprehensions of a complete suspension of their issues. All of the mills in the confederacy are employed to their full capacity in the manufacture of paper for other establishments, and they see no alternative but to suspend, and wait for the mills to be rebuilt, and placed in running order. There is a general disposition on the part of the press to do all that is possible for their subscribers, but until publishers are furnished with an inexhaustible treasury from which to draw supplies they will be forced to adopt some means to make their receipts correspond with their expenses.