O.C.B. et papetiers Bolloré en Caroline du Nord, The Echo et Time Magazine 1940-50

By the time Harry Straus was dubbed Chevalier, some 26 French paper plants were furnishing 75% of the paper used in U. S.-made cigarets. Seeing another world war ahead. Paperman Straus was then already deep in plans to move a big piece of France's new industry west again—to the U. S.

Last week before the National Farm Chemurgic Conference in Chicago, big, balding Harry Straus rose to report on cigaret paper's newest move, to the broad Davidson River plain in the timber-clad Toxaway mountains 30 miles southwest of Asheville. N. C. There, on the day Britain and France declared war on Nazi Germany, his Ecusta Paper Corp. turned out its first bobbin of cigaret paper. There the 17-building plant of Ecusta today runs 24 hours a day, employs 900 workmen, turns out some 50% of U. S.-made cigaret paper.

The rest was from substantial credits from the Irving Trust Co. and whacking advances by the U. S. cigaret manufacturers, who put up $1,000,000 each. To them the advances were worthwhile as a hedge against possible wartime disruption of the French supply. But what interested the Chicago conference most last week was that Ecusta had made a short cut in technique, and (as Schweitzer and other tissuemen had done) made a new cash crop for farmers.

Until a few years ago linen rags were the only base for cigaret tissues. Then chemists made what seemed to many a layman an obvious discovery—that the rag stage could be bypassed and tissue could be made direct from flax. To U. S. flax farmers, principally in Minnesota, California and North Dakota, this means that Ecusta alone will take the crop from 75,000 to 100,000 acres. If other U. S. cigaret paper makers complete the switch from rag base to flax, farmers of another 75,000 to 100,000 acres will have found a market for their crop.

Last week in the close-mouthed tobacco business, best estimate was that since World War II began, domestic production of tissue had increased from 25% to 40% of the total bought by U. S. cigaret makers. With both Ecusta and Schweitzer about to double their plant capacity, by war's end the U. S. may have another complete new industry, reaching from farm to factory, with a manufacturers' gross of some $10,000,000 a year.

Au moment où Harry Straus était nommé Chevalier, on comptait 26 papeteries françaises qui fournissaient 75% du papier à cigarette consommé aux US. Avec la perpective d'une autre guerre mondiale. Le papetier Straus était prêt à transférer un pièce importante de la nouvelle industrie française vers l'ouest, vers les US.

La semaine avant la Conférence Nationale de Chimie et d'Agriculture à Chicago, la tête chauve d'Harru Straus s'est levé pour annoncer le nouveau transfert, vers la rivière Davidson, dans les montagnes du parc à bois de Toxaway, à 30 miles au sud d'Asheville en Caroline du Nord. Là, le jour où l'Angleterre et la France a déclaré la guerre à l'Allemagne nazie, son entreprise papetière d'Ecusta a produit sa toute première bobine de papier. Là l'usine d'Ecusta avec ses 17 batiments tourne aujourd'hui 24 heures sur 24, emploie 900 ouvriers, et fabrique la moitié de la production américaine de papier à cigarette.

Le reste provenait de crédits substanciels d'Irving Trust Co. et d'avances importantes des fabricants de cigarettes des US qui ont mis 1 million de dollars chacun. Pour eux les avances permettent de contrecarrer l'arrêt des fournisseurs français pour faits de guerre. Mais ce qui intéressait encore plus à la conférence de Chicago était qu'Ecusta avait fait un progrès technique, et (comme l'ont fait Schweitzer et les autres papetiers) favorisait une culture de rapport pour les agriculteurs.

Jusqu'à il y a quelques années les chiffons étaient la seule base pour le papier à cigarette. Ensuite les chimistes ont fait une découverte qui semble évidante pour les non initiés - que le temps du chiffon pouvait être dépassé et que le papier pouvait être issu directement du lin. Pour les cultivateurs de lin des US, principalement dans le Minnesota, Californie et le Dakota du Nord, cela veut dire qu'Ecusta à lui seul va utiliser les cultures de 37,500 à 50.000 hectares. Si les autres fabricants américains de papier à cigarette remplaçaient aussi le chiffon par le lin, les agriculteures des 37,500 à 50.000 hectares supplémentaires trouveraient un marché pour leurs cultures.

La semaine dernière dans le monde fermé du tabac, les meilleures estimations depuis la 2e guerre mondiale a démarré, la production domestique de papier a augmenté de 25% à 40% sur le total acheté par les fabricants de cigarettes des US. Avec Ecusta et Schweitzer qui vont doubler la capacité de leurs usines, à la fin de la guerre les US aurant une industrie complete, de la ferme agricole à l'usine, avec un revenu brut annuel de 10 millions de dollars.

From all indications, shrouded somewhat by the secrecy of the sailing date, our friends de­parted January 17th aboard the S/S "De Grasse".

Letters written by our friends from New York before sailing intimated that they were "in the army now", being guests of the French Government at a New York Hotel somewhat regimented, They stated, however, that they had no complaints to register and their few days in New York were full of interesting tours.

At this writing we have yet to receive confirmation of their safe arrival in France.

It is the wish of all at Ecusta that our friends reach home safely and that they do honor to the flag of democracy, the flag of freedom and of France.

J. Cartel, of Troyes, France, a veteran cigarette paper maker has been director of Ste. Nouvelle de Papeteries de Champagne for several years. M. Cartel came to Brevard in April of last year to supervise the opening operations of the Ecusta Paper Corporation; since the French method of manufacturing cigarette paper is a departively new industry in America. The policies and methods of production in the plant here were under the direction of M. Cartel.

Mr. Gros, supervisor of the Beater new machime rooms while here, is remedly an outstanding expert in the such making cigarette maker. M. Lenoir, who was a tender ??? of the machines in France, assisted M. Gros in the machine room at Ecusta.

The party from Ecusta sailed from New York on February 24, aboard the S/S Manhattan for France to serve their mother country.

As the paper goes to press, we learn in a cablegram from Mr. Cartel that they arrived in Paris and in health.

De plusieurs sources, quelque peu brouillées par le secret de leur date de départ en bateau, on sait que nos amis sont partis le 17 janvier à bord du Croiseur "De Grasse".

Letters written by our friends from New York before sailing intimated that they were "in the army now", being guests of the French Government at a New York Hotel somewhat regimented, They stated, however, that they had no complaints to register and their few days in New York were full of interesting tours.

At this writing we have yet to receive confirmation of their safe arrival in France.

It is the wish of all at Ecusta that our friends reach home safely and that they do honor to the flag of democracy, the flag of freedom and of France.

J. Cartel, de Troyes en France, un vétéran spécialiste en papier à cigrette fut directeur de la Société Nouvelle de Papeteries de Champagne pendant de plusieurs années. M. Cartel came to Brevard in April of last year to supervise the opening operations of the Ecusta Paper Corporation; since the French method of manufacturing cigarette paper is a departively new industry in America. The policies and methods of production in the plant here were under the direction of M. Cartel.

Mr. Gros, supervisor of the Beater new machime rooms while here, is remedly an outstanding expert in the such making cigarette maker. M. Lenoir, who was a tender ??? of the machines in France, assisted M. Gros in the machine room at Ecusta.

The party from Ecusta sailed from New York on February 24, aboard the S/S Manhattan for France to serve their mother country.

As the paper goes to press, we learn in a cablegram from Mr. Cartel that they arrived in Paris and in health.

Monsieur Cartel is manager of the Societe Nouvelle des Pape- teries de Champagne in Troyes and is visiting Ecusta for the first time since 1940. He can’t quite get over the tremendous improve­ ment and progress that has been made here since his last visit. W hile here, M. Cartel was invited out to have dinner with one of our fine Ecusta couples. That’s not unusual, except that an ex- GI was anxious to return the hospitality M. Cartel showed him in France in 1944 and 1945. Raleigh Waldrop, assistant chief inspec­ tor here, had the happy privilege of visiting M. Cartel’s home in November, 1944, and again in March, 1945. On one of those trips, Raleigh rode over 100 miles in the back of an Army truck to get to Troyes, but it was worth it.

On Sunday, March 14, M. Cartel was the guest of Raleigh and his wife, Naomi, at their nice home on the Rosman highway. W ith the bit of French he learned in service, Raleigh did well in talking to M. Cartel. And after Naomi’s tasty dinner, we bet an interpreter wasn’t necessary for M. Cartel to tell her how much he enjoyed that fried chicken, and all the other Southern trimmings.

Monsieur Cartel est le directeur de la Société Nouvelle des Pape- teries de Champagne in Troyes and is visiting Ecusta for the first time since 1940. He can’t quite get over the tremendous improve­ ment and progress that has been made here since his last visit. W hile here, M. Cartel was invited out to have dinner with one of our fine Ecusta couples. That’s not unusual, except that an ex- GI was anxious to return the hospitality M. Cartel showed him in France in 1944 and 1945. Raleigh Waldrop, assistant chief inspec­ tor here, had the happy privilege of visiting M. Cartel’s home in November, 1944, and again in March, 1945. On one of those trips, Raleigh rode over 100 miles in the back of an Army truck to get to Troyes, but it was worth it.

On Sunday, March 14, M. Cartel was the guest of Raleigh and his wife, Naomi, at their nice home on the Rosman highway. W ith the bit of French he learned in service, Raleigh did well in talking to M. Cartel. And after Naomi’s tasty dinner, we bet an interpreter wasn’t necessary for M. Cartel to tell her how much he enjoyed that fried chicken, and all the other Southern trimmings.

The world got its first look at Mr. Straus January 9th, 1884. From the day of his birth un­til the turn of the century he lived the life of any normal boy, fishing in the streams, playing with his many friends, and going to school. At the age of 16 he became an apprentice in a large iron works, and later worked in his father’s factory. Having a desire to learn the English language, he came to the United States in 1904 where he was engaged by Gutmann and Company, selling cork sheets to Boucher Cork and Machine Com­pany. Mr. Straus realized that the United States was where he belonged, and he decided to make it his adopted country ...

Mr. Straus became interested in cigarette pa­per just prior to World War I, and in 1915 he started importing cigarette paper from French mills. This was the year that he founded Endless Belt Corporation, making endlessly woven belts for cigarette manufacturers. He also purchased the High Grade Button Works ...

In 1927 he founded the DeMauduit Paper Cor­ poration, importing cigarette paper from France. Three years later he secured substantial interest in leading cigarette paper mills in France, and found­ ed Champagne Paper Corporation, importing on a larger scale than at any previous time. The manufacturing of Tip-Top, first 100-leaf book­ lets of roll-your-own cigarette papers, began the following year, and 6ne year later he designed and built the first machine to produce free booklets ...

On May 5th, 1938, the newspapers displayed the headlines, pleasing to the eyes of many Ameri­cans, HUGE CIGARETTE PAPER PLANT TO LOCATED IN PISGAH FOREST, N. C. On Au­gust 7th, CONSTRUCTION OF WORLD’S LARGEST CIGARETTE PAPER PLANT WELL UNDER WAY.

The year 1939 saw great activity in the hither­ to quiet mountain community. Boucher Cork Company, Champagne Paper Corporation and Endless Belt Corporation moved into Pisgah Forest. Ecusta was fast nearing completion. On June 14th, the first blast came from the Ecusta whistle; and on September 2nd came the an­xiously awaited moment—the first cigarette pa­per made in America from flax rolled from the huge paper machines. One year later Mr. Straus decided to double the production, making several changes in the Pulp Mill, adding seventeen larger beaters to the Refining Department, and install­ing four new paper machines ...

M. Straus vit le jour le 9 janvier 1894. From the day of his birth un­til the turn of the century he lived the life of any normal boy, fishing in the streams, playing with his many friends, and going to school. At the age of 16 he became an apprentice in a large iron works, and later worked in his father’s factory. Having a desire to learn the English language, he came to the United States in 1904 where he was engaged by Gutmann and Company, selling cork sheets to Boucher Cork and Machine Com­pany. Mr. Straus realized that the United States was where he belonged, and he decided to make it his adopted country ...

Mr. Straus became interested in cigarette pa­per just prior to World War I, and in 1915 he started importing cigarette paper from French mills. This was the year that he founded Endless Belt Corporation, making endlessly woven belts for cigarette manufacturers. He also purchased the High Grade Button Works ...

In 1927 he founded the DeMauduit Paper Cor­ poration, importing cigarette paper from France. Three years later he secured substantial interest in leading cigarette paper mills in France, and found­ ed Champagne Paper Corporation, importing on a larger scale than at any previous time. The manufacturing of Tip-Top, first 100-leaf book­ lets of roll-your-own cigarette papers, began the following year, and 6ne year later he designed and built the first machine to produce free booklets ...

On May 5th, 1938, the newspapers displayed the headlines, pleasing to the eyes of many Ameri­cans, HUGE CIGARETTE PAPER PLANT TO LOCATED IN PISGAH FOREST, N. C. On Au­gust 7th, CONSTRUCTION OF WORLD’S LARGEST CIGARETTE PAPER PLANT WELL UNDER WAY.

The year 1939 saw great activity in the hither­ to quiet mountain community. Boucher Cork Company, Champagne Paper Corporation and Endless Belt Corporation moved into Pisgah Forest. Ecusta was fast nearing completion. On June 14th, the first blast came from the Ecusta whistle; and on September 2nd came the an­xiously awaited moment—the first cigarette pa­per made in America from flax rolled from the huge paper machines. One year later Mr. Straus decided to double the production, making several changes in the Pulp Mill, adding seventeen larger beaters to the Refining Department, and install­ing four new paper machines ...