Mr. Edward T. Kline, who styles himself "Resident Manager" of Rayonier, Inc., is a tall, dark-haird, (slightly graying at the temples) frozen-faced, curt gentleman of German aspect. In spite of an appointment made early in the morning, he was not inclined to give out any information, repeating several times that he "had nothing to say," or "no information to impart" regarding the mill now in process of completion in Fernandina at the foot of Gum Street and the waterfront.

Even when shown the manuscript for the tentative Fernandina Guide and the meager information regarding the mill, which he said was "all wrong," he would neither advise where the copy was wrong, nor correct it in any manner, shape or form.

Asked if he had authorized the recent news release --- Florida Times-Union of Saturday, November 18, 1939 -- he said he had authorized a release, but not the one that was printed, and at the same time he refused to indicate what was wrong and which statements were correct in the news item.

By dint of much patience and questioning, with a lot of answers "Yes" and "No" the attached was finally given as the purpose of the mill and its products, "sufficient for any local guide."

Several business men of Fernandina who had shown favors to the writer were asked as to Mr. Kline's attitude, to which every one replied that he is considered "very high hat," does not acknowledge introductions, and refuses to be friendly with the citizens of the little town.

Mr. Kline, with his assistant, Mr. A. R. Daly, has recently been transferred to the plant from one of the plants in Washington, in which State are several similar plants in full operation.

The majority of the employees so far -- a skeleton force - have also been transferred from other plants, and the greatest secrecy prevails as to their work.

It is current rumor that the place is really a munitions plant, financed and operated by Japanese capital.

At any rate, just at present, everything is in a state of chaos, and everyone contacted in the plant looked stiff and scared, even to the watchman at the gate.

Allah be praised! Nothing or nobody exploded while the writer was within the stockade.

Rayonier, Inc. Florida Times-Union Nov. 18, 1939

The Rayonier parent company is one of the world's largest producers of dissolving pulps, with mills at Shelton and Tacoma, Washington. The company also supervises the manufacture and sale of dissolving pulps produced by Grays Harbor Pulp and Paper Company, and Olympic Forest Products Company, with mills located at Hoquiam and Port Angeles, Washington, respectively.

Dissolving pulps are highly refined sulphite pulp sold for use in the manufacturing of rayon yarn, cellophane, staple fibre, and other cellulose products.

The new plant is known as a bleached sulphite mill and is the first plant of commercial size designed for the manufacture of pulp from southern woods by use of the sulphite process. It is said to be the largest of its type in the world.

The sulphite process is distinguished from the kraft process, universally used by all of the southern mills, by the use of entirely different chemicals and pulp making equipment.

November 22, 1939
2 p. m.
Personal Interview
Edward T. Kline,
Resident Manager,
Rayonier, Inc.
Fernandina, Florida.
Rose Shepherd, Writer

Text from: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, WPA Federal Writers' Project Collection