Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-04-13

Ifthe question were put, What single article has
been OF the freatest service to mankind mature
reflection would, think decide upon paper as that
article since II has been the means by which thought
and ideas have been dfus 4, not only among coten-
poraries b0t preserved, and rs were, accumulated
III magazines for future evanston and growth. All
other INVENTIONS and perhaps the whole growth Of
civilization due to the material OF paper. Every
branch OF knowledge Is reaHhed, and every avenue to
the wisdom of great minds and the results of genius
are explored only W means # paper, aud its blessings
are diffused through all ranks of society Like
almost all great blessings, however, il has been de-
Veoped most rapidly in the United States. Almost
ali vegetable substances were used for the nanuiac
turo OF paper by our ancestors, but it not until
the t"urtccath century that linen rags became gen
orally the material.
Mr.. John ". Dixon, of this city has, without
DOUBT been the most successful, up to the present
time in the practical introduction of the manu
at paper from wood and straw. The advantages Of
his process cou1sts in avoiding the large sump
ton Of chemicals. and the extensive evaporating a-
paraus, covering acres Of gTound required in other
wood pulp estabhsements and which render the pro-
cess too extensive for general use. Mr.. Dixon has
obtained sixteen patents and has licensed the firm
of J. .. Heft 4 Co.. (ot which firir Mr. Dixon is
Ioomber)C of this city, whose works are located Orpo
site Manavunk. This firm has been in full operation
under ms patents since july. 1862 and have manu-
featured over million pounds of paper from wood
and straw The daily production Is now about 1900
pounds per day.
The wood 3er mill of Messrs D. IIeft & Co., 10
Gated at the western end Of the Manayunk toll bridge
IS feature N !iS way, perhaps unsurpassed III in
tcreSt IN the United States.
The manufacture Of pauer from common TO- est
wood mas occupied the attention of those interested
N paper making for some timc but it remained for
greatest perfection.
As stated, these mills are Of very extensive char
acter. and built il remarkably substantial manner
They are four stories il height composed Of massive
blocks Of stone. and erected on strong and durable
GundatiOn The foundation walls are several feet in
thickness, q portion OF which Is composed Of an I'M
menseiy thick abutment Of bridge belonging to the
KeadinS rai!road which runs directly past the west
ern end OF the mills.
A stranger en- crinc these mills without guide
would soon lose hlmsel, among such a labyrinth Of
apartments. all used III the different processes of
manufacturing wood and straw paper. An immense
number OF bands aoe employed in the establishment
Some idea Of the capacity Of the mills may be in
forred from the facE that about seven thousand
pounds OF paper ara daily manufactured.
The making o. this paper was commenced in these
lllS IN July 800, and the manufacture Of the same
has been rodUced to he highest state OF perfection
In an article like the present, which must of neces
s.ty be crcumscribet in length, complete descrip-
tion @ OF theSa mills caan"t be giycn Such deScrip
Let us make hasty tour of the interior and see
what we find at rough glance
Entering the mills by the southern door, we are
ushered INTO spacious apartment, in which we find
cords upon cords of rough hewn timber In the cen
trc oI thlS apartment Is an elaborate machine used
fQr cutting these logs Of wood into thin chips sha-
wings. The logs arc laid in strong wooden trough
at one end of which is affixed several large knives or
cutters, which work by iIgeniOusy arranged machi-
merry connected with it. The log is pressed againsJ
these knives, and the shavings or chips fall thick and
last on the other SIDE. These chips conveyed to
very large st9rc-room overhead which presents the
appearanGe OF hiiocks oi chips Pioa up IN all direc
size IN which cut stray Is stored i'll large quantes
which IS used in connection with the WOOD in the
manufacture OF the paper.
Adjoining these sore rooms on tho north is an
apartment which displays the tops of the immense
"digestoTs used for the purpose of converting the
chips and straw into pulp. The wood and straw,
after being cut is shoveed through two large roughs
that connect the storage room with the adjoining
one, containing the tops Of the ''digesters" The
raw material pours in, cascade style. through these
ouehs, AID through the apeTtureS at the top of the
Glgesers" into the body Of the same and after un-
dergoing variety of transformations, the pulp is
obtained, which, before undergoing the bleaching
process is of very light brown hue and taken 70
the rag engine to be washed. Another apartment,
denominated the bleaching room, is well scored with
chemicals Of different kinds, and contains huge iron
tanks, used In the prcDsratory bleaching process
After undergoing the bleaching operation. the pulp
looks about much like the original wood or straw
as it resembles steam engine. 1t is soft and doUny
in appearance and as white rs the driven snow In
this form il is c0nided to the of those having
charge OF the process of transferring it into white pa
per, of great durability and finish.
The "digesters' in Messrs Heft u Co.'S mills are
capable of turning out six thousand pounds Of paper
per diem. The above is simple outline description
of an establishment for the manufacture of wood
paper, which reflects great credit on its projectors
and is an homer to our city.-PhH North Amer