Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1869-07-02


The progress made in labor saving ma
chimes for the production Of useful arti-
cles. is well illustrated in the manufacture
of spools. A mandatory ofthis kind has
recently been put in operation at Locke's
Mills, in this county, and is doing pros
porous business. The building now
used in this business has been used, since
its erection, for a variety Of purposes.
First it was occupied as awoolen facto-
ry,, but this did not pay and the machin-
ery was soon taken out and set up else
where. Then for several years il was
occupied for the manufacture OF bedsteads,
hut this business was finally carried to
Walkers Mills, a few miles below on the
same stream. Subsequently II was filed
with machinery, with new wheels and
gear throughout for the manufacture OF
Excelsior. and at last with the same shaft
ing, and wheels, but with new machin-
cry it was applied to the purpose for
which il is now used This water power
is one Of the best in the county, being sup
piled by number of ponds whose waters
are the drainage of large tract OF terri
tory. Contiguous to the Spool factory,
Is saw mill and large and well conduc-
ted grist-mill, where, in addition TO Gus
tom work, western wheat is worked mp
into flour, and barrelled for the use of the
citizens and surrounding country.
A few days since, by the politeness OF
Mr.. Dearborn, one Of the proprietors,
and also the company's agent in the spool
factory, we were shown through the en-
tire building and to witness the several
operations necessary TO the manufacture
and finish of the delicate and neatly
wrought spool. from the heavy and I'M
welding section OF white birch, from
which tree, these Spools alone are made.
The birch timber is purchased by the
factory by the cord and is cut into Sec
tons Of four feet in length. 1t is then
loaded upon low car which upon wood
en- truck is pushed into the basement OF
the factory, and is there sawed up, first
into plank, and then into square pelces,
each piece being four feet in length and
from one TO two inches square according
to the size of the spool to be made. These
pieces are then taken TO the dry house
and thoroughly seasoned. They are then
taken TO the second hoor of the factory
when several workmen are engaged IN
putting them through the first process for
the manufacture OF the spool. Each piece
is taken by the hand and the end is plunged
into n little machine, when ahole is bored
through the center, and hidden knives
are brought 10 bear upon it, which take
off the sharp corners and leave portion
of il smooth, the length of the proposed
spool. round and smooth. The operator
then brings it in contact with tiny circu-
! lar saw which cuts off the portion thus
rounded and bored, and it drops into
barrel placed underneath to receive it.
The work is done very rapidly, many
embryo spools dropping into the barrel
in the time am describing the process
These barrels are carried TO another room
the pieces taken out one by one and placed
upon revolving spindle, when An in
strument armed with sharp knives of the
requisite shape, is pressed against it,
which bevels and smooths up the spool at
a single movement. Lastly the spools
are packed in barrels which are made to
revolve on shaft. and any inequalities
which may have escaped the other pro-
cesses are removed by tituiaion.
White birch exists in considerable guam
titles in the vicinity of these mills and be-
fore the manufacture of spools was COM
menced, was used only for fuel. This
insures permanence to the business and
adds materially to the prosperity OF the
place.
Mr.. Dearborn has wisely concluded to
employ none but men of steady and m
dustrious habits about his premises,
which, If carried out, rs we doubt not II
will be- must have salutary effect in
correcting and improving the morals OF
that community.