Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-08-01
A LAwRENCoNIAN.
Hawrence American please copy y
Steep Falls, NOriCdU.


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Steep Falls, NortCay.
One day last wccs, while making al
quiet raid couutryward, we stopped TO
.,baitn at the little village OF Steep Falls,
Norway, one mile from South Paris sta
ton, and spent a brief hour most agreea'
bly, IN looking through its busy work.
shops. The water power here is first
class--of large capacity and ncyer-ial''
ing. 1t is on Pennesseewassee stream,
q mile from the lake from which II takes
its liquid Indian name, and hall mile
below 1.-the Village At this point The
water falls about 90 feet in a passage OF
less than 200 feet being used several times
over before it reaches the river bed be-
low. Within this short space are located
eight manufactures, engaged in rs many
different branches OF industry. The
most important among them is the pulp
and paper mill OF the Norway Paper
Mill Company, Mr.. ID. Z. Squire. Super
intendcnt The pulp mandatory was
started about eighteen months ago, anu
is now in successful operation. The
process employed is novel and simple.
1t consists OF huge grindstone some 20
feet in circumference, closely boxed in.
and driven at high speed by the full force
OF 4 35.horsepowcr. The wood used (pop'
lar) is sawed into short bolts. split. bark
ed and water. soaked. and then placed in
small iron frames occupying an are OF
the circle. By means OF screw-power
applied to each frame the bolts arc held
firmly to the face oil the stone until they
are literally ground to atoms. Water IS
used freely during the grinding. and the
pulyerized wood or pulp. nov nearly
resembling water-grucl. passes through
tine sleeves and over cylinders, becoming
transformed into broad white sheets re-
sembling card board. They are then
folded and laid by To await tho more
complicated process OF paper making.
In this mill there arc three oil these mon
stcr grindstones in use, requiring 100
horse power TO drive them. They are
run day and night, and consume IL
cords of wood each 81 hours. This is
the only pulp mill in tho State save one,
nj Topshan, which is on Il somewhat dit
ferent plan. Pine, Eastwood and poplar
are the woods most used in this company
rs being the bcSt-chcapHcSS being the
object aimed ut in manufacturing paper
from other than rag. stock. Recently this
enterprising company have been adding
TO their works machinery Tor The manu-
laclurc of paper. and are just now start.
ing up fine new Foundrnier machine,
with which they are turning out a super
Tor quality of what is known rs wood
aper-only about 80 per cent, IS wood,
however. the balance being rag-and
upon comparison with allrag paper. 1t
puzzles any but paper man to say which
is the false and which the true. When
sized and calcndered it takes hard.
smooth surface, and makes u COOL article
of writing paper. The company now
use The entire product of their pulp mill
which was formerly sent out OF the State
and turns out daily ton and quarter
of paper, which goes 10 n Boston firm on
contract. They employ - operatives
Is males and females. Than comes
the Touring mill of Mr.. Nj. p. Smith,
long established. Near the foot of the
iall, MeSsr: Cummings X Mann have
Shinglc.mill, and also do IN extensive
business in manufacturing those useful
little wooden implements which are in al
most everybody's hand. bail,handlcs and
clothes pins Across the stream. oppo-
site, McSsrs. Ames & NevcrS, ambi-
tious also to reach the opposite extreme
i'm manufactures, construct those delicate
bits of mechanism which are wont TO
throb so ''iitfully and wild" to the touch
of Jewel fingered damsels-organ and
piano keys-laying the ivory and fitting
them To The boards ready 10 take their
places in the case when they arrive at the
pretentious manufactures" in Boston.
These gentlemen employ ten workmen,
and turn out twenty sets week. Then
there is the turning establishment of
Mr. +. III. Brown, engaged for the most
part, upon the different kinds OF house.
hold furniture. Last but not least we
come to the shovelhandle mandatory
of Messrs. SanbOrn and Son Il Russell.
where n large business is done. Emery
l. Waterhousc, OF this city. and Boston
parties, take all they can manufacture.
A busy place, you may we'll say, reader,
and yet this is but sample. Maine has
many such, and still there is room. All
up and down her streams and rivers lie
scores of these never failing water
powers, waiting only the magic touch OF
Enterprise TO leap into new lite. How
long shall they wait ? oh, how long!-
Portland Transcript.
Greenwood.
party of the Bethel Natural History
Society and others, made trip to Green