The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1882-01-12
Our East Side Industries.

pied and await the coming of some enterprising
spirit. On this stream are situated the three paper
mills formerly occupied by the Russell Paper Co.,
Of Lawrence, Mass. Two of these mills are now
Idle the third is used In the manufacture of leather
board. The most extensive business carried on in
this stream is the manufacture of axes. Last week
Journal representative rode up this river, visiting
the several places of business. The first stopping
place was at
b. KELLEY & CO.'S AXE FACTORY,
the largest business place the river in opera
ton. The first factory in Belfast that of Job
White, erected in 1915. The first axe ever made
in town forged out by Whites brother, In ls22
Major Benz. Kelley, native of Boothbay, came
here to reside. Shortly afterwards. In company
with John r. Whiting, he began the manufacture
of aXee, and for sixty years the business has been
carried on at the old stand In 1873 Major Kelley
died, the business going to his son Benjamin, the
present head OF the firm. Some eight years ago
Mr.. Kelley associated with himself Mr.. Walter b.
Rankin, the firm name being b. Kelley Co. Tine
present proprietors have improved the business in
many respects, making new patterns and catering
to tla wants of their customers. Their axes have
an excellent reputation. pattern known a. the
"Lumberman's Favorte' meeting with large sales
in the numbering districts. This axe is wedge
shape, being heavy at the head. Another pattern
which sells well is called the Rankin axe, while the
standard IS known "a the Ch mpion. Last season
the company We're unable to keep up with their or
ders, although they manufactured twelve dozens
tally. The yearly production OF this factory j.
5000 dozens. IN extension 30 by 40 feet just CON
pleted, giving them Il builliny 40 fe,t in length,
will, with increased machinery AMI men, add large
ploy thirteen men and run four trip hammers. Two
more trip hammers will be added In the spring.
Formerly foreign material exclusively wa used III
making axes, but now everything is American with
the exception OF the grindstones and the material
Of which the emery Is made. The materials used
in the production OF axes are iron, Steel, coal
boraX, grindstone- emery and glue. GA one side
of the building the furnaces which rest on iron
frames, and opposite the trip hammers. The
furnaces are kept going rs fan-blower above, the
air pipe running along the furnaces under grounl
Vhe power of the factory is derived from forty.
eight inch BLrnham turbine wheel, nine feet fall of
water which gives 81 horse power. Let u- follow
piece Of rough iron through the various processes
until it emerses finely polished axe. First, bur
iron %, by Z inch is placed between large shears
and iunked up into proper lengths. Each piece i,
One lies in the furnace heating while the other Is
worked by the for.er. The pattern, at white heat.
is taken to trip hammer. furnished with suitable
lies, where the ends are drawn and plated. so that
when brought together the eye is formed, It section
in the middle being left to form the head of the axe
rhe pattern being drawn Is now turned, SO as to
bring the ends together. slug being placed be
tween the ends to give greater thickness below he
hye of the axe. When nj welding heat the pattern
is taken 10 trip ham mer and welded solid below
the eye, forming what is termed the poll. Two men
make the polls, in fact this j. the custom all the way
through each gang performing cert ain trt If the
work. The poll i taken to the btt-trimm + where
It Is trimmed to the required form. 1t i now ready
tor the steel. The steel which forms the edge Of
the axe comes in bars and is cut up and prepared
" having the edges turned up. The steel is now
placed on to the poll the edge, coming up ON either
side Tie steel is well supplied with ground boraN.
without which union of tue iron and -tecl cannot
>e had After heating it goes to another trip ham
ner the iron and steel tlrmly welded and the bitt
trawn. At this point the lterial begins To look
ike an axe. At the next heating the axe Is taken
20 another hammer where the steel i, condensed
md refined IN the most thorough manner. Then to
mother hammer, where the iron from thepyr down
to the steel Is swaged The axe j. placed in another
furnace that the head will heat while the bitt re-
mains comparatively cool When hot the heat is
squared under another hammer the eye perfected.
md the axe finally Strengthened. We now have i
perfect axe in the rough. The next operation Is
the tempering, which is performed by Mr.. Kelley
himself. The axes are slowly and evenly heated,
when they plunged lno brine which makes
them hard and brittle as glass. Again they
ire placed over a fire until the temper is reduced
t1 the required point, which is known us the
cDlor of the metal, AMI ~ in oubn .fset in wa
Ter The next process IS the grinding, which IS
lone two large revolving stones, one yeI<h-
ing three and the other one ami half tons \
tone Of the latter size Is used up in twelve
lays. All the inperfecti0ns are ground out, tae
IKE trued and edged Next it goe. 10 the polish
ing room, where it is polished on an emery wheel
until il becomes a. bright us Il mirror. Here tte
axes are weighed, stamped and bronzed or tinted,
when perfect axe is made and ready for packing.
some not polished. but are taken from the
grindstones and painted black all over This cla--
i preferred by lumbermen. Mr.. tnkin has charge
Of the grinding and polishing room.
keey's axes find ready sale mostly in the
states of Maine. New Hampshire, Massachusetts,
Wisconsin and Minnesota Latteriy they have ln-
troduccd them into Nova Scotia
Next above Kelley's factory we come to
GEORGE HARDY'S AXE FACTORY.
where axes are manufactured on 4 smaller scale.
Hardy runs crew Of five men aud two trip ham.
mers. The axes are male In the same manner as
1T kelleys, with the exception that one crew per
forms all the work of forging Mr.. Hardy attend,
to the tcmpering. The patterns use ara much like
those already described. Mr.. Hardy hires his crew
by the lay. while at Keey's the men work by the
piece. Mr., Hardy manufactures about three dozens
tally which find ready sale.
Further down stream we enter the new aNe fac
tory of
THOMPSON II SHERMAN.
This is commodioue building 30 by 80 feet erected
the past winter 1t adions the Old pulp mill which
latter becomes part of the new factory Here IS
substantial stone dam with a good waterfall. The
building is furnished with three trip hlmmcr4
everything being new and Of the latest patterns
Mr.. sherman, one of the proprietors is practical
axe maker, and WAS 1T one time partner of Nh
Hardy, mentioned above He will have charge Of
the work. 1t is believed they can buili On 4 good
business. The factory has about the same capacity
IF kelleys. few rods below + the
LEATHER BOARD MIL.
owned BY the same parties. and once fully desrrb
ed in these columns
AT the mouth OF Goose river is the Ice privilege
and plaster mill Of
HIRAM +. PIERCE,
one OF the finest water powers on the river New
Ice houses have been erected this winter. which,
with the Old ones, will store some ffleen thousand
tons Should the season prove favorable for this
industry, Mr. Pierce will reap rich harvest. a
grst mill is also situated here
Above Hlriys axe factory is the
KELLEY PAPER MILL,
now idle. We learn that Ssarhusetts parties are
negotiating Tor the purchase of the mill tor the
purpose OF manufacturing roofing paper. The mill
is good one, the power is sum 'ent and il is to he
hoped the project will be matured.
Another lille paper mill, owned principally by
the Russels, from which the machinery is removed,
is an excellent privilege for manufacturing pur-
poses.
Probably the best water power on the river is
owned ny II. +. Pierce, and is known as Hiram
Dale falls Here is a waterfall Of forty feet, which
with the Improved water wheels now In use. will
give almost any required power. This Is unoccu-
pied There are other dams across the river owned
by the same gentleman, which Offer extra induce