Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-01-18
Local Sketches.
NO. 1.
LUMBER Dc MILLING INTERESTS.

neceSSltateS the constant exercise OF all the
attributes of the thorough business man as
that of numbering and milling. 1t is impossi-
BILE tor the manager to concentrate his ener-
gy and force, and necessarily his administra-
tive power pertains of more than a mere seat
of government, as his presence and watchfuI
eye are as necessary in the woods on the riv-
er, IN the office and on the rail 1t is there
fore not matter of wonder that many insti-
tutIons fail, owing to the lack of proper Or
ganizatlon and effective management. That
upon a depression of the foreign and home
markets there Is partaking of stampede
semblancy and only the practical, shrewd
and able lumbelman withstands the storm
and prospers when others are metby ineXtri-
cable financial difficulty and blasted hopes.
A notable example of success gained by
practical experience, inherent energy, true
principle and judicious enterprise is the in
stitution of George II. Fitzgerald Il Son, TO
which the prosperity of the region is greatly
attributable. Mr.. Fitzgerald possesses In an
eminent degree the essential qualifications
to command and retain success Born in
Fairfield Maine, on the Kennebec River, he
was raised to the music of the saw buzz and
forest nature. When but 10 years of age he
DGBUn INC 6dEnGSJUcSS Vi ZIG us aSSlSIaNb 10
his father in saw milling. He rapidly rose to
! positions of responsibility, and practically
has run every description of saw used in
milling with the exception of the gang. In
wo:dcraft he also became experienced and
able, and has been charge de Gfa5eS of mill
! ing interests which took front in the north
For five yeuis he WAS associated with tho Gel
Cbratcd Norton Mills Company and in on C
season put in twelve million feet therefor.
! In 1871 he located at the base of his present
operations as jobDer, the above named CON
! tract being one OF hts successful accomplish
ments III that regard. After the "old mill''
WAS burned Mr.. Fitzgerald purch scd the
! site, erect ed first class buildings ana has
come to the front rank in his line ct i'll lnu
tacture. Ills home mills are admirably
| located in the village of Island Pond with
, branch track from the III lin line, ohly IL few
rods away, ami are in cIup.nont AM ar.
rangement not surpassed, taking capacity in
to consideration. The saw mill is Il stron e
and slightly structure two stories in heightll
ana measuring 40x80 feet. The smooth lun.
ming engine of 81 horse power is aided bv
two boilers, one tubular and one tluc, respect
lively in propeling the best machinery
hIlOH IL " hlOuCIn INV cnIlCn. Inc ClfGulul
saw, % inches in diameter, has an average
capacity of $1,000 feet per day, and the car.
riage and other auXilliaries are in accordance
with the requirements of Il first class institu-
ton. The planer hatcher with heavy double
cylinders, is of the celebrated S. Il A. Woods
manufacture and has the virtue of not only
planning two sides but also beading and center
beading in one motion. A parallel trimmer
also shows the advancement in milling DOW
err, as with movable saws it makes boards al
most instantcr of equal length, and the pickle
machine completes all of interest in this de-
partment. The upper.rcgiou contains shin
gle, board and box machinery, tho latter be-
ing devoted to the manufacture OF dry goods
boxes which are shipped to Boston and vi.
cinity, and coarse boxes for fish packing is
another source of industry. The handsome
planning mill erected in 1878 measures 5Ox7J
feet, one story In heighth, mechanical skill
and capital being combined in its supplement
The moulding machinery has the advantage
of inside moulder for any form of lumber,
while clapboard dresser, butting machinery,
edger, cut Off, rip and other saws do excellent
duty. One dry house for spruce lumber has
a capacity of so, 600 feet, and the house espec
Curran 4 Wolff patent, can effcctually dry
over 45, 900, feet. In Il portion Of the planins
mill is a vertical buhr supplying provender
for the numerous teams. The little wonder,
only 10 inches in diameter, produces twelve
bushels of meal per hour, and the man has
not yet been found agile enough to feed 1t
while corn cracking. All the departments
are free from intricacy and men and nachin-
cry move like clock-work, under the super
vision of a master regarded by his peers and
respected by his men.
The numerous buildings which if out of the
village would resemble an embryo city, la
clude blacksmith shop and a wood. orkn z
department wherein wagons, sleighs and
other vehicles are manufactured, and whore
mill wllghting generallyis done by Mr.. Geo
Moye who as an artiZan has few equals and
has been in the Fitzgerald employ since the
establishment of the mills. In the mills and
yards from 45 to so men are employed, and
last winter 80 teams were engaged in the
woods alone Adjoining the mills are several
structures specially worthy of note, and as
Mr.. Fitzgerald was the architect of his buiIdt
ings as we'll as his fortunes, depression from
lumber to barns and stables is pardonable.
Since boyhoo the gentleman has been pre-
gressive, buildings or men beng Inefficient
for the functions required we're transplanted
or utilized according to capacity, hence VIC
discover an excellent building as Il capacious
warehouse, formerly barn. The barn and
stable erected i'll lieu of the old measures Sc
by 1870 feet and from basement to cupola is &C
feet in height Internally it Is model of de.
sign and worthy of containing the best
blooded stock ever registered. Upon enter.
ing, 90 roomy horse stalls are seen in one
compartment, with floors as polished as q
bowling alley. The numerous windows
worthy Of vine clad cottages, are as intact as
a northern winter demands, or with ventila.
tors give immediate purity to the atmos.
pEere. To each stall is connected semi.re-
Tolving boxes which can be supplied from
the main internal carriage way which grants
the largest vehicle made easy entrances and
exit. A silo with capacity for l2A tons OF en-.
silage reaches from the roof to the subterra-
pean depths, and is built strictly according to
this modern idea of necessary agricultural
success. Tho granary Is roomy and admir-
: ably ste eked. The harness room adjoining is
an exposition of horse garb and jewelry, and
on the main floor, with attachment to II very
pleasant hostlers room is the ever celebrated
and fair Fairbanks scales. Numerous box
stalls, unexeelled in the blue grass country
Of kentucky, haYe descendants Of the best