The Northwestern standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1885-1886, 1886-02-13
! IRISH IND UsTRIEs.
Interesting Account Of = Visit to the XII
lsen Paper Mills.

Account Of q Visit to the xii
lssn Paper Mills.
3 Within q few miles of Dublin, upon
he road to N aas, in the center OF 4
,leak and barren-l ooking stretch 10 OF I
country, writes a correspo ndent OF the
Dublin Freeman, there stands an OLD
paper mill which has struggled on for
,yer a century against all the dlsadYan q
tages Mfic the majority OF irish III
dustries labor uId The Influences
Of competition, decay and the general
stagnation of trade in this country
have affected most of our n q
ING industries. Some have been COM !
pletely extinguish8d, many are rapidly
dying out, whilst others are still en-
gagged in a gallant struggle under the
most depressing circumstances. In 1T the
latter category the Irish paper trade
must be classed; and perhaps no better
example of the difficulties which Irish
manufacturers have to contend with
can be found than in the case or the
mill which I have mentioned above.
On the occasion Of a recent visit
learned the following facts concerning
the history Of the Killeen paper mills,
which wish to place before the read
ers of your paper, preparatory to some
disclosures which have to make fur
tiler Oh: The mill consists OF an lrreg-
uIar square block of buildings contain
ed within a large rectangular enclosure
situate some considerable distance off
the main road. The industry was in;
augurated over century ago, as Is
shown by a large stone slab let into the
front of the main building, beneath
the dial of an clock, which bears the.
following inscription: 'sKilleen Paper
Mills, l775.1 The founders were two
brothers, named respectively Derby Nc
Donnell and Christopher Mcdonnell,
who came from Nayan, in the county
Meath, and started a small mill for the.
manufacture of hand-made--the ma
ctline-made article being then quite ln-
known. The undertaking proved a
successful venture and prospered for a
time, when Derby Med onnel died at
Nayan, leaving the mill in the hands OF
Ibis brother Chri stopher ,.Of Kit, as
he was more generally called. The lat
ter, who had to contend with consid II
Bile difficulties, owing to his being in
want Of sufficient capital to work it
properly, died some years later and the
property then fell to his son Edward,
who was afterwards knighted BY the
then viceroy on account of important
public services which he had rendered in
connection with the opening of the great
Cork railway tunnel. Sir Edward Nc
Donnell, who conducted the enterprise
in most successful manner, was sue
ceeded in the ownership after his de-
cease by his son, Richard Med onnell.
The mill was closed for over six months
when Richard Mcdonnell placed it in
the market for sale, and all the hands
were thrown out of employment until
the place was purchased by NJ. "a "a
Nolan, Of the arm Of b. ga q y olah,
Nassau street, Dublin. This gentle
man died on the Goth Of May, 1882, and
the mill then became the property of
his widow, Mrs. Nolan. This lady car
ried on the business for several months,
but, finding that the responsibility was
too much for her, she attempted to dis
pose of her interest in the property but
could not succeed in obtaininga pur-
chaser for it. The was about to close
the mill and give up the place to a
landlard, when Mr.. Patrick Doyle
who had been for twenty years con-
nected with the place. and for consid-
cradle time acting in the capacity Of
manager to her husband during the
latter's lifetime undertook to carry on
the industry, an agreement was entered
into by which he became the lessee.
In pursuance of this arrangement be
obtained q short lease of the place from
Mrs. Nolan, and has since been keeping
the mills going, giving large amount
of employment. Mr. Doyle, who is a
,hardworking, energetic man, has an
extensive practical knowledge of all the
details of paper making, and in addi-
ton thoroughly understands the some-
what complicated machinery. During
his time he has introduced number Of
important mechanical improvements;
and has also superintendent and direct
ed the alterations and repairs which
many portions of the machinery have
undergone. / had some difficulty in
obtaining from Mr.. Doyle an account
of the connection of the niil with the
Bank of Ireland, and it was only by
dint of a good deal of judicious cross ex-
animation elected the following facts
concerning his dealings with that insti-
tuition from him. The authorities of
the Bank of Ireland have for upwards
of century been in the habit of
obtaining the annual supply Of paper
which they require for printing
their notes of issue from the
Killeen mills. The paper, which is all
carefully manufactured by hand with
special 'noulds and special water
marks, y is made in sheets Of sufficient
size to be cut into six different notes
when printed. Mr.. Doyle regretted be-
ing unable to show me any OF the paper,
as he said that he was most stringent
in the observance of the law and his In
structlons from the bank authorities
not to keep any Of the paper about the