Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-09-22
A New Industry and What II is Doing.
From Forest to Paper Mill

dry rock if need be, TO correlate with the
source of demand To make paper of course
requires material, and to make the paper
for newspapers selling for two and three
cents each requires material that can be
manufactured cheaply. The censns stats.
ties of 1880 furnish an incentive to though,
on this question. These statistics show that
in the United States the yearly consumption
of paper was SG5, ,000, 900 pounds. Taking
into account our increase in population and the
new uses for paper that have come into exis-
tence during the past eight years it will be
found that this country is using the present
year about ZOO, 900 200 pounds This i'm
plies that if this amount were divided up
equally without regard to the little social
inequalities that exist, we should each of
us get about Il pounds. Till within 20
years rags were considered necessary to the
manufacture of paper, but fortunately auoth-
er process was invented. Had there not
been all the latter demalions in Christendom
lleathendom and the doms that Stanley is
supposed to be after would not have sutiiced
to furnish the requisite supply. Wood pulp
came to the rescue and today is one of the
most stable sources for paper manufacture.
Augusta is city which in proportion to its
size uses vast amount of paper, This is
easily seen by noting the immense quantities
of published matter which daily goes out
from the city. The paper used comes from
away, Notwithstanding the fact that the
natural facilities for its manufacture are
amply afforded within the city limits A
false pride or whim often demands that
which comes from some more distant place
than home and for this resson much of
merit is sent abroad for foreign mark be-
fore it meets the requirements of home con-
sumption. Such folbles however do not
materially affect the practical uses
of paper. Much of the large
quantities of paper cons umed, viz: sent
out in the form of printed mater
might readily be made within sight of our
large publishing houses. Shrewd business
men have seen this and as commencement
we now have in active operation at the east
end of the dam pulp mill with the lat
est and most improved kinds of machinery.
a Journal man, through the kindness of MIR.
to get quite an insight into the
art of pulp making, and the energy
and skill which is being used IN pushing that
industry in Augusta. The mill runs with a
night and day crew At night the mill is
lighted with incandescent lights, the power
being furnished by the pulp mill under its
own supervision. Commencing with the
logs as they lie at the foot of the slip, 36U
feet long, we followed them through the
processes to which the wood is subjected, be-
fore it rolls over the large cylinder in the
shape of an endless sheet of pulp.
q, see that all the logs in front of the slip
are spruce"
Yes" replied Mr.. Kathan, 'our present
demand are ampl supplied by using that
class of wood. A cord of spruce is all
spruce while cord of poplar has a vast
amount of refuse in the shape of knots tha,
is wasted"
An endlesss chain is the motive power
that takes log from the water and drags il
over the long slip to the carriage which
feeds it TO the saw where it is cut into sec.
lions two feet in length. This carriage, by
the way, is different from many in that the
carriage itself does not move past the saw
but system of toothed rolls on which the
log rests revolve, thus pushing the log ahead
the desired amount. The first query of the
novice is as to the whereabouts of the saw
His question is treated to an object lessor
when the end of the spruce log is slppet
ahead of the carriage two feet and the oper
ator moves lever, Up through the floor
rises buzzing circular saw, the teeth o
which meet the under side of the log first
the saw rising till the timber is ccmpletel,
severed. The section then Immediately goe
TO the slab saw, where it is faced, that it m a,
not roll when pressed against the huge grind
stone. After being faced it is placed sgains
swiftly revolving set of sman knives tina
quickly strip it of all bark. 1t is then al
prepared for placing in the grinder. Thi
consists of large circular sandstone agains
the circumference of which the wood i
pressed by hydraulic force. The whole i
encased in strong iron covering.
DO pieces ever fly off fror
these stones when runningr" queried tn
reporter as he timidly peered in an apertur
of the machine made by removing a sectio
of the iron covering. "Oh, frequently,
was the smiling reply of the foreman an
when one of the stones break, the GOVERN
proves of little protection.
Ample matter for observation was ia
mediately found in another part Of the room
Here We were told that ipese grindstons
we're l5 inches in diameter and "a incht
wide. Also that the log is forced against Il
stone With pressure of GO lbs to the squai
nch. There are six of these grin lers il
operation. From these the pulp goes to
tank below here it is washed and then
puiDpcl DhCh W tue uIst HOor anu eIDptit
into what are known as the sifters whel
course pieces are removed. 1t then goes I
the wet machine and from there on to
endless felt 50 inches wide and 80 fe
long. This carries it onto a Large cylind
from which the pulp is removed by the ten
. er with wooden pin. Stepping to the slo,
; iy revolving cylinder he brings the shar
knife across its face sevcring the roll Of pull
which is then stripped of in sheets. TT
mill is now turning out about twelve tons
pulp per day. Arrangements are beir
: talked of Whereby railroad track will
laid through the building in such way th
cara can stand in the mill while being loade
Shrewd men see in this mandatory the fir
( step, towards the erection Of large pap
mill in the near future.