The sun., 1889-11-29
WooD rU1r MILLS IN MAINE
n Great ana Growing Industry that win
Consume 1000 Cords or Vsod n Day.


BANGOR, Nov. 2S.-The manufacture Of
wood pulp in Maine. comparatively new In
dustry for the State. has within q few years as
sumed such magnitude that capital from far
and wide has been attracted to the business,
and investors OF all classes have caught what
is popularly known as the "unlp craze" Long
neglected water powers In all parts OF the State
are being snapped up eagerly by corporations
anxious to engage in the business and enor-
nous mills. to be driven by water or steam
power, are sprinRing up In localities whore no
one ever expected to see so much as shipRe
mill Three processes are employed in the
manufacture OF wood pulp-the soda, the
sulphlte, and the grinding. The soda
mills produce bleach and unbleached pulp from
spruce and poplar wood. There are six OF
these establishments now In operation in the
State. turning out an aggregate product Of
ninety-two tons day. Sulphite mills manu-
fncture o strong and fine fibre. using various
kinds OF woods found In nearby forests Only
one mill OF this kind Is in operation rs yet-an
establishment producing ten tons OF fibre Dor
day-but many others are In process Of con-
struction or projected. Maine capitalists.
associated with outsiders, have three sulphite
mills, each OF ten tons per day capacity. we'll
under way, while two or three others Of like
capacity are projected, while q syndicate In
arranging for the erection OF three 25-ton mills
in different parts OF the State.
The most numerous class OF mills are those
enormously. powerful machinery. There are
thirteen Of these mills now running in various
pulp daily. and requiring $4,000 horse % power or
Tor the operation OF their machinery. An im-
pulp mills. cord Of wood viii % make ' aooSt soS
sSIShIte aSrs oT sOS pounds Of soda pulp, 50 50
dol lNr
about 500 cords. When all the mills now
building. or soon to be erected, are running.
se o MooS p da soda sP
kinds OF mill refuse thus efecting a great saw
Ing Of expense s' ,S and % utilizing e vast amount
wood in the iosi and In this latter fact is found
Wood In the log Is obtained from young spruce.
six to ten inches in diameter. which Of late
years has been cut in large, quantities and
into four, flve and six feet lengths for CONVEX
sion into pulp. The young spruce has been de-
forests Of primeval growth laid low by lumber
men. and II pulp manufacturers cut away the
young trees while loggers are ch9ppipg down
the old, we may soon be confronted with ques-
tion OF timber supply even in this land OF
aboundinR forests.
Ground pulp ie worth from $22 to $2s per ton.
domestic sulphite fibre sells at $67.50 to $40 per
ton. and tho best imported at S67 so to 500.
Ihs Germans maj 3 have SUPERIOR % sui sulphtte process @
world. The duty on sulphite fibre is only 10
per cent. ad valorem and consequently large
quantities OF 1t are imported. This fibre is
rather still and wiry, and all the ingenuity of
men OF science and manufacturers Is being ap-
piled to the problem OF softeninR 1t. Solution
OF bisnlphite OF lime or magnesia removes all
organic matter from wood. leaving only the
fibre, which is used in conjunction with rags.
or even alone, with ground pulp for paper.
Ground wood pulp has been the salvation of
the newspapers. bringing the price Of white
paper down to three or four cents q pound and
providing an article that readily takes ink and
Is especially adapted to fast presses. Ground
pulp con stitutes over 80 per cent. OF the COM
mon white newspaper In use, rags and sui
phite fibre making up the balance. Sulphit0
and soda fibreS are largely used In the manu-
iacture Of fine grades Of paper.
A. few days ago ex-Seeretary Of the Navy
Whitney. Capt Hayes. and Commodores Evans
and Goodrich of the navy and other gentlemen
made a tour through Maine in quest Of avail
able sites for pulp mills. and water powers OF
sufficient magnitude to run such establish
ments. They found several excellent locali-
ties for large pulp mills, investigated the
sources OF wood supply. and conferred at
length with various property owners and capi-
talists. The party returned to New York on
Wednesday. and. although nothing definite can
be learned regarding their negotiations. 1t is
believed that the trip will result in heavy in
vestments In pulp mill property somewhere
down East.