Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-11-29
What Commissioner Matthews
Has to Say About It.
Business in This Line Increasing and
Has Very Bright Future.
opr s12 .000. 900 Invested in Manufacturing
Pulp and Paper in Maine.

missioner Matthews, now in the hands of
the printers, will contain full and inter
e.ting account of the pulp and paper-mak-
i,o industry of Maine. 70 collect the
data for such has taken long time, and
tho information to be presented has been
carefully prepared. 1t will touch upon
this rapidly increasing industry and show
what "A wonderful growth has been at
attained within few years in line of
business that has bright future for
Maine. The Introductory portion of the
article explains the natural resources Of
this State for paper and pulp making. 1t
also contains few notes on the growth Of
Maine AS an industrial portion of New
England.
In pulp making, Maine is today in the
very fore front, while paper manufacture
ing has even now become an industry of
large magnitude 1t is now conceded by
all paper manufacturers that spruce is the
hest wood for pulp, and Northern Maine
is full of spruce, lying near its waterways
and easily accessible. The pure, clear,
soft water of the Maine rivers and streams
* far superior to Western waters for pulp
and paper manufacturing. The product
is so near the market, and the whole qucs-
tion of freight is so much in favor of East
H. Tn, clio nd will
always be the center for pulp and paper,
and of the New England states, Maine has
the raw materials in greatest abundance,
the purcst water and unlimited power.
1.-TWO of Names greatest natural re
sources are her forestry and water power.
OF the 81, 800 square miles of area, about
5000 are covered by water, and of the land
surface nearly two-thirds, aggregating
about 90, 900 square miles, or 1900, 900
acres, are still covered by forest. "
In the line of water power no territory
of like extent on the globe is so favored as
Maine. The 1920 lakes have an area of
23O0 square miles, and when this is sup
by the 5151 rivers and streams
shown upon the State map, Mainc's inland
water surface is estimated at 5000 square
miles. more lake surface than has IA mill
on square miles of the United States in
the West and South.
'In the United States, today, arc 1900
pulp and paper mills. The states rank
ing first in production are New YORK,
Maine, Massachusetts,, Wisconsin, Penn
sylyania, Ohio and Illinois These seven
states contribute about three fourths of
the entire paper supply of the country
American paper is finding foreign mar
kct. While paper manufacturing has been
carried on i'm u small way in Maine for
half century, it is only within recent
years that it has assumed such magnitude
rs an industry One of the first pulp mills
in Maine was that of the Androscoggln
pulp Co.. erected in Brunswick about
1870.
The United States census figures for
1890 of Maine are as follows: Number of
paper mills reporting, 6; average number
employees, 775; total wages paid, 1871,
$50; cost of materials used, 81, 062, 62S ;
CAPITAL invested, 81, 57S, 1927; value of pro
duct. 81, 1872, 40; number pulp mills re-
porting. IL; average number employees,
793 total wages paid, 1896, 251 cost OF
material used. 500, $50; capital invested
8, 695, 1875; value of product, l,5lS,6ll.
The above figures, while incomplete, are
interesting as they note the great advance
from 1880 to 1890.
Paper and pulp making in Maine is con
fined largely to the three leading rivers,
Androscoggin. Kennebec and Penobscot.
The Androscoggin, in its fall of 1900 feet
from the Rangeley lakes to the sea, fur
nishes constant and reliable power.
The various mills, locations capacities,
etc, are treated upon to some length, and
information of value on each furnished.
In the line of new construction or inn
provements the past year has been season
of activity in pulp and paper manufactur-
ing circles Notwithstanding the general
depression in the business world. ;. ID.
Warren & Co, while making no additions,
have inaugurated many quite extensive
improvements at their paper plant In
Westbrook. The Pejepscot Paper Co.
has built and just completed a large
ground wood pulp mill at Pejepscot Mills,
on the Androscoggin between Brunswick
and Lisbon Falls The Poland Paper Co.
has increased its paper manufacturing
plant at Mechanic Falls, by the addition
of new mills completed the past fall. Al
Jay Bridge, the Jay Bridge Mfg Co. Is
building another paper mill of 20 tons
daily capacity and will probably get tt
running about next May. The Runford
rails Co. has been adding to its plant al
humford Fall, sulphite mill, and thu
humford Falls Sulphite Co. has had big
crew busy during the fall, pushing work
on its immense sulphite mill. On the
hennebec, the Richards Paper Co. has re
placed its sulphite mill burned at South