Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-10-14
A. PAGENSTECKER

A. PAGENSTECkER
(Who will probably be vice President of the
new paper trust)
'Mr Russell was for some time a repre-
sentative in Congress, and was recog-
niZed rs one of the soundest men in that
body. He Is too level headed man to
make any mistakes, and any combina,
ton he makes will, in my Judgment, be
for the welfare of all the interests in
volvcd. Mr.. Pagcnstecker who has been
mentioned in connection with the vice
presidency, is a native Of Germany, and
that nationality. He is II gentlemen of
rugged integrity and great industry"
is it the purpose of this trust to curtail
production and raise pricesY'
| Not as l understand 1t. Its members
calm not. There is, however, a DISPOSE
ton to do away with the bonuses that,
in one form and another, have been paid
the pressmen in the large newspaper
establishments of the country. The trade
of such establishments is of course very
| valuable and it is important to the mill
owners that the paper furnished them
should run well. If the pressman has a
hundred dollars placed in his hand, or has
nice silver service added to his house
hold-or some similar token of the esteem
in which he is held by the mill men, this
result Is much more easily attained. Fow
people can realize how this sort of thing
has increased 1t is burden that mill
owners would gladly be rid Of
at Is also of equal advantage to the
newspaper proprietors that their pressmen
should not be creased Ultimately all
favors Of that kind must come out of the
purchasers of paper Again when firm
knows that its pressmen are not, and will
not be creased. they can have some con-
fidence that they are buying paper some
where near right and getting what they
pay for. The desperate competition of the
past few years among the producers of
newspaper stock has put great deal of
power in the hands of pressmen, who, by
the change perhaps of a few screws,
have it In their power to mako paper
run poorly or WELL thereby establishing
its position with the proprietors. 1t Is a
condition of affairs that has too frequent
ly prevented paper from standing upon
Its own merits. Moreover under the
arrangement by which the waste white
paper of the new rolls can be returned to
the mills. a large amount of wanton I'M
| position has been practised. These are
| two Of the points that appear to be at the
| bottom of this movement. Again by bav-
ing one general office in charge OF distri
button, and one set Of selling agents, the
expenses of the mills will be largely re-
duoed. The saving effected here would,
in itself, pay handsome dividend. do
not profess to be familiar with the details
of this movement AS say, it Is outside
of nv line of business, but do not appre-
bend that the price of paper will be
advanced as a result of it. l will venture
the prediction that it will not go up a
quarter of a cent pound
What about the talk of leading news
papers combining to construct competing
millsg'
Il do not take any stock in that. Peo-
pie have to know something about the
p,per business n order to manufacture it
successfully under existing conditions.
Again about all the desirable sites and
timber supplies are already utilized.
| Water powers are not so easily discovered
as may be imagined-certainly not those
where the conditions gre favorable for the
manufacture of paper"
What should you say to the statement
that a good modern paper mill can be
built for $4,000 per ton of daily output.
THAT 1t was absurd on the face Of 1t.
Why the generally conceded price Of even
a sulphite mill per ton Of daily output is
$40, 00o have in mind certain New
England paper mill that cost over sl,-
600, 900. The output of that mill, at its
best, is fifty tons Per day, over $40, 600 per
, ton of output as You will sec. The fact
must not be lost sight of either that this
Ia the work of the mill at its best There