Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-05-07

revolution in the process of manu-
facture. Like almost everything else,
the activity of inventive ability has
swept before it everything inferior and
incomplete like a cyclone would the
dry leaves of the forest. and it could
not pass over the paper industry with
out leaving the imprint of the advance
ment of the present day. This was
fully illustrated to the writer when he
visited the mills of the Cushnoc Fiber
Company OF this city. There is no
branch of the general manufacturing
interests of Augusta which has given
her more widely extended reputation
than the enterprise now under consid-
Grafton. The business was established
in 1883 by the Augusta Pulp Co.. who
incorporated with capital stock of $50,
00o. This company made nothing but
ground wood. In 1890 the Cushnoc
Fiber Company was Incorporated with
a capital stock of $500 and CONSOLE
dated with the Augusta Pulp Co. The
Cushnoc Fiber Co. devoted their atten-
ton exclusively to the production OF
ground wood and sulphite fiber turn
ing out about II tons. dry weight. every
"a hours. In the fall of 1892 the COM
500 900. They put in 96-inch Four
driener paper making machine. and
began the manufacture of high grade
MANILA paper from their own sulphite
fiber which is made from nothing but
spruce logs. In 1894 another machine
was put in--an S6-inch of the same
make as the first. The combined capa-
city is now Is tons of paper every a
,f ii ,I, 10,
paper are made in all the various
weights and sizes. No mill in the coun-
try turns out better MANILA paper.
1t is firm. clear. strong. and has an eX'l
cellent fiber and finish. The com
pany are also making a large amount
of bag paper for large sacks. This pa
per is extra heavy and strong, and bags
made from it take the place of those
formerly made of jute. The site occu-
pied by the mills. on the east side of
the river, opposite the kennebec dam,
affords the company admirable facili
ties for shipping and receiving. Sew
eral acres of ground are occupied. upon
which are constructed a number of
large and substantial buildings. one
of the main buildings is 125xS3 feet in
dimensions. the other 234X60 feet both
of which are three stories i'll height.
The boiler house is entirely separate.
and contains four 100 horse power
boilers. There are also several other
structures. such as pump house, lime
and Office building. In addition to
steam power. they also have a water
power equal to 1000 horse power. The |
building is so located that logs are floated |
up to the west end of the mill. They are
then taken by a chain direct to the |
saving room, requiring no extra hand |
ling, and the finished paper goes out of
the east end of the same building. |
There are two side tracks for loading |
and receiving freight. one at the lower
floor and one at the upper floor. They |
have a side track so arranged that all
lime used lands directly in front of the
building in which it is used. Sulphur
comes in cars and lands in front of the
building in which it is used. Coal is
shoveled from cars and lands in front
Of boilers. There is no labor in hand
ling raw materials. This has been
guarded against by the man
agement, for this age of keen COMPETE
ton demands it. In fact this labor
saving system enters every department
Of the mills. and places the company in
a position Gas one might expecD to
meet the sharpest competition from
any part of the globe The consump-
lion of raw materials by this company
is something enormous. Two tons of 1
SULPHUR and two tons of lime are con-
sumed daily. and 1000. 1000 feet or logs
one hundred hands are |