Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-10-28

the old one. Mr.. Hoskns had been a
clerk of Mr.. Gardiner, and also his
managing agent for a number of years.
The new firm was successful, and con-
tinued the business until the melan-
choly death of Mr.. Richards in 1858,
three days after his arrival home from
trip to Europe.
After the death Of the senior partner,
a son, F. G.. Richards, succeeded to his
place in the firm. In 1865 Mr.. Hoskins
retired, and the succeeding year a
new firm was formed, composed of F.
G. Richards, John I. Richards, broth
ers, and VIM. F. Richards, who had
been a clerk under the former manage
ment. The firm was called the Rich
ards Paper Co." They manufactured
news and book papers, and since the
early days of the firms history their
papers had always been considered
first-class in all markets.
In 1882 the plant was visited by a
destructive fire, which caused loss Of
nearly $4,000, but the mill was soon
rebuilt, and on a larger scale. Owing
to the death of the senior partner, F. G.
richards, in 1854, another change was
| made in the firm, by the admission of
Henry Richards, brother of F. G.. and
John T. Richards. The mill at that
time employed about SO people, and
produced eight tons of paper per day.
In 1858 the company bought a pulp
mill at Skowhegan, and on the follow
| ing year began the construction Of 4
sulphite mill at South Gardiner. This
mill was completed and put in opera
ton in January, 1891. a crew of so
hands We're employed, and the product
of the mill was 10 tons of pulp daily.
February 16, 1899, the mill was par
| TALLY destroyed by fire, but was re-
built, and continued in operation until
late in August of the present year,
when, owing to financial difficulties, the
plant was shut down. At present ne
gotiations for the sale of the mill are
pending, with a favorable outlook for
it's future operation.
The old mill at the New Mills con-
tinued in operation with varying sue
cess until the spring of 1880, when its
machines were shut down for the last
time. and the busy hum of industry
that had made pleasant music there for
over half a century ceased forever.
In about two years later 5. D.
Warren & co. purchased the plant
of the Richards Company and sold out
the machinery, also tearing down
portion of the buildings. The wheels
of the old mill are still used by the
present owners for auxiliary power in
times of low water in CObbossee
new mill on the old site from time to
time, but nothing definite can be
learned of such a move, and today the
remaining buildings of the old mill
constitute a mournful monument on
the spot where was built and flourshed
the first paper mill in Gardiner.
The Copsecook mill on dam No. 6,
owned by S. D. Warren & Co.
of Boston, had in the early days OF, its
history, like many other industries,
hours of sunshine and shadow, but that
was long ago, and today it is one of the
} most successfully managed mills in
New England.
The land on which the mill stands
, was bought of the Gardiner estate in
: 1873, by the Great Falls Paper Co. The
stockholders were S. Bowman, Chas.
Swift l. n. Tucker, Lincoln Perry,
r Joseph Perry, Philip Winslow, r. X.
l Lttlefield, Chas. Bridge, F. P. Patten,
K Samuel Hooker, Stephen Brown, VIM.
} Libby and H. c. Winslow Other par
e ties afterward bought into the company
= the capital stock of which was $4,000
i The mill was operated for about 10