The Colfax chronicle., 1900-07-28
MAKING PAPER BOXES.
Chicago - Some Interesting
Particulars.

Prior to 1850 there were not dozen
paper box factories in the United
States, and one of them was located
in Chicago, established in 1856. They
were called Shops in those days, and
they did comparatively small busi-
ness. 1t was hard to convince the pub
lie that box made of paper was not
a worthless contrivance. But the busi-
ness has grown enormously. says the
Chronicle, and the ''shop" is now a
factory" and in line with other indus
tries. From the little and lone shop
of 1856 the industry has grown here
to 90 establishments, with an aggre-
gate capital of about S500,OoO and an
annual output valued at $1,500.0O0.
From the handful of ''help" in 1856 the
roll of employees has grown to be $500,
at wages ranging from $3.50 to SIS per
week. These employees convert not less
than 20 tons of materials into about
100000 finished boxes every working
day in the week. OF this vast output
100000 are classed as stiff boxes and
100000 as flexible boxes. The former
are used for the various articles of
merchandise such as hats, shirts, can
dy, hosiery and the like. The flexible
are used for grain foods, bakers goods
and thousand other kinds of CONNER
cial articles, for whose packing fold
ing or collapsible boxes answer every
purpose; besides, they are very much
cheaper.
Broadly speaking, the manufactures
of stiff boxes do not manufacture the
flexible kind, nor do the makers of the
flexible quality turn out the stiff boxes.
In the manufacture of all kinds $50 va
rieties and qualities of paper for Gov.
ering boxes are used, and fully 100 OF
them are of American manufacture.
Lace paper, such as seen in candy and
fine goods boxes, come mostly from Eu-
rope. The making of paper laces re-
made to represent the real article are
pretty expensive. They are made by
steel dies, which include embossing
dies. The embossing dies are the first
to play upon the paper as it is fed
from roll and then the lace dies,
complete the pattern.
The principal materials used in the
manufacture of boxes are glue, twine,
binders cloth, tar, jute, straw, pulp
and chip boards, lace and cover paper.
Of course, inventive genius has kept
pace with the demand for improved
tools and machinery.
Until quite recently druggists had
to go east for round pill boxes, but one
company here now turns out nearly
10000 day. Nearly all the stiff boxes
are sold to Chicago consumers, but a
considerable number of the flexible go
to all points in the territory tributary
to Chicago. 1t is believed that there
will be no expansion in the capacity
of box making for some years, mainly
because flexible boxes are coming into
use at the expense of stiff boxes, which
is likely to force the strictly stiff box
makers to add the flexible to their
product, and in that event the general
output would be enormously swelled
by existing plants, as the flexible kind
do not require nearly the amount of
time; besides, the weight of thin stock
is very much less, and hence their pro-
duction is at very much less cost than
the stiff boxes.
No doubt many will be surprised to
know that the paper box industry is
on such an extensive scale in Chicago
that $500,000 capital is required, that
the annual product is worth $500, 900
and that it pays wages to $500 people,
exclusive of the clerical, sales depart
ment and supervising department
force. There is what is called the
Western Paper Box Makers associa-
tion. which is composed of 4s firms in
rs cities, but it is in no sense a trust.
In fact, its principal business is to
meet once year and talk box
around banquet table.