Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-08-16
NEKOOSA AND GRAND RAPIDS.
As Seen by Ex-Goy. Hoard's Son During the
Late Editorial Visit.
BIG NEKOOsA PAPER MILL.

l6le 6uilOTidi siSll
BIG NEKOOsA PAPER MILL.
Our first view Of the Wisconsin as a
water power was at NekOOSa Monday
forenoon. Here the party left the
train and went through one of the
largest paper mills in the world. The
spruce logs were carried up into the
mill by an endless chain, sawed into
short lengths, stripped Of their bark
on one set Of machines and ground up
fine in another. The saw dust pro-
duct went on into digester5 where it
was beaten into pulp and carried into
the big paper machines. The ma
chimes at the NekOOSa mill are about
eighty feet long, ten feet high and
twelve feet wide, consisting of big and
little cyclinderS. all heated SO as to
dry the water out of the paper pulp
while at the same time rolling it fiat.
When through the machine the paper
is dry and strong enough to leave the
endless cloth belt on which it was
carried out of the vat and as it rolls
out it is cut into sheets or rolled upon
iron cores for shipment to the news
papers. This is only one Of five big
paper mills at or near Grand Rapids.
1t turns out so tons Of paper for news
papers called sprint, 60 tons of
wood pulp and 30 tons Of Sulphite per
day. The last two are products used
by other mills in making better grades
of paper than print" The pay roll
Of the Nekoosa mill is $4,000 per
month. 1t is seven miles south of
Grand Rapids. 1t requires about
three hours for a tree to become an
edition Of an evening paper carrying
intelligence to all parts of the earth
wonderful change-and all this came
about from an ingenious man watch
ing wasp grind up poplar wood in its
strong jaws and Herewith build its
paper nest.
GRAND RAPIDS.
Arriving at Grand RAPIDS we were
met with brass bands and carriages
and driven to the lodge rooms of the
FOreSters and MaSOnS where an APP
petiZing dinner was served by the
ladies Of the Congregational and
Methodist societies. The X. Of P's
threw open their Castle Hall and did
everything to make our stay pleasant.
LITTLE STAG PARTY.
The writer was invited to Join stag
party of fifteen for fish chOWdCr
seven miles up the river at the
Crooked Drift Rod and Reel club.
One of the members of this club is DR..
d. A. Teller. who has a number of
friends and relatives in this city. The
drive to and from the club house along
the Wisconsin river is a very pretty
one. In the evening the editorial
party attended a fine ball at the Opera
House. Though it Grained pitch
forks" without, hearts beat warmly
and feet flew fast to music within,
until late hour. The wise ones went
home at twelve having heard that by
the courtesy of the good people farther
up the valley there were four more
balls to follow.
Grand Rapids has all the elements
necessary for large town. The river
can furnish thirty thousand horse
power here if desired. There are
5000 people in the combined town.
The West Side was formerly Central
ia Among the big industries are the
John Edwards Mfg. Co., paper. pay
roll, 49, 900 per month: Centrala Pulp
4 Water Power Co.. So, 500 per month:
Grand Rapids Pulp & Paper Co., s., 500
per month: Pioneer Wood Pulp Co.,
$500 per month: Jackson Milling Co.,
$500 per month. The land adjacent is
suitable fer a variety of crops, the
rainfall never fails, the climate is
SalubriOuS, while land is cheap and
fairly itcheS for the pillow of the
settler.