The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-11-26

the country over. The process is UNI
der patent held by the company,
and the output Is put to varied uses.
The machinery In this building, which
is almost on Lyndale avenue and adj
Jacent to the office building, takes the
edgings from the mill and resaws
| them into thin strips. These are laid
side by side. and heavy paper placed
above and below. They are then sub
jected to hydraulic pressure, which
molds them into a firm but light board,
used extensively for lining houses as
substitute for lath and plaster. 1t
has found great many uses, how
ever It Is in demand for specialties,
and many car loads have been shipped
to New York city to be made into
ping-pong tables. Many Of them have
found their way back to this city.
The plant of the Compo Board COM
pany Is furnished with heat and power
from the main mill plant, and it runs
all the year round. It consumes 5000
cords Of clear edgings in year, and
these would otherwise be sold as fire.
wood.
A Great Pay Roll.
In the city Of Minneapolis, while
the. saving season is on, the COM
pany employs 1900 people. This does
by contractors in the woods, to get
out the companys logs every winter.
The pay roll here runs from $4,000
to 100000 a month. It will be seen
that this is an important factor in
the business prosperity Of the city,
A large number of the employees live
in the vicinity of the mill, which lis
a small city in itself, grown up around
this one industry.
| Ten years ago. when the mill was
first built, Camden Place was a, kind
Of outpost Of civilization, and hardly
attached to Minneapolis. Now it is
a thriving suburb of about 5000 peo-
pie, nearly all of them dependent in
one way and another on the c. A..
Smith Lumber company.
The offices of the company are the
finest of their kind in these parts and
! probably are not excelled by any lum-
ser offices In the country. They are
installed in a building two stories
high, with full basement, 40 by r.
headquarters, but the base from
which statesmen go out to the entire
northwest. 1t is fully equipped with
vaults and time lock safe, a tele-
phone exchange, and all the access
series of modern office building. Ow-
ing to the distance from downtown,
a restaurant feature has been added
served there to the office force every
noon hour. "a s.-
-" The Man Behind 1t All. .
: An account Of the inception and
growth of this great industry must
begin with something about it's head
the founder and builder whose energy
and business .sagacity have triumphed
over every adverse condition. He was
not born with gold spoon in his
mouth. Every step of the way to
success c. "A. Smith has gained by his
own efforts. -,
The future lumber king was born
Dec. H., 1852, in the province Of
Ostergotland, Sweden. His father emf
GRATED to this country with son and
daughter when young Smith was IA
years old, and they reached Mime
apolis June 49,, 1857. Since that time
his life has been spent in and about
this city. Anxious for an education
he, attended the public schools of Min
neapolis from 1868 to 1871, and then
for two years studied at the state uni
versity Having to work his way thru
school, he secured employment with
John S. Pillsbury, and during vaca-
lions worked in the Pillsbury hard
/ ware store. Hard work and hard
study were too much for his health,
and he had to give up the idea Of COM