Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1906-01-25
THE SCREEN MILL.
Complete Story of the Varied For
tunes Of Home Enterprise.

Now that in the course Of village events, !
the industrial enterprise known as the
screen mill has passed from the control OF
the aggregation Of local capitalists that 4
built il TO another firm, and its history /
as public venture, undertaken by few /
for the good Of ne many, is apparently /
closed, review of its career in the bust |
ness annals OF the community may perhaps
be in order.
It was in October OF 1857, that A. A. I
Niebaum, James III. Burt and the late
Selva t. Holman formed an association
under the name OF the United States
Screen company and began the erection
OF a steam mill on Weston street for the
manufacture OF patent window screens
invented by Mr.. Burt. The firm was so
successful in exploiting these screens and
building up an extensive trade that IN the
spring OF 1883, an addition 40xSO feet was
| erected, making the mill two-thirds
creasing den and for its product.
Mr.. Holman retired from the business
| in 1888. and Messrs. Burt and Niebaum
branched out into the manufacture OF
screen doors and windows, tub fasteners
! and sleds. From the first the sleds APP
pealed to the trade and orders came in
rapidly for the coasters, in whose decora-
ton the brush Of that weil-known local
artist, n. Osgood Snow, now OF Mont
pelier, was employed.
In 1891. Joseph w. Atwood, whose
| term OF service as station agent Tor the
Central Vermont railroad at Randolph
ended about that time, bought out Mr:
/ Niebaum's interest in the screen Ill ana
became the partner OF Mr.. Burt. The two
continued the business prosperously until
at midnight Wednesday, the 10Th OF
February, 1892, fire, starting in partl.
ton on the south side of the mill, resulted
In the total destruction OF the plant.
with over $4,000 worth OF completed
stock in the storehouse, which uniortun-
ately was connected with the main build
ing. besides thousands of door and VIM
ldow screens in various stages OF manu-
facture, a large lot OF wire and much
valuable machinery. The mill was em'
plovlng 80 hands and was crowded with
4 orders when this disaster overlook II.
Both parties lost all that they had as
the insurance OF 5000 did not hall cover
the loss, and to meet the emergency tne
West Randolph Building company was
formed with capital stock OF 5000, held
nv q shareholders, who were X. j. KIM
baII. y. A. Thomas, w. II. Dubois, L. Z.
Thaver. j. III, lamson, w. b. Wall, II. III.
Mcintyre. Dubois g. Gay, &. +. Moultoni
w. II. hanson, S. II. Brooks, II. Z; san
ford. n. j. Whitehill, A. Z. Bailey, W; w
r. r. Tilson, Marcus Peek, r. " blah-
chard and w. ii. Nichols.
rhe directors were the late Col. X. "
KimhalI. w. b. Wall, w. IL. DUBOIS, l.. 4
Thaver and the late ). III. BROOKS Soi'
| Kimball was president of the company
] n. p. Thayer, vice presidentif. Il. DUBOIS,
5 clerk; w. II. Dubois, treasurer: ,ooa
: At special town meeting May Z, 1917
II was voted TO exempt from taxation TN
. United States screen mill, II rebuilt, an'
Inc work OF construction was at once pc
: oun. The main part of the new mlli, tn'
! crescent building was made 4OXlOO rect
/. three stories high, with engine house, ore
|. house, store house, coal and shaving nous
!. separate, so that another clean sweep nee'
4 not be made in case OF ire
In the fall OF 1872, Messrs. Atwood ans
Rnrt as the United States Screen com pan
], resumed operations in new ana nneI
. aoninned mill and remained in partner
shin until the last OF September iosi
: when Mr.. Atwood sold his interest !
!, Eugene ID. Segar aud went 70 riynpb9' 'i,.,
\ III To become manager OF the flyh
g outh Veneer company.
u NJ Sagar. who had been an emptoye {
2 the mill. had invented and patented
-, called the Combo screei
i which the new firm OF Burt sega
: began to manufacture IN OCTOBER OF tns
e YEAR. In this screen, wire cloth looA "
y place OF the wooden slaeooalus - -
r. Burt's invention, and an eNlehsion VI
" inches was given instead OF q.
i ire mill ran under this managemel
II mill August. 1895. when Burt q seq
II .ara netifioned INTO insolvency Dy the
s creditors, their Indebtedness anaountln
r, to $1,000. Only the machinery oeiong
|. to The partners, the null nuliaing anu - !,
II o9f IN being the property OF the Kan
1t dolph Building company anu ho' suN'O
ST 10 The claims OF the creditors.
ID Eron that time the plant was ldle UNI
- sy,ring ~ 1898. when the Porter Scres
IN company OF Winooski rented II ~
Ia established in Randolph prshcn % ,
]. large manufacturing business. lh's -.
h, kept the factory ~ opTla Opera i-,'d
"a Ioacemher. 1898. when another pefiou
~ idleness ensued, which was broken MAT
~ - 1e9o nv the arrival OF the Souto COZ
= ,,a,,x from New York--a concern thAt ~
"a I'll, in furniture through contracts vi
or manufacturers but had never peeh ulIse'
n engaged in furniture making uhln
IN came here and opened iurnlluse h laetos
az The Souto company did good buAlne
= 49,, ,,,ef with some reverses. The M
a, ,asnager az the factory bad to ne supe
a sadcd Nv one of the firm, +. A. Inompso
"A =, aeco1nt of a muddled state oil alall
n and Nav 90 1902, fire again Nisleu
miami and destroyed the storehouse. e.,
90 few months later another ihcehula.s o,'
- did considerable damage - .he ,'.as
- the factory itself, which, however, VS. ,
nc ,,aired and work resumed until August .
y. Ie1s' when the company removed IT'S ~
- ehinery to Brattleboro, and there eses
q lished the Brsttleboro oaolhe. VA
- With the corporation and financial aio
4. Now after another period OF disase - -
IL 80, ,,aarIv two and half years, tne ~
81 rs 10 be opened once more by the br,gnl
~ gelatine company OF Newton hlghlal
-. Mass. for which firm i is being repair
~ and refitted by NJ. ii. Miller o. Loaliii
II who has acquired by recent pusi,,er -
~ stock of the old Randolph Bulldihg GO
'sh s asav. n i expected that the mill VIII
rol many TO begin it's manufacture OF geiat
f 1i Mates and films used in envelopes Tor
as a transparent shield to the address s ana
m as coverings for delicate goods tha' M ~
'G. be seen and not hahoieu- -. sSvert ii