Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-07-12

The Nekoosa-Edwards Paper Com
pany own three important industries
below the city Of Grand Rapids, on
the Wisconsin river, in the County of
Wood. Their power plant is located
in the city limits on the south side a
bout 2 miles from the post Office in
this city. A paper mill and sulphlte
plant is located in the village of Port
Edwards, a distance Of 4 miles from
Grand Rapids; and paper mill and
sulphite mill is located 8 miles from
the city of Grand Rapids, in the village
Of Nekoosa. This Company is incor-
porated for $3,OOO,O0O These three
places are connected by an excellent
concrete highway; the Grand Rapids
Electrict Street Railway; and three of
the leading railroads in the state which
are: G. NJ & st. Paul; Chicago q
North h-Western, and 500 Line systems.
They are all practically suburbs of the
city of Grand Rapids, and with the eX-
ceIlent transportation facilities makes
them closely allied with the city of
Grand Rapids in all commercial and
social relations. The Nekoosa-Ed-
wards Company own three excellent
water powers that are created by mo-
dern dams erected across the Wis
consin river at the South Side of IA
foot head, at Port Edwards a Is foot
head and at Nekoosa a 20 foot head
These dams furnish sufficient power
to operate these three large Industries
at these different points and they also
own the real estate on the east and
west banks of the Wisconsin river
from Grand Rapids to Nekoosa.
The officers and stockholders in this
Company are progressive business men
who delight in having their mill prop
critics, homes, and the many business
places kept up that are owned by them
and their employees. The Nekoosa
mill site was originally owned by Mr..
Moses NJ Strong of Mineral Point,
Wisconsin, who held the power for 80
years and in 1887 sold it to Frank J.
and George N. Wood. Later they sold
this same water power property to the
Hon. Thomas E. Nash of this city in
1888 He organized the Nekoosa Pa
per Company in which A. w. Patten
and John McNaughton of Appleton,
Hon W. S. Villas of Madison, were "a
mong the principle stockholders.
Messrs. F. J. Wood, Frank Garrison
and L. NJ. Alexander were other Grand
Rapids men who took stock in the new
enterprise.
Excavation for the original Nekoosa
Paper Company mill was commenced
on March 10, 1898. From this small
beginning a wonderful plant has grown
When the first paper mill was com
pleted they installed one paper ma
chine that was used on exhibition in
the Worlds Fair in Chicago, by the Be
lott Iron Works. At the close of the
Chicago Exhibition, the same year, this
machine was moved to Nekoosa and
set up in the paper mill. Since this
beginning with one machine, this Com
pany has grown and developed with
the improvements in paper making in
dustry as they have occurred ever
since. The Nekoosa paper mill ever
since its inception has been recogniz-
ed and considered one of the best mills
in central Wisconsin.
Nearly every year the Company
have made some changes and added
improvements up to the present time
1917 will see the greatest change this
Company has ever made. They have
employed, L. A. DeGuere, the hydrau,
lie engineer with general offices in this
city, and his able corps of engineers
have been busy most of this year max
ing plans and specifications for the
new construction work that is nov
well under way. For their convenience
temporary branch office building hai
been erected on the ground and is oc
cupied for headquarters during th
construction.
The parts of the present mill tha
are undergoing remodeling and tn
new construction, will all be of moderl
design and the latest in modern equip
ment for the manufacture of paper
sulphate and sulphite pulp. The peo
pie of Grand Rapids and vicinity d
not realize, and cannot comprehend
the magnitude of this enterprise ex
cept by visiting the place and view tn
work already we'll advanced. In theprs
ent work they will use two millio
common white brick; twenty thousan
pieces of hollow tile, size 5x8x12 inch
es; ffty-two thousand pieces of boo