The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1921-04-28
Pulp Mill of Reyes Fibre Co. Adds
Life and Prosperity to Shawmut

The pulp mill of the Keyes Fibre
Company is a going concern, not yet
entirely completed, that causes hope
to spring anew in the hearts of the
res dents of this village as it is the
belief that this acquisition will add
considerable to the life and prosperity
here. About 80 hands are now en-
ployed, though the construction is not
entirely complete. and by the first of
April It is expected that about rs hands
will be at work. With all hands en-
gagged about so tons of ground pulp
wood will be delivered daily to the
main plant of the concern in Water
vile. The employees now work nine
hours a day and it is expected to
adopt the three-tour system.
July 8, 1920, the plant of the Shaw
nut Manufacturing Company was ia
ken over by the Keyes Fibre Company
and on the 10th of October, building
operations and alterations were start
ed. The buildings of the Shawmut
company when obtained by the Reyes
company measured 200 by 40. To this
has been added wood room, 60x40,
a covered loading platform, spur
track 800 feet long and boiler house
28x40 The Aberthaw Construction
Company was awarded the contract
for the concrete foundations, tanks,
brickwork of the fire walls and the
boiler settings. For heating and manu-
featuring purposes a 100 horse power
boiler was installed.
The installation of machinery be-
gan on the 10th OF December in the
wood room. This equipment consist
of one automatic saving machine,
three pulp wood bankers. made by the
Watervi1le Iron Works, conveyers
that run from the freight cars to the
saving machine and then to the bark
ers and one conveyer that carries the
waste from the wood room to the
boiler house. Work in the wood room
started February 18th.
Webster & Libby of Portland are
the engineers and designers of the
new mill. Herbert J. Desmond OF
Skowhegan, who now lives in Fair
field, is superintendent of the min
and has charge OF construction. The
office is in charge of Daniel Nc
Knight of Fairfield. A six acre yard
provides ample room for the storage
of wood.
In the grinding room are six four
pocket pulp grinders made by the
Union Iron Works. These are oper-
ated by two 1000 horse power motors,
one $50 horse power motor and one
500 horse power motor. All four OF
these are 2300-vault motors. lmme-
diately east Of the grinder room is
what is known as the motor gener-
ator room. A Nash vacuum pump
provides the necessary vacuum for
the wet machines. Two triple geared
numns furnish the hydraulic pres
snre necessary for operating the
grinders and three Worthington g.
inch centrifcal pumps deliver in Ii
ouid form the product of the mill from
the grinder tanks to the screening de-
partment.
In the screening room may be seen
two pulp screens, one pneumatic save
all the product of the Improved Paper
Machine Comany of Nashua N. H, and
one failing screen.
There are seven wet machines in
what was formerly the boiler house
of the Shawmut Manufacturing Com
pany which is no used by the Keyes
company as a general machine shop.
In the basement is water filler,
16x16x6, which is connected to two
six-inch Worthington pumps which
supply water to all the mill.
Throughout the mill there are 81
wall radiators which are guaranteed
to heat the mill at 70 degrees when
the thermometer is % degrees below
zero.