Paper-Making
an account of paper-making from its earliest
known record down to the present time by
J.W. Butler Paper Company 1901
owning and now operating one thousand and seventy paper and
pulp mills; these are distributed through thirty-five different
states. Of these, New York shows the greatest output, the
capacity of her mills being 7,854,000 pounds daily, or nearly one-
quarter the total daily output of the United States. N ext to the
Empire State comes Maine, with a daily capacity of 3,723,000
pounds, while Wisconsin and Massachusetts take third and fourth
rank, their mills producing, respectively, 2,674,000 and 2,195,000
pounds daily. Massachusetts upholds her literary reputation by
ranking first in the production of both writing and book papers. In
the production of wood-pulp paper New York easily outstrips all
competitors, her output being nearly double that of any other
state, while Maine stands second and Wisconsin third. The total
daily capacity (not production) of the paper and pulp mills of the
United States is estimated at 28,100,000 pounds, divided
according to varieties as follows:
Writing - 1, 074,000
Book – 2, 650,000
News – 4,856,000
Wrapping – 3,617,000
Boards – 3,230,000
Miscellaneous, including varieties too
numerous to mention - 1,707,000
Ground wood and chemical wood pulp -
10,966,000
The process of paper-making is
continuous, owing to the great expense
involved in wiping or cleaning the
machinery, an operation necessary to
prevent the pulp from drying to or
rusting the many parts through which it
passes from the time of its entrance into
the washer and beater until it comes
forth as a finished and perfect product.
Allowing three hundred working-days a
year to each mill, the total annual
output possible would be 4,215,000
by the United States Commissioner of Labor for the first six months of 1898, the seven hundred and twenty three
plants, many of them having two or three separate mills, actually produced 1,733,019 tons of paper and pulp. This
would make 3,466,038 tons for the entire year, although the mills were not run to their full capacity, by any means.
The six months from October 1, 1899, to March 31, 1900, mark probably the greatest activity the paper trade ever
experienced. The mills were taxed to their utmost to supply demands which were fierce and exacting. The difference
between the actual production as estimated for the year 1898 and the present estimated capacity of the mills is
750,000 tons; and as the increased demand has taken up a large proportion of this, it is safe to assume that not for
many years have the mills run so nearly to their full capacity as during the two just past. Estimating an average price
on all the different classes of paper, not including pulp, the total value of the output for 1900 would mount to about
$150,000,000.
Statistics bring out the interesting fact that over one-quarter of the paper output is roll and sheet news paper. If an
average value of 2 ¼ cents per pound at the mills be allowed for this, it is evident that the users of news paper
payout some thirty-two million dollars every year for this important product. Notwithstanding the fact hat this paper is
sold for one-sixth of the current price of twenty-five years ago, it is yet greatly improved in quality. As a staple in this
country, paper has come to rank third in importance in the list of man's wants. The products of Pap mother earth hold
first place, including foodstuffs, raiment, etc.; and the second place must be given to iron and steel, the bulwark of our
commercial life. Paper follows next, as the keystone of our intellectual life, and promises in the years to come to play
even a more important part in the upbuilding of our modern advancement and business. The conditions of civilization
are such that intelligent reading is one of the essentials in individual progress. Affording as it does food for the mind,
and opening up the way to profitable employment through which the bodily wants are supplied, reading might almost
be classed as next in importance to the food that nourishes and gives strength to the body.