19th century pulp and paper — Union Bag mill expands

It was a major economic development project.

“Sandy Hill is to have a new addition to its industries,” The Morning Star of Glens Falls reported on May 15, 1894. “The offices of the Union Bag and Paper Company have decided to make a material addition to their plant, and work on the structure will be commenced at once. … Its construction will furnish employment to a large number of mechanics, and, when complete, the extra space will supply facilities for putting on an extra force of operators.”

Sitework had begun for the mill expansion project, The Morning Star reported on May 22.

“At present there are sixteen teams and twenty-six men employed on the work of excavating for the addition to the bag factory, and the number will be increased in a few days. The two tenement houses situated on the lot will be moved to a point above the present factory.”

By fall, the mill was shipping by rail from two to four carloads per day of paper bags, The Morning Star reported on Oct. 31, 1894.

A capital project also was beginning at South Glens Falls.

“The Glens Falls Paper Mill Company has commenced work on the addition to its plant,” The Morning Star reported on July 12, 1894. “The annex is to be used for a mechanical room and two new machines.”

In other 19th century pulp and paper industry news collected from historic newspapers of the region:

• “The Phoenix paper mill at Greenwich shut down last week for an indefinite period, owing to lack of orders,” The Granville Sentinel reported on May 25, 1894.
• “The Paper Mill Company has hired a canal boat and will boat their pulp to Schuylerville instead of driving it with teams,” the Fort Miller correspondent reported in The Granville Sentinel on June 2, 1894.
• “It takes two tons of rags to make one ton of paper,” The Granville Sentinel reported on June 29, 1894.
• “The Sandy Hill Iron and Brass Works are manufacturing one of John Holmes’ patent machines for breaking jute butts in paper mills. The patent is said to be a valuable one,” The Morning Star reported on July 6, 1894.
• “The Cain’s Falls pulp mill has started up after being thoroughly repaired or built over, and with the more powerful head of water is evidently going to do a good business. The pulp is of superior quality,” the Fort Ann correspondent reported in The Granville Sentinel on Aug. 24, 1894.
• “The Freydenburg Falls Pulp Company of Plattsburg, with a capital of $100,000 (the equivalent of $3.57 million in 2023 dollars), was incorporated yesterday. It will manufacture and sell wood pulp and paper. The directors are Robert H. Guibord, Alfred Guibord, Benton Turner and Julia H. Turner, of Plattsburg,” The Morning Star reported on Oct. 31, 1894.
• “The New York Times on Sunday (Aug. 12) had a well-written description of the Glens Falls Paper mill and plant and the process of turning out paper there. The article was from the facile pen of a well-known young lady of this village, and was embellished with a cut of the company’s office,” The Morning Star reported on Aug. 14. 1894.

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