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Show TH OL PAPERMAKER 25 passing through Mosquito (/uvc, breakfasted at a Mr. Onderdonk's at the head ofa little bay where we wer and well entertained. This gmdumn works a grist and two pape mills, the last of which he seems to carry on with spiric and profit. The old stone foundations of the Onderdonk mill are all that no remain of New York's first paper mill; within the low foundatio a great tree grows which clearly shows that it is long since th wooden mill fell into ruin he old American paper mills, the best preserved structure i one that was erected in the late eighteenth century. It stands i Burnside, Connecticut, on the outskirts of Hartford, looking mos pitiful amid its shabby modern surroundings. Originally it stoo in the country, beside a stream, but houses and factories hav pressed closer and closer, until now the fincold structure mustbe demolished. The impressive building s about 40 by 30 feet, twostorie in height, and built of red sand-stone, each block beautifull squared, and all laid together faultlessly in massive walls; by contrast the neighbouring present-day buildings look mean and poor "The first loor of this old stone mill is divided into two rooms, on served as the vat-house, the other for the beating of rags. The second floor was used for drying and finishing; the original slidin shutters, which had been used to introduce or exclude the air fo order. By going over this small building it is possible to pictur every phase of the old hand process and to determine just how th artisans operated. The limitations of light and space and the crud appliances did not seem to deter the early workers, and the pape they fabricated, not only served its purpose at the time, but muc of it has lasted throughout the years and given to us the records o the past In writing about these few early American mills it has not bee my desire to give complete historical accounts of them, this ha ital Imag © 2004 University of Utah. All rights reserved |