The Whiting Paper Company. The largest paper-manufactory in the world is located in Aberdeen, Scotland, and has a capacity of producing twelve tons per day. The next largest is the Whiting Paper Company, of this city, with a capacity of nearly eleven tons per day. The promoter of this vast establishment, William Whiting, made his first appearance in connection with the paper business in 1858, as clerk in the Holyoke Paper Company. His first attempt at paper-manufacturing was in connection with the Hampden company, which he organized while still with the Holyoke. When the old Holyoke company disposed of its establishment Mr. Whiting ceased his connection with it, and having sold his interest in the Hampden, in 1865 he organized the Whiting Paper Company, with L.L. Brown and E.F. Jenks, with a capital of $100,000. The present capital is about $1,200,000. The "No. 1," or old mill, with which this company begun, is 280 feet long, 45 feet wide, and has three wings, all being three stories high, with an attic. The attic and third stories are used entirely for drying paper. Two hundred feet are set aside on the second floor for a rag-room, where are employed about 110 persons. The business office as well as Mr. Whiting's private office is also on this floor. A portion of the first floor is devoted to the engines, of which there are two 1500-pound washers and four 1200-pound engines. In one of the wings are two 62-inch Fourdrinier machines, each driven by an upright steam engine. In another wing are two rotary bleach-boilers of 500 pounds' capacity each. On the lower or ground-floor are situated the finishing- and plating-rooms. Here are two plating- and other machines, and work on this floor requires the services of about 80 persons. The business of the Whiting company soon assumed such gigantic proportions that the No. 1 mill was found insufficient, and so another immense structure, known as Whiting No. 2, was begun on Dwight Street, near race. The new mill, which was built in 1871, is 200 feet long, 60 feet wide, and five stories high. The roof is of the mansard pattern, and at the side is a square tower, 85 feet high. There are in addition two capacious wings and a boiler-house, containing the four 60 horse-power boilers, which supply the establishment with steam. The vast area of the two upper stories affords ample room for drying purposes. The third floor, furnished with the latest modern machinery, is devoted half to a rag-room, with 150 hands, and half to finishing. There is also a finishing-room occupying half the second floor, the other half containing the engines, of which there are ten, of 1000 pounds' capacity each. In the wings are the machine-rooms, with one 72-inch and one 62-inch Fourdrinier machines, and the bleach-room, with two rotary bleach-broilers of 7000 and 6000 pounds' capacity respectively. Whiting Mill No. 2, Holyoke. This company manufactures all kind of fine writing- and envelope-papers; employs 500 persons. The company consists of L.L. Brown, C.C. Jencks, and William Whiting, the latter of whom is agent. | Previous Page | Contents | Next Page | | HolyokeMass.com Blog | HolyokeMass History | Hampden County | | Western Mass History & Genealogy | © Laurel O'Donnell 1997 - 2012, all rights reserved This is an adaptation of the original publication This document may be downloaded for personal non-commercial use only and cannot be reproduced or distributed without permission.