Description of the Saint-Jérôme paper mill

[Translation]

Our readers will doubtless appreciate our gift to them today of this engraving depicting our town’s new plant, of which the entire County of Terrebonne may be justly proud.

Here are some details about the structures of this establishment, the most considerable of its kind in the Dominion of Canada.

The body of the main building is of a splendid aspect, and measures 300 feet in length. The central tower occupies 30 square feet. In the south-western portion are the wheels providing water power, an immense rotary boiler in which the rags are first cooked, the machines that wash and convert the rags to pulp, and the dewatering chambers that receive the pulp, quite ingenious and quite expensive constructions.

The adjoining building seen behind the main structure measures 125 by 55 feet. This part houses the paper-making machine. There is nothing so interesting as watching the operation of a machine so perfected as that occupying this department. Next to this is the boiler building with its colossal smoke-stack. These two structures are the counterpart to the first ones, and are remarkably sound. The structure that appears topped by a turret is destined to serve the warehouse, and measures 125 in length; behind it is the mechanics’ shop. There is furthermore, to the left of the other two, another large building that does not appear on the plan; it is three storeys high, occupies 40 square feet, and is elegantly shaped.

In the plant are installed the most advanced machines, originating from the most renowned workshops. M.E.D. Jones, of Pittsfield, Mass., supplied the engines. The paper-making machine was built by the Union Machine Co., of Fitchburg, Mass. The water wheels were manufactured in Owen Sound, Ont., by Messrs. Kennedy & Sons, Inc., who have obtained great success with the improvements they have made to the manufacturing of so-called Loeffel wheels.

The enormous rotary boiler mentioned above comes from Levering of Boston. Mr. Georges Brush, of Montreal, so well known for the superior class of pieces produced in his establishment, the Eagle Foundry, supplied all of the steel and cast-iron accessories. Among other important components are the two huge steel boilers, an enormous iron pipe to convey the water beneath the wheels, the wheel boxes, transmissions, gears, pulleys and all of the accessories to these diverse component parts.

The plans and drawings had been entrusted to mechanical engineer and architect E.D. Jones, of Pittsfield, the man with the most extensive experience in construction of paper mills in the United States, and who has sought to out-do himself in Canada; thus Mr. Rolland has reason to congratulate his architect for his skills.

Our readers are reminded that the execution of the plans was entrusted to our ingenious fellow citizen Mr. H. Matte, who acquitted himself of his task most successfully.

The name of Mr. Rolland and his lengthy experience are a guarantee of success for this great enterprise. There is nothing that this dynamic man has undertaken that has not succeeded; he has named his son Mr. S.J.B. [Stanislas Jean-Baptiste] Rolland the manager of this vast facility. The Head Office of the Company is in Montreal, on the premises of Mr. J.B. Rolland & Sons.