By 1885, the Syms & Dudley paper company was well established and profitable. It was one of only two plants nationwide that both manufactured and coated paper.
The paymaster for the company in the mid-1880s was Frank B. Towne, whose family was prominent with the National Blank Book Company.
In 1888, the company invested in a paper folder invented by John Kneeland. It was the first one installed at a paper company and could fold any number of sheets, whether thick or thin. Previous engineers and mechanics struggled and failed to devise a machine for this purpose.
In 1890, Mr. Syms contracted with F. D. Cordes to construct what was described as one of the finest homes in the city. The home was built at the top of Essex Street. A later news article stated a more precise location: Linden Street. The home was 3 stories; the lower exterior first floor was brick, trimmed with sandstone. The second and third levels were shingled. There was a tower one could climb for a view of the city. For details of each room of this home, please view the October 27, 1890 Holyoke Transcript entry below.
In April 1891, there was talk that the company would leave Holyoke and relocate to Michigan. W. E. Syms had just returned from his trip there and was impressed. The unidentified town of 4,000 residents was located 90 miles from Chicago by land and 60 miles by lake.
Further details of Mr. Syms' trip emerged in mid-April 1891. The town interested in luring Syms & Dudley from Holyoke was St. George, Michigan. It was described as a booming mill town. The water's purity was excellent for papermaking. The town offered to build the new plant, offer a tax exemption for several years, and provide water privileges.
At this time, the Syms & Dudley Paper Company was shipping 2/3 of its inventory to Chicago. The company would save a large sum on rail shipping to its market if it moved. The rail company serving St. George also offered a shipping-and-receiving discount over a 10-year contract as an additional inducement for Syms & Dudley.
By early May 1891, the principal officers decided that the company would move out west. Company officials stated they could make 4 times the money as in Holyoke. E. A. Ellsworth was entrusted with drawing plans for the new mill, which would have twice the production capacity as at present. A new dam would also be built. In June, there was some uncertainty about whether the company would follow through on its relocation.
However, on November 21, 1891, an agreement in principle to sell the Holyoke plant was brokered. Messrs. Syms and Dudley would continue to own 50%. The owners of the remaining 50% were Congressman William Whiting (25%), Henry S. Dickinson, and Dwight Bradburn (combined 25%). The consideration paid for the business ranged from $200,000 to $300,000. The new ownership took over management on January 15, 1892.
The Syms & Dudley Holyoke plant was renamed Nonotuck Mill No. 2. Nonotuck No. 1 was immediately adjacent to its newly acquired No. 2 mill. More will be told of Nonotuck Paper Co. in a future topic.
On August 23, 1894, William E. Syms sold his home, bounded on the southwest corner of Linden and Essex Streets and by Locust Street, to William Whiting. The conveyance deed and map identifying the location of this home are shown below.
Epilogue: After viewing several sites in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan, the new Syms & Dudley plant was built in Watervliet, Michigan, located on the shore of Lake Michigan. The plant, built at a cost of $300,000, was operational in January, 1894. The mill employed 150 workers. It was later sold to the large paper combine, the American Writing Paper Company, in 1899.
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; Springfield (Massachusetts) Republican; publication dates and pages are shown.
Ancestry.com (paid subscription): Genealogy Records and Price & Lee, Holyoke, Massachusetts, City Directories
The Story of Holyoke, Wyatt Harper, 1973
Registry of Deeds, Hampden County, Springfield, Massachusetts
1911 Richards Atlas of Holyoke, Massachusetts, Richards Map Co., Springfield, Massachusetts
