The Eureka Paper-Mill

Stockport,

Columbia County,

New York

Capt. Franklin Ellis³⁹³

1878   

     The Eureka Paper-Mill was established in 1862, by H. S. Van De Carr, and occupies the site of a former bleaching-factory, operated by Thomas Pilling.  The mill was destroyed by a freshet in 1869, but was rebuilt the same year, and is at present a substantial brick structure, fifty by seventy-five feet, with the usual adjunct buildings.  Power is furnished by a dam across Claverack creek, eighteen feet high.  The mill is supplied with two large machines and three five-hundred-pound engines, giving employment to thirty men, and producing eight hundred reams of light wrapping-paper per day.

     On the opposite side of the stream is Van De Carr's mattress-factory, which has been in operation the past eighteen years.  All kinds of mattresses are manufactured, but a specialty is made of husk mattresses, consuming about three hundred tons of husks annually.  Eight men are employed.

     A number of grist-mills have been operated at Stockport.  One of the most noted was Joab Center's mill, on the site at present occupied by Rossman's.  The former mill was supplied with wheat brought from western New York in canal-boats, and floated up Stockport creek to the falls at Columbiaville, from where it was taken by teams.  the present mill is one of the most complete in the county, being supplied throughout with modern machinery.  There is also a grist-mill in a part of the old print works, the motor being a small stream from the eastern part of the town and Ghent, which here empties into the Claverack.

     In the same building are manufactured "Philips' spiral corn-huskers" by a company which was organized for this purpose Jan. 23, 1871, with a lease of fifty years, and a capital of $100,000 in shares of $100 each.  The trustees elected were Allen Rossman, Peter Philip, David Crapser, Peter S. Pulver, Tobias New, Leonard Miller, and Rensselaer Reynolds.  The husker has met with considerable favor, and with further improvements will be recognized as on of the labor-saving machines of the age.

     A public-house was early kept on the site of the present Brookside Hotel, by C. C. Hoes, and this place has been used for tavern purposes ever since.

     The "Hudson Print Works" had one of the first stores, the building being afterwards occupied for trading purposes by Philip Van Valkenburgh, Edward Roome, and others.  Jacob Kittle is at present the principal merchant.  In this building is the Stockport post-office, H. S. Van De. Carr postmaster.  The office is on the Kinderhook route, and has a daily mail.  It was first established at Columbiaville, where Charles W. Bently, Joseph wild, and other held the office.

     Among the physicians who resided at this point were Drs. Robert Hicks, John H. Philip, and George W. Cook.