The paper manufacturing interest in Fitchburg is valuable and extensive.  The credit of successfully establishing this industry here belongs to Alvah Crocker, who, in 1826, built a paper mill of his own.  Paper had, however, been made here to some extent previous to that time.  In 1850 the firm of Crocker, Burbank and Company was formed, of which Mr. Crocker was the head until his death in 1874.  The present members of the firm are C.T.  Crocker, S.E.  Crocker, G.F.  Fay, G. H. Crocker and Alvah Crocker.  The firm now operates five large paper mills in West Fitchburg.  A sixth, the Snow Mill, was recently destroyed by fire.  About 32,000 pounds of news, book and card paper are produced by these mills every twenty-four hours.

In 1865 the Fitchburg Paper Company was organized.  Rodney Wallace, having purchased the interests of the other three original members of the company, is now the sole proprietor.  He operates two large and well-equipped mills in West Fitchburg, which produce from 15,000 to 18,000 pounds of card and hanging paper every twenty-four hours.

[Illustration:  CROCKER BLOCK.]

In 1864 George W. Wheelwright and Sons built a paper mill, and in 1880 the G.W.  Wheelwright Paper Company was incorporated with a capital of $100,000.  The mill is located on Fourth street and produces about 7,000 pounds of news paper per twenty-four hours.

In 1884 a number of capitalists purchased the building long known as Richardson’s scythe shop, situated on Scythe-shop road, South Fitchburg, and converted it into a paper-mill.  It is now operated by the National Paper Company and produces manilla and hanging paper.

The chair business is represented in Fitchburg by an establishment which is one of the largest and best arranged in the world.  Walter Heywood really founded this industry here in 1844, though chairs were made in Fitchburg on a small scale some years previously.  The Walter Heywood Chair Company was organized in 1851 and incorporated in 1869 with a capital of $240,000.  In July, 1870, the company’s buildings on Water street were completely destroyed by fire, and a lot on River street, comprising nine acres, was immediately purchased for the erection of new works.  These buildings, each three hundred feet long, fifty feet wide and two stories high, besides store houses, offices and sheds, were soon ready for occupation.  A private track connects the works with the Fitchburg Railroad.  The Company has a very large trade, both foreign and domestic, and employs three hundred men.  The chair stock is prepared at the company’s mills in Barton, Vermont.

[Illustration:  FACTORY OF THE FITCHBURG WOOLEN MILL COMPANY.]

The manufacture of cotton and woolen goods is extensively carried on in Fitchburg.  The Fitchburg Cotton Mill is a fine brick building at the upper end of Main street; carpet warps, batting and twine are here manufactured.  The Fitchburg Duck Mills in South Fitchburg produce cotton duck.  The Parkhill Manufacturing Company (John Parkhill, President, and Arthur H. Lowe, Treasurer), occupies what was formerly Davis’ chair shop, situated on Circle street, and manufactures gingham.  The building has been greatly enlarged and additional buildings have been erected since the company was organized a few years ago.  Excellent goods are manufactured and find a ready market.