Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 February 1893 — WASHINGTON’S PAPER MILL. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WASHINGTON’S PAPER MILL.

Where the Father of Ills Country Marie a Sheet of Paper* George Washington's visit to Long Island in the spring of 1790 appears to be a matter of special interest to the paper-making industry*- Herewith is given a sketch of Hendrick Onderdonk’s paper-mill, where Washington, with his own hands, made a sheet of paper, which was for a long time retained by Onderdonk and his descendants, and may be in existence to this day. Only a small hamlet was there when Washington visited the place. The natural scenery has undergone In a southeasterly direction in the near distance is Hempstead Harbor Hill, 384 feet high, the highest point of land on the island. Mill ponds, supplied by abundant springs, at the foot of the wood bluffs, which rose on either side of the hay in all their picturesque beauty, then, as they do to-day. The old mansion honored by the presence of Washington still stands in excellent repair. It is owned and occupied by Dr. J. H. Bogart, who, writing recently of this bit of Washingtonia, said: “The main portion of the present paper mill was built about one hun-

little change since then. From the lawn of the old mansion Washington may have overlooked the bay, known then, as now, as Hempstead harbor, extending six miles northward to Long Island Sound dred years ago, but the west wing was built previously. The whole building as it now stands shows the effect of weather and age. The other mill was older. It was probably the one in which Washington 'made the sheet of paper. That it was running as a paper mill at least seventeen years before the visit of Washington is made probable by the following advertisement in a New York paper Oct. 11,1773. It is as .follows: , “ ‘The printer of this raper, in conjunction with two of his friends, Henry Remsen and/ Hendrick Onderdonk, has lately erected a papermill at Hempstead Harbor at very great expense, the existence of which entirely depends on a supply of rags, which are too often thrown in the fire or swept out of doors and are now much wanted. “ ‘He therefore most humbly entreats the assistance of the good people of this province and city in particular to assist him in this undertaking, which will be a saving of some hundreds per annum to the colony, which has been constantly sent out of it for pap.»r of all sorts for the past forty years, the manufacturing of which has but very lately originated here. The highest price will be given for rags by the public’s servant, Hugh Graine.’ ”