Dark Waters | The Rise and Fall of Paper Service LTD  

 

Introduction

 

     On a cold and rainy morning in October 2005, Gary O’Neal stood on the bridge next to the mill, watching the aftermath of the breached dam as the raging waters took over Paper Service LTD.  The dark waters were destroying the mill that generations of his family had worked so hard to build; his heart sunk as he watched all their industrious work was carried away downstream. 

     The mill had weathered many storms in the past, but the hurricanes of 1938 were one of the most atrocious storms to impact the plant.  Tropical storm Tammy was no match for the hurricanes, so why was it so different this time? 

     On a stormy and windy Friday, employees punched the time clock on their way out for a long Columbus Day weekend, looking forward to three days off with family and friends. Little did they know that this would be the last time they would clock out, or hear the roar of the paper machines at Paper Service LTD.

     The remnants of Tammy made its way up the east coast and combined with a subtropical depression and two cold fronts.  This combination of events brought torrential rains to the interior New England states which devastated southwestern New Hampshire, dumping 15 – 18 inches of rain over the holiday weekend.

     In the mill town of Ashuelot, New Hampshire, rivers, and streams flooded, roads caved in, and trees toppled over, blocking the roadways.  The deep flood waters, as high as the bottom of the door of the box truck that was sitting in the dock was so forceful, it snatched a house off its foundation, disintegrating its walls, before making it disappear into the darkness.  Cars, tractors, and industrial equipment were swept away in the turbulent water and never seen again.

      Even when the storm finally subsided, and the river’s water level receded, water continued to flow through Paper Service. The plant’s fate was sealed, and Gary was forced to make one of the hardest decisions of his life; the storm had destroyed the mill, and it had to be closed.

     Generations of families worked in the plant over the years, and this was their home away from home.  The friendly voices and laughter that used to echo in the hallways were now just a distant memory. The closure of the mill not only had devastating consequences on local employment but the community also suffered as Gary had used his position to support education and the arts for many years.