▁River . ▁ ▁Early ▁development ▁was ▁pl ag ued ▁by ▁major ▁set back s . ▁Fire ▁destroyed ▁the ▁construction ▁camp ▁and ▁power ▁project ▁at ▁St ur geon ▁F alls . ▁A ▁year ' s ▁supply ▁of ▁pul p wood ▁that ▁was ▁bo omed ▁up ▁in ▁the ▁river ▁was ▁was hed ▁away ▁in ▁the ▁spring ▁flo od . ▁A ▁fire ▁at ▁the ▁new ▁mill ▁killed ▁two ▁workers ▁and ▁brought ▁production ▁to ▁a ▁halt . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 3 , ▁a ▁water ▁storage ▁and ▁hydro ▁electric ▁dam ▁was ▁built ▁by ▁Mor row ▁and ▁Beat ty ▁Ltd . ▁of ▁Peter borough ▁at ▁Spr uce ▁F alls . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 5 , ▁the ▁Spr uce ▁F alls ▁Company ▁Limited ▁was ▁awarded ▁additional ▁tim ber ▁limits ▁to ▁the ▁north ▁and ▁south , ▁bringing ▁their ▁total ▁limits ▁up ▁to ▁. ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 6 , ▁the ▁Spr uce ▁F alls ▁Power ▁and ▁P aper ▁Company ▁was ▁incorpor ated ▁under ▁joint ▁ownership ▁of ▁Kim ber ly - Cl ark ▁and ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times . ▁The ▁new ▁company ▁negoti ated ▁two ▁additional ▁hydro ▁power ▁le ases ▁to ▁the ▁north ▁on ▁the ▁Matt ag ami ▁River ▁at ▁Sm ok y ▁F alls ▁and ▁Dev ils ▁Rap ids . ▁Work ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁ 5 5 0 ▁ton / day ▁paper ▁mill ▁at ▁Kap usk asing , ▁a ▁ 7 5 , 0 0 0 ▁H P ▁hydro ▁generating ▁station ▁at ▁Sm ok y ▁F alls ▁and ▁a ▁ ▁railway ▁and ▁power ▁line