USA > Kansas > Marshall County > Blue Rapids > Blue Rapids centennial, 1870-1970 > Part 3
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After about seven years the American Plaster Mills bought the plant and continued to operate it for nearly 17 years, when it was sold to the Beaver Products Co. of Buffalo, N. Y., who in turn sold it to Certain-Teed Products in 1928, who have their main offices and laboratories in Ardmore, Pennsylvania.
The mine is very dry and clean, and no pumps are needed to remove surplus moisture. The mine enters into a bluff through a tunnel or entrance to a level vein of 8 foot thick
gypsum. The rock mined is the purest in the world, and is used in "white goods". The mill, where it is processed, is at the base of the bluff. The rock is undercut and then drilled with a mobile hydraulic twin boom drill machine. It is then blasted with dynamite and electric caps. It is loaded with a mechanical loading machine into rubber tired shuttle cars, which carry the rock to an elevated conveyer where it is dis- charged and loaded into mine cars. It is then hauled to the entrance by means of a diesel locomotive.
A small percentage of the rock is shipped as commercial crushed rock, which is used in the making of cement. The balance is processed through the mill. There are two Raymond pulverizers which have a capacity of 8 tons per hour. It is then conveyed to one of the four kettles where it is calcined (reducing the moisture content) so that it is ready to be made into plaster. After being calcined, some is reground in buhr stone mills to achieve a finer grind. This material is then conveyed to the mixers where other ingredients are added to produce pottery plaster, molding plaster, dental plaster and statuary plaster. Plaster which is not reground is used for gauging plaster and plate glass stuccos. Approximately 20 name brands of plaster are manufactured and shipped all over the world from this plant.
STEADY GROWTH FOR GEORGIA-PACIFIC
Georgia Pacific Corporation cannot see anything ahead but growth for the plant and mine north of Blue Rapids, J. S. Jorgensen, manager told Kiwanians Tuesday night at Grahams.
Associated with a company which is the world's largest integrated producer of plywood, Jorgensen said that since 1965 the company has shown a phenomenal growth.
Organized in 1927 as Georgia Hardwood Manufacturing Company, by 1946 the company owned five lumber mills in four states. The first plywood plant went into operation in 1947. Company officials launched into the gypsum industry in 1965 at which time a merger was consumated with Bestwall Company. The latter was the outgrowth of a gypsum company established in Blue Rapids community in 1872.
"By integrated diversification our company is making rapid progress. We not only distribute in this country but also to foreign countries," he said.
A warehouse was added to the local plant in 1965, two years later the Dinscal plant was added, and a 40,000 square foot additional warehouse space is being finished.
Jorgensen said that plans call for doubling the production of the board machine plant in 1971 in the local plant.
Payroll at the plant totaled slightly under $1 million in 1969, and 110 persons are employed from Blue Rapids, Frankfort and Marysville. The company's outgoing freight bill for the railroads during the same period totaled $1.2 million of which truckers earned $200,000. Products shipped out included 2,848 cars of freight and 700 truck loads or 160 tons of finished products.
The gypsum vein, which averages 7 1/2 to 8 feet in thickness appears to be virtually unlimited in quantity, and is exception- ally fine for industrial uses, Jorgensen said.
The Blue Rapids plant is one of a total of 87 such plants in the nation, some being owned and operated by other companies.
WATCH HER GROW
(From the May 30, 1907, Blue Rapids Times comes this clipping) Blue Rapids is noted for her four large plaster mills with a pay roll of $15,000 per month, capacity 30 cars per day. employing 250 men and the gratifying news that we are to have another mill certainly assure the continued growth of Blue Rapids. Blue Rapids has built a mill every two years and as soon as plans are completed, definite announcements will be made.
Electric Plaster Co's. mill was built in 1902, the equipment being furnished by Butterworth & Sowe of Grand Rapids, Michigan. All gypsum products are manufactured at this modern plant, which is the only mill owned by Blue Rapids Capital, and we certainly feel proud of the success they have attained.
MANUFACTURING INTERESTS
Since Blue Rapids came into existence it has been noted throughout the state for its superior water-power privileges, and has been termed by some enthusiastic writers the "Lowell of Kansas." With its 1600 horsepower, its fine dam, its two-span bridge, and its numerous building sites for mills and factories, it will in a few years be justly entitled to that name.
Improvements were carried on an extensive scale. The water-power was surveyed by a competent engineer and found to possess manufacturing facilities of the river strikes an abrupt rock bluff on the right bank about 40 feet high; the river then turns to the left and ripples over a solid rock bottom for a distance of 899 feet. At the above mentioned bluff the town company constructed the dam running over the lime rock bed to the opposite shore. Built of cut stone, sunk into and keyed to the underlying solid rock, it affords great strength. A King's tubular arch wrought iron bridge was completed in the spring of 1871.
LOTS OF WATER FLOWED UNDER THIS BRIDGE
The Blue Rapids water power was conceded to be the best in the State if not in the entire west when it was surveyed and estimates were made in 1870 by a competent civil engineer from the State of New York, who listed the dam and determined the amount of power which the falls would afford. It was found to possess manufacturing facilities exceeding fifteen hundred horse power. The same season the construction of a substan- tial stone dam, over two-hundred feet in length, was both commenced and completed.
The solid rockbed over which the water of the Blue rippled for several rods afforded advantages unsurpassed elsewhere by the Blue and unequaled by any other stream of the State, for permanent and inexpensive work.
A grove was cut in the bed rock to admit the lower course
of heavy stone, and the substantial character of the masonry had been put to the severest tests on several occasions without developing the slightest weakness in the duration char- acter of the structure.
The height of the dam was ten feet, affording power enough to drive all the machinery required for the manufacturing purpose at that time. The value of such power was the heart of one of the richest and most productive agricultural districts of the west, Blue Rapids.
Superior rock quarries in the adjoining bluffs around the community produced excellent building stone at only half the cost in most countries. The manufacturing establishments in the early days were all built and constructed of massive lime rock and rest, like the dam, on the rock bed. They were little effected by high water.
The sea wall was completed in 1877 and manufacturing was invited. The Blue Rapids Town Company owned the power and at their expense the dam was constructed.
Their objective then, as even now, was to make Blue Rapids the greatest manufacturing center of the state.
The first man to take hold of and utilize the water power in Blue Rapids was C. E. Olmstead, LeRoy, New York, whose name is inseparably connected with the earlier history of Blue Rapids. He planned and carried into execution and finally to completion in 1871 one of the finest flouring mills in the west. Its dimensions were 54 x 83 feet. Its height 4 stories or about 70 feet on the river side. The base walls were 4 feet thick. Its capacity was seven sets of buhrs, only five of which were put in position when it first began.
In connection with the mill, "Farmers House" was provided for all customers who were compelled to remain overnight when here on business.
Controlling interest in the mill passed into the hands of J. S. Wright, brother-in-law of C. E. Olmstead and the business was conducted under the firm name of J. S. Wright and company in later years. A delivery wagon ran daily in all portions of town when milling supplies were needed.
MARSHALL COUNTY POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY
A hydro-electric plant with turn turbines was installed and the power thus generated was used to operate the Electric Plaster Company and furnish electric light and power to the people of the town. In May, 1903, the power was destroyed by the flood and thereafter there was a constant and not very successful effort to control the river until 1912 when the Electric Plaster Co. was sold to Senator Henley who already owned the present No. 1 mill, so called, Officers of the No. 1 mill were creditors of the power company and accepted the power plant and lighting system for their indebtedness. J. G. Strong joined them and they incorporated as the Marshall County Power and Light Company. Some improvements were made on the property and then sold to United Power and Light Company of Abilene. The plant changed hands several times and became the property of Kansas Power and Light of Topeka, Kansas.
Since Blue Rapids came into existence it has been noted throughout the state for its superior water-power privileges, and has been termed by some enthusiastic writers the "Lowell of Kansas." With its 1600 horsepower, its fine dam, its two-span bridge, and its numerous building sites for mills and factories, it will in a few years be justly entitled to that name.
Improvements were carried on an extensive scale. The water-power was surveyed by a competent engineer and found to possess manufacturing facilities of over 1,500 horsepower. At a point where the rapids commence, the current of the
river strikes an abrupt rock bluff on the right bank about 40 feet high; the river then truns to the left and ripples over a solid rock bottom for a distance of 800 feet. At the above mentioned bluff the town company constructed the dam running over the lime rock bed to the opposite shore. Built of cut stone, sunk into and keyed to the underlying solid rock, it affords great strength. A King's tubular arch wrought iron bridge was completed in the spring of 1871.
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KANSAS POWER AND LIGHT BUILDING
Power was provided for our town from the power house near the dam.
TER
POWER DAM, BLUE RAPIDS, KANS.
The dam that was across the Blue River at Blue Rapids.
THE BRICK FOUNDRY
A man from Atchison, Kansas, found clay suitable for making brick at the north end of Genesee Street. He brought necessary equipment from Atchison and brought negroes, the first in Blue Rapids, to work in the foundry. These bricks were used to build the original school building, Arlington Hotel and the original part of the old County Home on Genesee Street.
SAW MILL
A saw mill was located on the opposite side of the river from the flour and woolen mill and turned out large quantities of native lumber daily.
In 1871, Samuel Craft operated a steam saw mill near the Blue River manufacturing hardwood and cottonwood lumber. The water system with the reservoir in the hill south of town was built in 1889. Sam Craft was the first water commis- sioner.
BLUE RAPIDS HAD A CHEESE FACTORY
The institution, known as "The Cheese Factory" was in the hands of Messrs. Loban, Sweetland and Lovell in the first years of their business in the 1870's.
The Messrs. received and paid cash for all the milk delivered. The price paid for milk during the season in the spring months was 80 cents per hundred pounds. The factory had facilities for handling the milk of 600 cows.
The manufacturing was in the hands of Mr. John Brown who seemed to understand his business thoroughly, according to the Times issue June of 1877.
With a sufficient number of cows to supply the factory with all the milk it could manage the business was said to be renumerative. Cows cost $20 to $28 a head from the first of March to the first of June. "The feed costs nothing" said the write up, "above the expense of the hearding." The herds that they had at that time in the vicinity of Blue Rapids contained from 40 to 100 head of cattle each.
BLUE RAPIDS FOUNDRY AND MACHINE SHOP
A shop opposite the Plaster Mill in Blue Rapids in the 70's was called the Blue Rapids Foundry and Machine Shop. Owners were the Price Brothers.
The business was able to furnish orders for engines, boilers, saw and grist and pulleys, brass goods, steam and water fittings, saws, belting, babbitt metal, lift and force pumps, builders castings, such as iron columns, lintels, sills and caps, sash weights, cellar grates, iron shutters, fencing and railing, bridge bolts and castings, kettles, all kinds of heavy and light castings of brass or iron.
They did repairs of all kinds and were prepared to do all kinds of iron turning and planting and gas fittings.
WOOLEN MILL
A large four story magnesium limestone building and every- thing about it looks as though it were put there to stay, was operated by water. It stood close to the flour mill. Force of 35 hands in the mill-running night and day. Their goods were favorites in St. Joseph and other markets west. Presently turning out cassimeres and flannels for the mammoth wholesale house of Semon and Co. in St. Joe. The woolen mill ran 528 spindles, 6 looms and was manufacturing 150 yards of cloth and 150 pounds of stocking yarn each day.
This firm was not unduly successful as there were few sheep to furnish the raw material and the people did not have much money to purchase the products of the woolen mills.
In 1877 the plant was sold to Buell Manufacturing Co, of
St. Joseph. Howard Buell, one of the sons of the company, came to Blue Rapids to manage the local mill. He was aggres- sive and constantly increased the business. It was processing about 300,000 pounds of wool a year. This mill burned down in 1879 and was immediately rebuilt. When Howard Buell died in 1886, the prosperous days of the mills were over. Shortly thereafter the machinery was removed to St. Joseph to increase the capacity of that mill. For a while woolen material was dyed at Blue Rapids but soon that activity was terminated.
The building stood silent and unoccupied for a number of years. Part of the building was undermined and fell into the river and later floods wrecked the remainder of the building.
PAPER MILL
Located on the west side of the river, it was completed in 1873.
Business was not too successful and constantly changed hands. The financial crash of 1873 caused the paper mill to close.
In 1874, Green Brothers along the north bank of the river and under contract with town company erected a stone building and installed a paper mill.
Before entering upon this project they had the available water analyzed by a chemist who pronounced it suitable for paper making. After the plant was put in operation it developed that the chemists were mistaken. They could make plenty of course paper but could not bleach it white enough for anything but use than that of wrapping paper and paper sacks.
In 1876 the Green Brothers assigned their interests to the firm of Rix, Hole and Company who did nothing with the plant for several years.
About 1882 the building and power were leased by Parks and Eckels, millers from Wisconsin, who installed 2 pairs of millstones and manufactured corn meal, rye flour and feed, but did not mill wheat. They operated under the name of "Blue Valley Customs Mills" and did considerable business for several years. A roller flour miller of a nominal capacity of 100 barrels in 24 hours was installed in the building and was operated much of the time on a night and day basis. In 1889 the plant was totally destroyed by fire.
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UE RAPIDS ROLLERMILE
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HISTORY OF L. S. AND L.
The grocery business conducted by Messrs. Loban & Sweetland in the beginning days of Blue Rapids was enlarged in 1875 and embraced the boot and shoe trade. It was further amplified in 1876 by taking into partnership T. H. Lovell with a large stock of dry goods which became a permanent and co-extensive branch of their trade.
Mr. Loban was one of the pioneer merchants of the place
Blue Rapids
and the trade worked up and held by the firm may be said to have commenced the first season of the settlement of Blue Rapids in 1870. The store carried a very large stock and drew trade from extensive scope of the country. They had the confi- dence of the entire community and their prices were simply the result of competition, (skinned) as the article printed.
They took on the management of the cheese manufacturing business, 1877 which considerably enlarged their business.
M. T. CUMMINGS CORN MILLS BURNS
M. T. Cummings Corn Mills burned at about 2:20 o'clock, Tuesday afternoon on April 25, 1907. Workmen across the river could see the smoke coming out of the top. The fire started on the third floor, presumably from the smoke stack. The loss included 4,000 or 5,000 bushels of corn, about three cars of mill products and thousands of dollars worth of sacks.
Mr. Cummings had converted the mill into a corn mill in 1902 and was doing good when the flood came and caused the mill to be idle for 2 1/2 years and started again in 1905.
Roller Mills
GRANULATED FLOUR.
This Roller Granulated Flour is warranted equal to the best flour in the world-manufactured from the best of winter wheat. It is of superior strength, requires more moisture, is much more nutritious and healthy, and makes a large loaf that will keep sweet and moist for several days.
CAUTION :--- Care must be taken in cold weather to have the flour thoroughly warmed before mixing; also, to keep the sponge in a warm place until ready for baking. By carefully observing these simple precautions you will get good bread every time; while, if neglected, your bread will be poor and dark, no matter how good the flour.
Upham, Son & Co.,
TIMES PRINT, BLUE RAPIDS, KAN.
BLUE RAPIDS, KAN.
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ICE PLANT
"Good Quality of Sanitary Ice. . . Plant operating night and day. . . "
The plant began operation July 8, 1919. The organized company composed of several prominent citizens of Blue Rapids. A. R. Dean who also managed the flour mill located just to the east, was the president. F. A. Train was the secre- tary and some of the other board members list first included L. B. Tebbuts, G. Van Valkenburgh and S. R. Edwards. The new business, cooperated under the laws of the State of Kansas, operated day and night and supplied folks and various businesses for miles around with the best ice available in this part of the state.
The low speed ammonia compressor machine started operat- ing on Tuesday, July 15. Wednesday the 16th, the ice vats were placed in the brine filled with water and the machinery started. There were 160 vats that held 300 pounds of ice each. It took
48 hours to freeze the water in the vats. This same operation was re-enacted for 47 years.
Besides the production of ice, the building housed a cold storage department which was equipped with refrigeration pipes.
Farmers were invited to come in and buy ice at 60¢ a hundred; delivered in town it was 75¢. R. G. Arnold took orders in those days and advertised "to afford you comfort during the hot weather, buy ice."
Many homes had ice cards to display when they needed replenished with the luxurious item. Youngsters ran behind the delivery truck to grab the small pieces that chipped off when the delivery man picked the huge chunks to ice box size. It wasn't unusual either to see youngsters standing near the cooling tower by the plant to catch the cold spray that cascaded down the sides and spilled out over the surrounding area.
G. Van Valkenburgh held office of President for 8 or 9 years. The business was purchased by The Lindsey Meiers in 1954. He kept it in operation until 1963, when five countains, Ed Wiegers, Charles Moeller, Ralph Tidwell, Marysville; Dick Heeney, Beattie and Bob Sigler, Blue Rapids, forming the "Blue Valley Ice Company Incorporated" took it over and kept the plant in operation until 1966. It was razed in 1967 after almost fifty years of operation.
Ice was cut from the river and stored in buildings for use during the summer months.
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S.G. HILL.
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Ice was delivered during the summer months to residences and places of business. This ice was taken from the river during the winter months.
LIVERY STABLES POPULAR PLACES
LIVERY
In the early history of Blue Rapids one of the most popular places of business was the livery stables. This was a very necessary business as it kept in shape both animal and wheeled vehicles the mode of transportation many years ago. This is the south side Livery known as Backman and Land Livery. In the picture are Charles Moore, Goldie Davis, Dave Backman and Robert Land. The others are unidentified. The building was located where Osborne Wheel Shop now stands.
VE
RY
LI
SALE
FEED
JSOUONTRADE 6061GITEDY
The south side Livery stable owned by Laforce and Miller was called the Commercial Livery. In the picture is J. P. Miller and Charles Moore. This building was located where Harold Osborne's Wheel Shop is now located.
GREENHOUSE
The Blue Rapids Greenhouse was established by Mr. and Mrs. S. E. (Ed) Craft in 1914. Mrs. Ed Craft, whose hobby was growing beautiful flowers, was the person who planted the seed that grew into the greenhouse business in Blue Rapids. It is the only original Greenhouse still operating in Marshall County. In 1940, Ora Persell purchased the greenhouse and is still in his family today, being operated by a son, Arlie.
In 1956, the capacity of the greenhouse was doubled and Arlie Persell, son of Mr. and Mrs. Persell went into business with his father.
They are wholesale dealers in year round sales of chrysan- themums and are the largest dealers in northeast Kansas and southwest Nebraska. They have 25,000 square feet of greenhouse and also a large garden area. They are members of the F. T. D.
In April of 1968, they opened a flower shop at Marysville at 705 Broadway, where they have a large selection of flowers and plants to choose from.
Floor space for the greenhouses covers approximately 34,000 square feet, with about 23,000 square feet exclusively for chrysanthemums.
MAY 17, 1923
The new poultry and egg plant will be put to use for the first time Saturday, according to Wilson Hanna who has charge of the plant here.
The force that has been grading eggs at the Fair Grounds for the past month or so will move to the loading docks at the new plant. The truckers have two regular routes out of here that they make regularly and more routes will be established. About 350 cases of eggs are handled here in a day, now or about 136,000 eggs.
The plant closed in 1949.
SAND AND GRAVEL INDUSTRY Gravel from the Blue River valley is the best quality gravel
to be found in the state. It passes all the wear and chemical tests that the Kansas State Highway Commission has in its specifications. Gravel for all the major highways in Northeast Kansas and many across the state have been shipped by rail and truck from sand pits on the Blue River.
With the coming of Tuttle Creek Dam and the forced reloca- tion due to easement and out right purchase, deposits of excel- lent quality have been found away from the river. The industry continues to be important enough that the State Highway Department maintains a Materials Testing Laboratory and Office in Blue Rapids. Gravel from the various pits around Blue Rapids are graded and tested to meet road use specifica- tions. Total mixed agragate for concrete is made at a local plant and is used for Redi-Mix Concrete that is hauled by truck to various building sites. The sand and gravel industry con- tinues to furnish a sizeable income in the economy of the community.
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THE "OLD" WAY AND THE "NEW"
Semi precious stones such as agates of all kinds, opals, white sapphire, topaz, turquoise, quartz crystals and jasper are found in the sandbars of the Blue and in glacial drifts of the county. These, plus the fossils in our limestone, make fun for the "rock hounds."
BLUE RAPIDS INDUSTRIES
The Blue Rapids Industries was started in May, 1959. They make fiberglass radome covers. The radome is a cover for radar. These covers are sent to all parts of the world except Russia. There are only two fiberglass manufacturers in Northeast Kansas.
At one time they manufactured fiberglass boats.
Residence of C. J. Brown
EF
Residence on Bluevue Farm; John Frost, Prop.
Farm Home of G. B. Layton
Residence of E. R. Morgan
Residence of Dr. R. S. Fillmore
Residence of Chas. C. Tibbetts
SCHOOLS
The term "school" has had a definite meaning for residents of the Blue Rapids area for approximately one hundred eleven years. It was in 1859 that Lucy A. Palmer taught a small school one-half mile west of town in a private dwelling. In November, 1861, her "select" school had twenty-five pupils. In 1870, with the arrival of settlers and the building of Colonial Hall, school was held in that meeting place with the Reverend Charles Holmes as teacher. School district number three was organized in 1871 and continued to use Colonial Hall two more years.
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