USA > Minnesota > Goodhue County > History of Goodhue county, including a sketch of the territory and state of Minnesota > Part 40
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The Commandery now numbers 40 Sir Knights. The following are its present officers :
'W. C. Williston, E ... C .:.; D. M. Baldwin, G .:.; S. B. Foot, C. G .:. ; E. J. Comer, P ... ; A. H. Allen, S .. W ...; O. Whitman, J ... W ..; John Hack, Treas ...; Geo. P. Sjoblom, Rec ... ; F. Joss, Warden ..; J. A. Lawrence, St ... B ... ; W. P. Brown, Sw ... B ... ; J. M. Richter, 1st G ...; S. J. Willard, 2d G ...; L. W. Neudeck, 3d ...; W. H. Brink, Sent ...
ARCTURUS LODGE, NO. 130, U. D.
This lodge was chartered February 1, 1878, and the first meeting was held in the hall of Red Wing Lodge, No 8, A. F. and A. M., February 27, 1877, A. L. 5,877 ; charter members as follows: F. A. Williamson, T. H. Perkins, P. F. Geardon, A. F. Graves, C. C. Webster, William Daniels, P. Y. Moser, A. H. Allen, I. H. Stevens, G. L. Marble, O. Dens- more, Sr., J. H. Macomber, H. Brown and H. C. Hodgman.,
Officers : O. Whitman, W. M .; L. R. Wellman, S. W .; D. Densmore, J. W .; E. W. Brooks, Treasurer; W. O. Dodge, Secretary; W. E. Stan- ley, Chaplain ; E. B. Philleo, S. D .; G. H. Benton, J. D .; J. L. Hastings, Tyler.
Present officers : O. Whitman, W. M .; L. R. Wellman, S. W .; P. F. Glardon, J. W .; H. C. Hodgman, Treasurer; J. W. Swanstrom, Secretary ; A. H. Allen, S. D .; George H. Benton, J. D .; G. L. Marble, S. S .; G. A. Carlson, J. S .; J. S. Hastings, Tyler; Rev. W. E. Stanley, Chaplain.
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THE HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY.
The order meets the second and third Tuesdays in each month, in their lodge rooms, Bush street, corner of Third, entrance on Third street.
RED WING LODGE NO. 57, I. O. O. F.
This lodge was organized November 27, 1876, with the following charter members : W. C. Williston, C. M. Lawrence, C. L. Kellogg, D. C. Hill, T. J. Clark, E. P. Howell, A. A. Mathews, A. J. Robertson, E. F. Grow, George Hudson, John Stearns, W. A. Potter, W. S. Grow, W. H. White, P. N. McPostie and J. C. Cook.
First officers of the lodge: W. C. Williston, N. G .; C. L. Kellogg, V. G .; E. F. Grow, R. & P. Secretary; C. M. Lawrence, Treasurer ; George Hudson, C .; W. H. White, W .; A. J. Robertson, I. G .; T. J. Clark, O. G .; D. C. Hill, R. S. to N. G .; E. P. Howell, L. S. to N. G .; W. S. Grow, L. S. S .; J. C. Cook, R. S. to V. G .; A. A. Mathews, L. S. to V. G.
The regular meeting of this lodge is held on Friday evening of each week, at 7 o'clock, from November to February, inclusive; March to October, inclusive, 7:30; May to August, inclusive, 8 o'clock.
L'ETOILE DU NORD LODGE NO. 23, I. O. O. F. . This society was organized October 7, 1868, with a membership of eight charter members : H. J. McGiveren, Charles Brown, M. Kappel, John Bryan, W. Eisenbrand, W. C. Williston, and Henry Pamperin.
The officers were H. J. McGiveren, N. G .; M. Kappel, V. G .; William Hayman, Secretary, and Henry Pamperin, Treasurer.
Present incumbents : C. Whitney, N. G .; J. Kappel, V. G .; William P. Lyon, R. S .; R. Landauer, P. S .; Henry Kappel, Treasurer.
Membership at the present time 109. Lodge in a flourishing condition.
LAUREL LODGE, NO. 17, KNIGHTS OF PITHIAS.
Organized February 13, 1878.
Charter members: F. S. Field, E. W. Shenton, J. W. Swanstrom, W. H. Crary, J. W. Delano, R. Kreiger, J. D. Kellogg, J. F. Taake, A. Messer, A. J. Robertson, E. J. Garrison, R. A. Bigham, H. A. Charles, J. Mc- Clean, A. A. Mathews, H. Martins, M. L. Ecker, Galen Allen, H. Reinertson, A. F. Graves, G. H. Benton, L. R. Wellman, J. Webb, O. Whitman, and T. Bixby.
First officers : A. J. Robertson, P. C. ; R. Kreiger, P. C. ; O. Whitman, C. C .; L. R. Wellman, V. C .; J. F. Taake, K. R. and S .; J. W. Delano, M. F .; T. Bixby, M. E .; W. H. Crary, P .; F. S. Field, I. G .; A. Messer, O. G .; Galen Allen, A .; A. A. Mathews, A .; H. Reinertson, A .; R. A Bigham, A.
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THE HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY.
Regular meetings, second and fourth Tuesday evenings of each month at 73 o'clock, from October 1st to March 15th ; and at 8 o'clock from March 15th to October 1st.
A. O. U. W.
Red Wing Lodge No. 18, Ancient Order of United Workmen, was organized in the city of Red Wing, Minn., July 14, 1877.
The charter members are : J. F. Taake, A. DeKay, P. N. McRostie, O. M. Sprake, C. L. Kellogg, W. E. Hawkins, G. E. Gates, H. B. Woodley, J. D. Kellog, F. E. Hills, M. Herschler, L. D. Campbell, W. A. Potter, O. G. Day, T. J. Clark, E. F. Grow, D. C. Hill, E. P. Howell, B. C. Stephens, W. M. Sweney, John McLean, W. R. McDonald, Jacob Christ, E. B. Phileo, Frank A. Cole, John Kappel.
First officers : D. C. Hill, P. M. W .; M. Herschler, M. W .; C. L. Kellogg, F .; O. G. Day, O .; A. DeKay, Recorder ; E. F. Grow, Financier; T. J. Clark, Receiver; J. D. Kellogg, G .; W. A. Potter, I. W .; L. D. Campbell, O. W .; D. C. Hill, first Representative to Grand Lodge of Minnesota.
SCANDANAVIAN BENEVOLENT SOCIETY.
This society was organized February 19, 1869, and incorporated by State authority August 1, 1874. Officers at time of organization were : Charles Kempe, president; Nicholas Lovgren, vice-president; J. G. Gustafson, secretary ; Olof Peterson, treasurer.
The relief committee, who also acted as stewards for the first four years were : T. G. Pierson, John Melander, John Swanstrom, B. Dunnell and H. Skoog.
Amount paid out for benevolent purposes, $2,286.88.
Present relief committee : John Hawkanson, C. Warnson, C. Lender, A. Danielson, Andrew Anderson, J. W. Peterson, and Solomon Nelson. Stewards : Gustaf Johnson, N. O. Werner and Andrew Johnson. Finance committee : N. O. Werner, Andrew Nelson and B. Skilberg. Officers are elected every six months.
SVEA SOCIETY.
Organized February 6, 1869, with a membership of thirty-one. Presi- dent, S. J. Willard ; vice president, Charles Kempe ; secretary, Gustav Berg; treasurer, Andrew Johnson ; librarian, William Zingerman; jani- tor, Andrew Bengston.
The present membership is small, there being only sixteen persons in the society, with the following officers : president, Charles Himmel- man; vice president, Charles Swanson ; secretary, John Hawkanson ;
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THE HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY.
treasurer, H. L. Olson; librarian, Swante Anderson; janitor, John Peterson.
The library of this society numbers about 300 volumes in the Swedish, and 600 volumes in the English language.
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES.
RED WING FLOURING MILLS.
At the head of the industries of Minnesota stands the growing of wheat; second in the catalogue is the manufacture of flour. The latter branch is steadily increasing to keep pace with the demand, and the rapid progress being made in the cultivation of wheat.
First among the industries of this rising young city is the turning of wheat into flour. The flouring mills of Red Wing are not only an honor to the city but a credit to the State. Goodhue county being the banner wheat county of Minnesota, and Red Wing the chief city of the county, with her natural and acquired advantages, a milling interest has obtained here that deserves more than a passing notice in this volume.
In 1873 the Red Wing Mill Company erected what is known as the " Bluff Mill." This enterprise contains eleven run of burrs, three sets of iron and six of porcelain rollers, with all the improved machinery and appliances of a first-class " new process mill."
Connected with this structure by a warehouse having a capacity of 150,000 bushels, is that very excellent building known as the " Diamond Mill." A notable feature of this mill is the Hungarian system, the first introduced into this country. By that process there are four or more grindings of the wheat, elaborate purification, and the reduction of middlings to flour by means of rolls, or rolls and stones combined.
The plans for this mill were furnished by Oscar Oexle, the celebrated civil engineer and millwright of Augsburg, Bavaria, who has constructed some of the best mills in Europe, visiting America last year for the purpose of introducing the Wegmann porcelain roller mills. Messrs. Gunn & Cross, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, were the millwrights, and the work is highly creditable to that enterprising firm. The foundation story is a solid system of stone masonry, six feet in thickness at the base, and sloping to sixteen inches at the top. Above the basement are five stories built of brick, fourteen and sixteen feet in height, with pitch and gravel roof over all. The building proper is 80x90 feet, and 106 feet in height, basement 12 feet.
The engine house is 22x60 feet, three stories in height, built of stone
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THE HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY.
and brick. On the first floor is a 24x48 Harris-Corliss condensing engine, rated at 250 horse power. In addition, there are a Knowles fire pump, a force pump, and two heaters. The second story of the engine house, is used as a barrel room, for storing and nailing up barrels before packing, and the office occupies the third story. The boiler house and fuel room combined, are 40x50 feet, one story, of stone. In this room are four boilers, each twenty feet long by forty-eight inches in diameter. The chimney is octagonal in form, 136 feet in height, of brick, resting on a stone base fourteen feet square. It is a master piece of workman- ship, and cost $5,000.
In the basement of the main building, are the iron hurst-frames, resting upon cut-stone piers, and the main shaft also supported by a solid stone foundation. This shaft is driven by a thirty inch belt from a driving wheel eighteen feet in diameter, weighing twelve tons, to a nine foot pulley.
The second floor contains twelve run of burrs of five different varie- ties, fifteen sets of Wegmann's porclain roller mills, and four Eureka flour packers. Connected with this room is the barrel room, in the second story of the engine house.
The third story is principally used for storing wheat and middlings in process. It contains two large Sturtevant blowers, that remove the offal from the mill to the warehouse.
In the fourth story are located the purifiers, fifteen in number, four- teen of Standard middlings purifiers, made by Fender & Cuthbertson, Minneapolis, Minnesota, and one of the best European make, imported from Zurich, Switzerland. From the trial he has made, Mr. Baker, the president of the company, is convinced that American purifiers are unexcelled. The fifth floor contains the bolting chests and four aspira- tors. There are fifty-four reels in the mill, most of them twelve feet, or the length usual in Hungarian mills.
In the sixth story are the lines of shafting that drive the reels below, the elevator-heads, and the dust room. The purifiers and reels are driven by a twenty-inch belt, running up from the main line. The ele- vator pulleys are made to order, with flanges to prevent the tearing off of cups and to destroy the friction at the heads of the elevators, to which it is believed many mill fires are attributable.
In a five-story warehouse adjoining the mill, and separated from it by a brick wall, without openings, ( except for the shaft and wheat spout,) is where the wheat cleaning is done. The machinery of this part of the enterprise is driven from the end of the engine shaft by a friction coupling, which can be thrown on or off without stopping the mill. In
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THE HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY.
this building are two Eureka smutters, made by Messrs. Howes, Bab- cock & Co., Silver Creek, New York; two dustless separators, manufac- tured by the Barnard Leas Manufacturing Company, Moline, Ill .; two graders for sizing wheat ; two pairs of four-and-a-half foot ending stones ; two Victor brush scourers; one of Kurth's cockle separators, and four reels, besides wheat bins on each floor. The dust is blown into an apartment at the extremity of the warehouse adjoining the " Bluff Mill."
The iron work for this magnificent structure was furnished by Messrs. Stout, Mills & Temple, of Dayton, Ohio, and the burrs by Messrs. W. & F. Livingston, New York City. The belting was manufactured to order by Messrs. Jewell Bros., Hartford, Conn. The mill is fitted up with Rathbun's flour bolt attachments, Gratiot's wheat heaters and every modern device of utility known in the manufacture of flour. It is heated by steam and lighted by gas. In addition to the Knowles fire pump in the engine room, and the usual stand pipes with hose attach- ments on all the floors, there are also Babcock extinguishers and bar- rels of water on each, and in case of fire, (as a last resort,) a steam pipe connects from each story directly with the main boiler, so that the mill can be rapidly filled with live steam. The cost of this mill, including the wheat cleaning warehouse, aggregates $140,000.
Both mills are located on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad, and the basement floors are on a level with the bottom of a freight car standing on the track. The distance to the river dock is only one hun- dred feet, thus giving the mills remarkable shipping facilities. The capacity of the mill is six hundred barrels of flour in twenty-four hours, and of the Bluff or old mill, four hundred barrels. Of course those figures signify round numbers-when the mills are running to their full capacity. The brands of flour put up in the old mill are " Corner Stone," favorably known throughout New England, and " Old Glory," a baker's flour, popular in New York. The brands used for the Diamond mill are " Edward " and " O O O," all secured as a trade mark in the United States.
Excavating for the new mill was begun in March, 1877, and on the last of the following December it turned the first wheel.
The combined enterprise gives employment to an aggregate of one hundred men, and the pay-roll frequently runs up to over $250 per day.
The Diamond mill enjoys the honor of being the first in this country established on the Hungarian plan, and the mechanical structure and arrangement of this machinery stands par excellence in the catalogue of the milling industries of this country.
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THE HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY.
All the officers directly connected with this important system of works are men of business ability and sound practical experience, and under their supervision the excellence of the manufactured articles turned out by the various departments have won a well merited popularity wherever introduced.
The officers of the company are, E. L. Baker, president, superintendent and principal stockholder ; F. B. Howe, treasurer; E. B. Philleo, secre- tary ; F. R. Sterrett, wheat superintendent ; and E. L. Harn, head miller. The capital stock of the company is $250,000.
LA GRANGE MILL.
This company was formed, and articles of incorporation signed as early as March 7, 1873, but not to take effect until January, 27, 1877, and to continue thirty years. The capital stock was fixed at $100,000, divided into two thousand shares of $50 each. O. Eams, Hiram Waters, Anerand Seeback, A. J. Grover, John Miller, J. J. Starz, Charles Bet- cher, J. C. Bennewitz, John Doblow, Peter Stromberg, D. C. Hill, B. B. Herbert, John G. Deipenbrock and F. W. Hoyt were the incorporators.
Feb. 3, 1877, at a meeting of the stockholders, E. W. Brooks, Anerand Seeback, J. S. Hoard, William Hayman, H. E. Perkins, Charles Betcher and O. Eams were elected a board of directors. Feb. 5, 1877, at a meet- ing of the board, E. W. Brooks was elected president; Charles Betcher, vice-president; J. S. Hoard, treasurer; A. J. Meacham, secretary ; and A. Seeback, superintendent.
September 30, 1878, the treasurer's report showed $85,000 stock subscriptions ; amount paid in $85,000. The wheat purchased by the company amounted in round numbers to 324,238.35 bushels, costing an aggregate of $315,072.51, an average of a fraction over ninety- seven cents per bushel. The amount in store was 12,000 bushels, making the total amount received 336,238.35 bushels. The company had manufactured up to that date 63,031 barrels of flour, and of that amount 55,000 barrels were shipped. Receipts from all sources amounted to the handsome sum of $1,096,357.57.
For the ensuing year a board of directors was elected consisting of the following members: E. W. Brooks, C. Betcher, O. Eams, J. S. Hoard, J. W. Peterson, H. E. Perkins, and A. Seeback.
February 20, 1878, at a meeting of the board, E. W. Brooks was elected president ; O. Eams, vice-president ; J. S. Hoard, treasurer; G. H. Malcolmson, secretary ; and A. Seeback, superintendent.
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THE HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY.
The building is six stories in height, basement of stone three feet in thickness, remainder of brick. Dimensions of mill proper, 50x80 feet, with brick cornice and gravel roof. Walls of the brick work are twenty inches in thickness at the bottom, and one foot at the top. The basement story is twelve feet in height, first or grinding story fifteen feet, second and third stories each twelve feet, fourth and fifth stories fourteen feet. The frame work is of the most substantial character. There are oak posts in four of the stories, with iron pintles between, making settling next thing to impossible. The building rests on solid rock as firm as the earth itself. Between the mill and warehouse, in the basement, there are four openings, 18x22 inches, through which wheat is conveyed into the mill. The mill building, including engine and boiler rooms, warehouses and all machinery, cost $75,000. It is devoted exclusively to the manufacture of flour and feed.
The engine room and texas is a one-story stone and brick structure, 20x50 feet, with gravel roof. A fire wall twelve inches in thickness separates the engine and boiler rooms, with fire-proof doors. Boiler room and texas is a one-story stone and brick apartment, 36x50 feet, with gravel roof. Both texas' are iron-clad.
Adjoining the mill building is a two-story and basement wheat ware- house, 60 feet square above, and 51x60 the lower story. The basement is of stone, upper stories brick. Between the mill and warehouse is a fire wall with fire-proof doors. Capacity of warehouse 75,000 bushels.
The motive power of the mill is steam obtained from an upright con- densing engine of 250 horse power, low pressure ; twenty-five to thirty pounds being sufficient to run the entire machinery. The engine is the Corless patent, manufactured by the North Star Iron Works. A. Howe, jr., is the very competent head engineer. There are four boilers complete in all their details. The mill is heated by steam, and there are no stoves except in the office. So much of the machinery as runs in wooden boxes, except six boxes on flour packers, does not exceed forty revolutions per minute ; but a large portion of the machinery runs in iron boxes lined with Babbitt metal. The six boxes on flour packers do not exceed seventy-five revolutions per minute. The shaft- ing is all in perfect line and runs true. There are twelve pairs of four foot burrs running one hundred and forty revolutions per minute, and one run of thirty-inch burrs for grinding screenings, besides four crushers.
In the basement are two smut machines, the " Victor " scourer and Victor brush machines, speed about five hundred revolutions per minute. The dust is blown into a stone chamber outside of the mill building,
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THE HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY.
with vent hole leading into the base of the smoke stack. Of wheat separators there are two, one in the basement and the other in the fifth story, having a velocity of about five hundred and fifty revolutions per minute. The bran duster is located in the fifth story, and has a speed of three hundred and seventy-five revolutions per minute. There are fourteen Wilford & Russell's patent purifiers, seven on the third floor and seven on the fourth floor. They are of an improved pattern, manu- factured by the North Star Iron Works, Minneapolis, Minn., and have a speed of about seven hundred revolutions per minute. For stationary lights on grinding floor, office, engine room and warehouse, gas is used, and for movable lights, close lanterns, burning headlight oil. The mill is ยท operated day and night, except from six o'clock A. M. Sunday to six A. M. Monday. Two men are employed in the mill as watchmen and oilers, each half the day and half the night. No smoking is allowed in the building, or drinking of spirituous liquors.
Running through every story of the mill, is an iron stand pipe four inches in diameter, with from fifty to one hundred feet of hose attached on each floor, for extinguishing fires. This pipe is attached to an " A. A. Knowles" steam pump, which is operated by a special steam boiler, in which sufficient steam is kept, even when the mill is not in opera- tion, to run the pump to its full capacity ; but when the mill is running, steam is supplied from the large boilers. In addition, a cask of salt water and two buckets are kept on each floor, ready for use at all times. The smoke stack is of brick with stone base, height, 125 feet.
Mill, warehouse and machinery, are owned and operated by a joint stock company, under the name of the " La Grange Mill Company." The enterprise ranks among the first-class properties of the State. It is carefully managed by competent men, and every department is thoroughly systematized and in perfect running order.
LUMBER INTEREST.
One of the prime industries of this region of country is the manufact- ure of pine lumber. The forests of northern Minnesota abound in extensive pineries, and for three decades men have been plunging into their depths and utilizing those stately trees. Steadily with the growth of the Northwest the business has increased until it stands to-day a marvel on the commercial catalogue. Hundreds of millions of feet are cut annually and yet the source seems practically inexhaustible. All along these upper waters teem with that industry, and marts and cities
-
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THE HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY.
are growing on their borders, with it for their foundation and support. Along the various streams hundred of mills have been established, and on the bosoms of those rivers float to market the raw material and the manufactured articles in countless numbers. To the timberless regions of the far West and down this mighty river to the southern cities, the great staple of these northern forests rolls like an endless tide. Day and night the hum of that industry continues in one unceasing round, and the sharp ring of the glistening steel as it cleaves the mighty bolts is mellow music to him whose home is among the pines.
Although the lumber interest of Red Wing is not her paramount industry, it is nevertheless a thrifty and steadily growing business. In June, 1856, Cogel & Blakely began the manufacture of sash, doors, blinds, etc. They purchased their first machinery of James Tott & Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, which was sunk with the old Itaska at Rock Island bridge. Within three weeks of the disaster another lot of machinery was on its way, and finally it reached its destination and fulfilled its requirements. In 1859 Mr. Charles Betcher purchased Mr. Blakely's interest. In 1861 they purchased what was known as the " old Freeborn mill," and the present saw mill is upon the same old site. This was the first saw mill built in Red Wing. It was put up by Messrs. Pettibone & Knapp, and had passed through several hands before it fell into the possession of Messrs. Cogel & Betcher. Few mills have a record like this one. It was one of the pioneer enterprises, and well it fulfilled its promise of usefulness. In 1867 the structure was rebuilt, enlarged, and greatly improved.
Since 1875 Mr. Betcher has been alone in the business, Mr. Cogel retiring that year. These mills are located by the bay at the upper edge of town, convenient to the railroad, with an accessible and safe harbor for logs. The saw mill contains two circular saws, one 54 inches and the other 36 in diameter. They are driven by steam power, and are capable of cutting 40,000 feet of lumber in eleven hours. The average annual cut and sales usually run about 5,500,000 feet of lumber, 2,000,000 shingles, and 1,250,000 lath. The capacity of the mill may be rated at 7,000,000 feet per annum. In the season of 1875, 6,000,000 feet were cut ; 1876, 6,500,000 ; 1877, 5,500,000; 1878, a poor year for logs, the cut will not exceed 4,000,000 feet. At the yard in the city there is constantly on hand a supply of about 3,500,000 feet to meet the retail trade.
The planing mill is devoted to the manufacture of sash, doors, window blinds, mouldings, packing boxes, etc., etc., and it is furnished with all the modern improved machinery for doing every variety of work in that
Anders Danielson
RED WING.
T ENEW YORK ELICE PRARY
ASTOR, LENOX AND LCEN FOUNDATIONa.
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THE HISTORY OF GOODHUE COUNTY.
line. In this mill twenty men find employment, and the production of the manufactured articles reaches $20,000 per annum. In all the vari- ous departments the number of men employed usually aggregates not far from one hundred.
In addition, Mr. Betcher is interested in a sawmill and a hub and spoke factory located at Esdaile, Pierce county, Wis., about eight miles from Red Wing, in the midst of a heavy hard-wood forest. The saw- mill is operated by water power, the factory by steam. A stream known as the Isabelle furnishes an excellent water power, which has been well improved and utilized in the past few years. In the sawmill the logs are cut into lumber, and that article re-sawed and prepared for the factory. The latter building is 40 x 120 feet, and is connected with the sawmill by railway tracks. On the first floor is located the engine, boilers and appurtenances, a common planing machine, a circu- lar planing machine, tenoning machines, hub machines capable of making one hundred sets of hubs per day, a spoke machine that can turn out fourteen spokes per minute, board saws, cut-off saws, and all the necessary appliances. The second story contains turning lathes, for turning all kinds of handles, bedsteads, and other articles that are fash- ioned by that process. The loft is used for storing the manufactured articles.
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