USA > South Dakota > History of southeastern Dakota, its settlement and growth, geological and physical features--countries, cities, towns and villages--incidents of pioneer life--biographical sketches of the pioneers and business men, with a brief outline history of the territory in general > Part 9
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July. August
4,023,101
1,792,305
4,359,048
577,173
September
2,743,588
811;115
Total
11,125,737
3,180,593
CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE & ST. PAUL.
July
1,423.185
2,087,680
August.
1,133,854
1,398,460
September
1,593,887
939,740
Total
4,150,926
4,425,880 |?
Making a grand total of 15,276,663 pounds received, and of 7,606,473 pounds forwarded, or of 22,883,136 pounds of freight handled. This large amount of freight reduced to tons makes a fraction over 11,441, or 953 full carloads of 12 tons each. These figures show that the freight business of Sioux Falls for the last three months has been on an average of a fraction over twelve full car loads per day for each week day.
SIOUX FALLS MILL.
The first successful use made of the water power, at the second building of Sioux Falls, was in connection with the grist mill of Webber & Harthorn, which was put in operation early in 1873. The building was on the east bank of the river, just below the Falls-the last fall in the series being used to obtain the requisite power,-and was 30 by 40 feet. The basement was of stone, quar- ried on the ground, the superstructure being of native burr oak. The mill was designed by a Mr. Ash, of Sioux City, Iowa, the work being done by Messrs. O. P. Weston, Mr. Harthorn and Mr. May- nard. It was the event of the year, when the mill was first put in
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SS
HISTORY OF SOUTHEASTERN DAKOTA.
operation, as it was not only an earnest of cheaper prices for the "staff of life," but made a home market for the quantities of grain grown in the immediate neighborhood, and dimly shadowed forth the possibilities of the Sioux Falls water power in the days to come, when the water that for so many centuries had been expending its en- ergies in simply wearing a channel through the rocks, should be har- nessed and controlled by the inventive genius of man, and made to do his bidding. This mill remained in active use for the benefit of the people until the spring of the pesent year, when the waters that had so long acted as a servant, took the position of master, and showed something of their power by sending the mill bodily down the stream.
CASCADE MILL.
The next improvement of the water power was made in 1877. During the month of September, I. Emerson, E. A. Sherman and J. G. Botsford, under the firm name of Emerson, Sherman & Co., purchased the water power and five acres of land on the east side of the river, just north of Eighth street, and began the erection of the "Cascade Mill." The most formidable part of the undertaking was the building of the dam, which was begun October 3, 1877. This structure is of native stone, sixteen feet wide at the base, and the whole structure firmly bolted to the bedrock. The engineer in charge of this work was the late Mr. Meltimore, of Evansville, Wisconsin. That he did his work faithfully and well, is evidenced from the fact, that although the ice and high water have caused all the other dams on the Sioux River to give way, this one has stood secure.
The mill proper, 36 by 52 feet, three stories in height, was designed by Asa Forrest, of Dubuque, Iowa, and contains five run of stone. It was fitted up with the very best of machinery, with all the latest improvements, by the Novelty Iron Works, of Du- buque, Iowa, and began turning out flour in September, 1878.
Long before the machinery was put in motion, the people of Sioux Falls appreciated the enterprise as one in which they had a personal and pecuniary interest, as upon its success depended in a large degree not only the price of the grain they might from sea- son to season have for sale, but also their facilities for being sup- plied with flour.
Right royally has the mill fulfilled all the anticipations of its friends, and proved a success to those more immediately interested,
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SIOUX FALLS.
as it has been in almost constant operation day and night since the machinery was first put in motion. At the present time, the mill is turning ont flour at the rate of one hundred barrels per day. The local demand is more than supplied by the produce of the mill, but the surplus finds a ready market in the East. The fame of this mill is not local in character, some of the flour manufactured here being sent across the Atlantic and competing in the markets of the old world with the world-renowned brands.
Connected with the mill, and really forming a part of it-with a track from the Milwaukee, Chicago, & St. Paul Railroad to its doors-is an elevator 30x40 feet, of the same height as the mill, having astorage capacity for 20,000 bushels of grain, the lower story furnishing warehouse room for the surplus flour awaiting shipment.
Mr. Botsford has lately disposed of his one-fourth interest in the property to Mr. Geo. E. Wheeler-consideration, $16,000.00. The name of the firm remains unchanged. while the grade of the flour, owing to improvements lately introduced into the machinery, is materially improved.
When it was first noised abroad there was to be a mill erected here of the capacity of the Cascade. and some people said the day was not far distant when a larger mill than the Cascade would be built in Sioux Falls. a great miny porsons laughed at the idea, and said the Cascade was larger than the agricultural interests of the Sioux Valley demanded-that the enterprise would prove dead capital to those who had invested their property in it- that not enough grain to keep the mill in operation half the time could be secured in the country tributary to Sioux Falls-that it would not pay to ship after grinding, etc .; in short, that the growth of the town had culminated in the building of the Cascade Mill. It is safe to say that these persons never expected to see the erection of a mill of the dimensions, capacity and facilities of the "Queen Bee," nor supposed such an institution could find adequate employment for its machinery in this part of the country.
The old method of milling by which the grain was crushed between mill stones, thereby breaking the bran and mixing it with the flour, and the dirt adhering to the berry in the case, also finding its way into the flour, thus coloring the whole manufactured product, and so in- juriously affecting the prices that the flour had to be sold at a low
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HISTORY OF SOUTHEASTERN DAKOTA.
figure, and often at a sacrifice-made the business so uncertain, and at times so expensive, that it became absolutely necessary to invent some means by which these difficulties and drawbacks could be overcome. The inventions to this end first took practical shape in Hungary under the name of the Hungarian Process. This pro- cess consisted in, first, thoroughly cleansing the outside of the grain, and then breaking it between rollers, which would make it possi- ble to clean all parts of the berry before it was finally reduced to flour. This process has been continually improved upon since its first introduction, by the best millwrights in all parts of the world, until now, under the name of the "Gradual Reduction Process" it has achieved a success and attained a degree of perfection little ex- pected by its originators. The "Queen Bee Mill," begun here in August, 1879, is built for working up the grain by this process, and embodies all the advanced ideas and latest improvements that have up to this time been brought before the milling public.
It may be interesting to give a short account, divested of all technical terms, of the different processes through which the grain passes, from the time it arrives on the track until it is barreled, ready for shipment.
The wheat, after being shoveled from the car, is thereafter handled by machinery in all its various journeys through the ele- vator and mill. Before leaving the elevator, it passes through cleaning machines, which takes out all the grosser impurities, as sticks, chaff, straw, etc. It is then sent to the mill by conveyors, and passed through separators, which extract all the oats and weeds; from thence it goes to another machine which takes out all the cockle. After being freed from all foreign matter, it is scoured and passed through two sets of brushes, which remove all the dust and dirt from the outside of the grain, which is then ready for the first set of corrugated rolls.
The first break is intended to crack open the berry withont breaking it into fine pieces. This is not such an impossible task as it might seem to be to the uninformed, as the bran and the part of the grain next to the bran are a great deal tougher than the cen- ter of the berry. It is then passed through reels, purifiers and brushes, which remove the remaining dirt. A very little flour comes out at this stage of the process, but it is of a very inferior grade.
The grain next passes to a second set of corrugated rolls. set a
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CELLUVIV
SIOUX FALLS.
little closer together than were the first. From this break there are three separations made-two of middlings and one of flour. The finer middlings go to the purifiers and the coarser to the third set of corrugated rolls. From the third break, four grades of mid- dlings are made, according to their fineness. The fourth break is a repetition of the third with a similar result. The fifth break produces only three grades of middlings, all the finer parts having been taken out in the previous crushings. The sixth and last break. by corrugated rolls, yields two grades of middlings and the bran.
Thus far the crushing has been but the necessary preparation for the manufacture of the choice brands of flour, all the flour thus far obtained being simply the fine particles which have bro- ken loose from the berry and sifted out in the cleansing of the middlings.
Each of the four grades of middlings, that have been separated, are now purified by different machines, each adapted to the partic- ular grade which it is intended shall pass through it, after which they are passed between the smooth rolls of chilled steel, highly polished, to extract the small particles of bran and germ. The middlings in turn pass through four sets of smooth rolls, each set being a little closer together than the preceding, from whence they are taken to the bolting ruts, and thence to the packing ma- chines, emerging therefrom as the choicest brands of patent flour. ready for the retail trade.
Any part of the grain not thoroughly reduced by this process is sent to the old-fashioned buhrs and converted into a low grade of flour. It will be seen from this, that, by this process, every part of the grain is utilized, such parts, except the bran, as will not make the best of flour. being converted into that of an inferior grade.
THE QUEEN BEE MILL
Was begun in August, 1879, and is now nearly completed. It bears about the same relation to an ordinary grist mill that the Great Northwest does to the cramped localities of the East. It embodies all the latest improvements in milling machinery, many of the im- provements and appliances being entirely original and peculiar to this mill.
The building is of stone, quarried on the ground, 80 by 100 feet, and 104 feet from foundation to top of walls, which are six feet
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HISTORY OF SOUTHEASTERN DAKOTA.
thick. This space is divided into seven stories-six beside the base- ment -- though the third, fourth and fifth floors are practically each two stories.
The mill was designed by J. W. McKeen, of Minneapolis, to whom has been entrusted the entire construction. Mr. MeKeen has been ably seconded in his labors by Messrs. H. W. Stearns, (who will remain permanently at the mill after its completion in the capacity of millwright), Peter Paff, L. R. Williman and W. Mc- Connell, foremen in different departments. Geo. Gildersleeve, first miller, and G. V. Quillard, second miller.
To show the accuracy with which the building was planned, it is only necessary to say that the workmen have found it necessary to eut but one joist in all the vast building. to accommodate the almost numberless machines, shafts and belts.
The office on the ground floor is connected with all parts of the building by speaking tubes and electric bells, by means of which instantaneous communication can be had with the workmen in all the of the building. The mill, office and warehouse is lighted ¡hout with gas manufactured on the premises and heated by ste Connected with the heating apparatus is the arrangement for tinguishing fire in case of accident. A Reedy elevator runs from he basement to the upper floor. In short, everything of use that numan ingenuity has been able to invent, is to be found here in successful operation. The shaft from the waterwheel terminates in the basement, which is literally filled with shafting, destributing the power to such parts of the mill as it is needed.
On the first floor are arranged seventy pairs of rolls, seven sets buhrs, and two brush machines.
On the second floor are two more brush machines, five flour pack- ers, ten stock bins and about eighty bins for middlings.
On the third floor, are arranged seven double bolting chests, with four reels in each, one single bolting chest with two reels, one cockle machine, and twenty-two Smith purifiers. On the middle floor, in this story, are five Smith purifiers and nine Allis aspirators.
The fourth floor has seven double and one single bolting chests, twenty-two purifiers and three wheat separators. On the middle floor, are five purifiers and four bran dusters.
On the fifth floor are seven more double and one single bolting chests, eleven purifiers, eleven aspirators and two wheat screens; while the sixth floor has six middlings graders.
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SIOUX FALLS.
All the available space between and around the machines, above the grinding floor, is filled with bins and garners, there being some two hundred of them in the mill.
The mill contains nearly two miles of elevators, three miles of conveyors, eight miles of spouting, and ten miles of belting. Every thing in and about the building, from basement to roof, is built in the most thorough manner, being "cabinet work," in every sense of the term.
Adjoining and connected with the mill is an elevator with a ca- pacity of 100,000 bushels, and a warehouse, 50 by 142 feet, four stories in height, containing a feed-separating reel, two bran pack- ers and barrel elevators. The large bins for bran occupy an entire story of the building. The warehouse has a storage capacity of 10,000 barrels.
Near the warehouse is the cooper shop, which is intended to fur- nish room at present for forty coopers.
The mill has a side track, leading from Chicago, St. Panl, Min- neapolis & Omaha R. R., which is divided into a double track just before it reaches the elevator, one track passing near the elevator, the other near the warehouse. At the northern end of the track is a transfer, by means of which a train of cars can be pushed in. unloaded on one track, transferred to the other, loaded and leave the premises, without any unnecessary switching, or without requiring a great amount of track room.
The power necessary for driving all this vast amount of machin- ery, comes from the Sioux River. A canal has been blasted through the rocks, from a point nearly east of the center of Brookings Island, to within about four hundred and fifty feet of the wheel pit, from which point the water is conveyed in an iron tube seven feet in diameter to the wheel-an American turbine, four feet in diameter, giving eight hundred horse-power. The "head" at pres- ent is fifty-six feet; can be increased to seventy by further blast- ing, if it is thought advisable.
The general direction of all the work in and around this great establishment-employing in its various departments a hundred men-as well as the arrangements necessary for obtaining the grain to keep the mill in operation, is under the immediate charge of Mr. C. W. Hubbard, a gentleman who has made hosts of friends since taking charge of the work.
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IHISTORY OF SOUTHEASTERN DAKOTA.
BUSINESS IN DETAIL.
[ In this enumeration we have tried to give the business complete; but there undoubtedly are omissions, from the fact that some per- sons have been in business but a few months, and their coming and going were unknown to the writer. The parties named are still in business, unless it is otherwise stated. ]
GENERAL MERCHANDISE.
C. K. Howard was the first one to open a stock of goods in Sioux Falls. In 1868 he. purchased the business of the post trader and began his business in the old hospital building, then standing near the present location of the Williams House. In 1871 he put up a frame building. corner Phillips Avenue and Tenth street, to which additions were made from time to time until nearly the entire lot was covered. In the spring of 1880 the old frame building was entirely removed and the present Howard & Taylor block -- one of the marvels of this great northwest-erected in its place. This block has a frontage on Phillips Avenue of 88 feet and 150 feet on Tenth street. Mr. Howard occupies the south half of the block, his store room being 44 by 130 feet, immediately west of this room and connected with it is his meat market 20 by 44 feet, fronting on tenth street. The entire block is heated with Boyn- ton furnaces and is lighted with plate glass windows. The base- ment and second story, connected with ground floor by an eleva- tor. being more especially devoted to his wholesale business. His stock is extensive and demonstrates his ability to carry out his ad- vertisement to the letter: "Howard buys anything and sells every- thing .*
I. Harthorn and J. H. Moulton opened a stock of general mer- chandise in 1869, but after a short time gave up the business and turned their attention to other matters.
Col. Allen opened a stock of general merchandise in the fall of 1870. and continued the business until the fall of 1873, when he closed out his entire stock.
Wm. VanEps built a frame store and filled it with general mer- chandise in the spring of 1871. His business from the first has been steadily increasing both in the wholesale and retail line. It has been his intention from the time of his first establishment here to keep a stock of everything likely to be called for. from a paper of pins to a threshing machine, and unlike many others who have at- tempted such an extensive business he has not allowed one branch of it to prosper at the expense of another. His location from the first has been corner Phillips Ave. and Eighth St.
Geo. B. Sammons, established in the spring of 1873, continned in business until the summer of 1881, when he removed his stock to Brandon.
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SIOUX FALLS.
C. O. Natesta, opened a stock of general merchandise on Main Street in August, 1873. In 1874 he removed to Phillips Ave. Upon his election to the office of Register of Deeds in 1878 he dis- posed of his entire stock.
C. N. Bunce. established in June. 1876, continued in business about a year.
Turner Brothers, established September, 1878. In December, 1879, one of the partners reported that he had been " robbed " at Worthington, and the firm was soon closed by creditors.
Mundt & Kunerth, Tenth street, east of Phillips Avenue. estab- lished in June, 1878. In January, 1881. F. Kunerth purchased the entire business, which he still continues at the same location.
P. P. Boylan, dry goods, groceries and provisions, corner Main and Sth Sts. Established October, 1878.
H. Gilbert & Son, east side Phillips Ave., north of Ninth street. Established in October, 1881.
DRY GOODS.
Wise Bros., opened an extensive and the first exclusive stock of dry goods ever brought to Sioux Falls in. Allen's building corner Phillip's Ave. and 8th street, in Augusi 1876. After a few months the entire stock was taken to Yankton.
P. W. Wildt, began business in Sioux Falls, in the Cataract block in June, 1878. His stock of dry goods was bought by C. K. How- ard in 1880, and his stock of clothing by Williams Bros., in the spring of 1881.
W. R. Kingsbury, built on the lot adjoining First National Bank on the north, in April, 1878, where he remained until about the 1st of September of the present year, when he removed to Edmi- on block. corner Ninth St. and Phillips Ave., which he now occu- pies.
Hardt & Waters, Cataract block, established September, 1878. In 1879. Mr. W. C. Waters purchased the entire business which he has since conducted at the same location.
P. S. West, exclusively dry goods, established May, 1880, con- tinued in the business about six months.
A. W. Allison, established July, 1880, west side Phillips ave., two doors north of the Howard & Taylor block.
E. J. Daniels & Co .. better known as "Dan and Harry;" west side Phillips ave., south of 8th st., established Sept., 1880.
F. A. Kennard, Cataract block, established September, 1880.
C. Comerford, established October, 1880, continued in business till July, 1881.
MILLINERY & LADIES FURNISHING.
Mrs. E. G. Wheeler, established June, 1873, continned only a short time.
Mrs. C. G. Jewett, established April, 1874, continned about a year.
-
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HISTORY OF SOUTHEASTERN DAKOTA.
Mrs. W. H. Bryan, established December. 1875, on east side Phillips ave .: afterward removed to present location, west side Phillips ave .. between 10th and 11th streets.
Mrs. J. Waldo, established October. 1877. continued only a few months.
Misses MeCall & Blanchard. established October, 1878, contin- ued abont a year and a half.
Mrs. E. O. Rice, established in spring of 1878. in building ad- joining Van Eps' store; removed to her present location. west side Phillips ave .. near 9th street in August, 1879.
W. Obert. west side Phillips ave., near 10th street, established Angust. 1879.
Mrs. M. E. Pattee, Tenth street, east of Phillips ave., established June. 1881.
Mrs. A. Allen. west side Phillips ave .. north of Sth street. estab- lished September. 18S1.
CLOTHING. &C.
Williams Bros., southwest corner Phillips ave. and Ninth street. established March, 1876.
J. B. Cloudas & Co., Cataract block, established September, 1880. Schroeder & Peterson, west side Phillips ave., south of 10th st., established March, 1881.
Louis Frank, established in spring of 1880; continued about four months.
MERCHANT TAILORS.
L. O. Johanson, established March, 1876. In 1877 sold to A. P. Anderson, and after a short time again started his business on Main street. Is now with Schroeder & Peterson.
A. P. Anderson, successor to L. O. Johanson, established spring of 1877: sold his business in 1880.
Dahl & Skoyen, successors to A. P. Anderson, established Feb- ruary, 1850: sold to Dahl in 1881.
O. M. Dahl, successor to Dahl & Skoyen. west side Phillips Avenne, near Nineth street: established October, ISS1.
G. H. Rognus. Tenth street, east of Phillips Avenne, established April, 1878. Mr. Roguns' health does not permit him to work at his trade at present.
J. Becher, east side Phillips Avenue, near Eighth street, Estab- lished. September, 1880.
C. Listman, established in 1878: west side Phillips Avenne. cor. 9th street.
DRUGS AND MEDICINES.
Wm. Van Eps, established in spring of 1871.
D. H. Henry, established June, 1873, sold to Dunning in 1874.
L. T. Dunning, northwest corner Phillips Avenue and Eighth street. successor to D. H. Henry, established October. 1874.
Phillips & Brown, established August. 1877: sold to N. E. Phill- ips September, 1879.
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SIOUX FALLS.
N. E. Phillips, successor to Phillips & Brown, established Sep- tember. 1879; sold to Phillips & Nelson, February. 1880.
N. E. Phillips & Co .- N. E. Phillips and W. H. Nelson- suc- cessors to N. E. Phillips, west side Phillips Avenue, near Tenth street; established February, 1880.
Geo. Mahoney & Co., established October 1878; removed from the place in 1879.
U. Hyerdahl. established in spring of 1879; sold to Brush in 'S0. George Brush, established in fall of 1880; sold to Stiltes in 1881.
A. H. Stiltes, southwest corner Phillips Avenue and Tenth street, established July, 1881.
Noble Bros., established in summer of 1880; sold to Langbelle in 1881.
Geo. Langbelle, successors to Noble Bros., west side Phillips Avenue, near Eighth street; established 1881.
SCHOOL FURNITURE AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.
E. G. Ledyard accepted the agency for Dakota, for the sale of the celebrated Victor School Furniture and several first-class mu- sical instruments in January, 1878. In November, the firm of Ledyard & Farwell was formed. The business of the firm has been very extensive, extending to nearly every organized county east of the Missouri; in the spring of 1881, Mr. F. W. Farwell purchased the entire business which he still continues. Office and salesroom east side Phillips ave., just south of 10th street.
SEWING MACHINES.
The Singer Manufacturing Co., J. G. Phelps, agent, is the only establishment in the city dealing exclusively in sewing machines. Agency established in December, 1880.
WATCHMAKERS & JEWELERS.
E. G. Hancock, established in fall of 1872; continued till Oeto- ber, 1877.
T. Pomeroy, established during summer of 1872.
R. D. Thomas, established Sept , 1877, continued about a year.
R. S. Imili, established November, 1877; moved to Mitchell August, 1880.
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