The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-05-14
THE LARGEST FLOUR MILL IN THE
WORLD.
tFrom the Richmond Wing. ]


Richmond can boast of having within its limits the
largest Touring mill in the world For years the buildings
occupied by cerprising miileIs OF very large
dimensions and constituted peculiar feature in tho to-
Biography of Richmond but the increasing demand for
their flour has given an additional impulse to Its
facture and stimulated of the most prosperous firms
engaged in that business Messss Warwick, Barksdale
Co-to extend their operations by the erection Of a
building OF colossal proportions pronounced to BIZ the
largest Of the kind In the world.
The mill building il situated at the southwest
of Canal and 18th Streets and is suamounted by
observatory which overooks the present mill OF Mcssrs
w. D. Co.. the opposite side Of the street. The two
buildings will be connected by suspension bridge
Canal street, four stories from the ground and al
ready indirectly connected by similar structure extend
ing to the mill, adjoining tbs new structure.
The erection Of the mill regularly commenced
time in the year 1854 The supetructc rests upon
solid foundation Of granite the base OF which is
and half feet thick Tho width tapers to thick
ness Of six feet at the top of granite level
with Canal street. The stone work--requring about
perch of granite have cost about $40, OO0
The average thickness Of The brick walls, forming the
first four stories above Canal street. is three feet two
inches. ,4stas ~ $50 l&f. Nfsa{sa aaaf ~
The great mill which has given employment to these
skul workmoa, and their numerous assistants during
the pas three or four years. is twelve stories in height
fronts ninety feet Canal street. and il one hundred
and sixty Ave feet Deep The height OF the front wall
is I2I feet to the top course Of bricks Including the
observatory the total height is 1875 feet The wall
embracing part of the granite foundation il l4 feet
high. We Will now proceed to give some statistiCai
minutie which will doubtcss prove interesting to our
readers t sl8
There used In the construction OF this building
about zoo, 900 bricks, number sufficient If laid in
straight line, end to end 10 reach distance be-
You'd the city Of New York An equal number Of bricks
would suffice to build about 80 small dwellings. Each
floor contains about a. 500 superficial feet including the
two Aoo in the roof the total would bc about
square feet rather than three and half
Altogether the available space within the walls OF this
building Is about 200 900 square feet In addition to
the flooring plank $50 900 feet Of timber used for
posts griers, josts, &C. The whole amount Of timber
in the roof embracing posts rfters and sheeting IL
about 600 feet There 293 windows and 30 doors
In the mithe former containing 1000 panes Of glass
There uscd in hanging the windows GIG, or ~
DOZEN pairs of hinges The iron work is to be done by
Messr Pae. The shafts for the water whcels
will be made of cast iron, and will weigh each 10 900
pounds VI sas M iiasg "a ait5ssgsa gssa 3aA
We have positive information to the cost Of the
immense structure which have attempted to describe
but presume that tho will not fall short OF $3.50 0O0
Several months will yet elapse before the machinery will
be ready to be put into operation The second and third
stories present used for the storage Of -FOUR packed
in barrels ready for shipment. M