Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-02-14
Township Correspondence.
S

; January, 5, 1856.
DEAR CHRoEICLE:-I promised a chapter
on mills, and l now purpose redeeming the
promise. You will observe that We are in
town as far as milling is concerned.
In the Northeast part of the township on
the Mosquito Greek, are situated Evens'
mills, consisting of g saw mill, old style, and
a grist mill with two run of stones, all of
which are driven when they go at ALL by a
PARKER wheel" These mills have of late
years, been on the down hill side, and have
done but little business, but 1 understand
they have gone into dry dock for repairs.
A little farther dow the stream are Rice's
Mills. These mills were FORMERLY drawn by
water, but the ''Musquito" being so uncertain
a source of power at this place, it was long
ago abandoned, and resort had to steam
which drives a muley saw, a cross-cut saw,
a turning lathe, a planning machine and a
grist mill. The grist mill has for years con-
sisted simply Of one run of stones, in which
was ground corn, buckwheat, feed, Sc, but
since the ''cruel war is over, and drafts are
''felt and feared no more" and our money
and our persons too, are not subject to ''the
next call" the proprietors have purchased
the stones and machinery of Lymans mill,
of Gustavus, and have moved them to their
mill in Greene, and are. doing custom -four
ing in first rate style.
One mile west of the centre is Wolcott's
mill. A steam saw mill running one muley
saw. All the mills mentioned above are for
doing custom work.
Half a mile farther west is Pittsburgh
Green. In the fall of 1868, J.. G. Bidwell of.
Pittsburgh, Pa, who is the proprietor of one
of the most extensive ploR manufactures in
the Uuited States, purchased, in this vicinity,
five hundred acres of land, mostly heavy
timbered. He Immediately proceeded TO es-
tablish, in the open field without a board to
shelter, two enormous boilers and a steam en-
CINE, to which he attached circular log saws.
This formed the nucleus of the establish
ment, and with it the necessary timber and
lumber was sawed with which to erect suit
able buildings for the reception of the other
machinery. The work was pushed forward
with vigor, in all kinds of weather, during
the entire winter, under the direction of A.
V. Crouch, Esq, who still superintends the
establishment. The machinery now driven
by the engine, consists of the log saws above
mentioned, with which the logs are cut into
planks, three smaller circular saws, and two
jig saws small muley saws) with which the
planks are cut up into pillow handles, pillow
rounds, &C.; a planning machine with which
the beams and handles are planed on all
sides; a lathe in which the rounds are turn
ed, and one Of Wisell's spoke machines in
which the ends of the handles are turned to
the proper size and shape.
The wood work for one thousand plows,
on an average, is thus turned, cut, and ship
ped to Pittsburgh, per week. All made BY
pattern, in so complete a name as not to
transport any superhuous timber, but so per-
feet as to be ready to set up finished plows.
The establishment employs twenty men,
The beams, ect. are hauled to jamestown, Pa,
by q six mule team thence it is shipped to
Pittsburgh by rail. Thus Is furnished nine
tenths the pillow wood used at the Pittsburgh
Plow Works. During the war when the de-
mand for plows was more limited, from this
establishment was sent to Pittsburgh, an i'm
mense amount of lumber to be made into
army wagons, gun carriages, ect, ect., on a
between ]. G. Bidwell and United
So whether it be implements per-
to life or death that our country
needs, j. G. Bidwell is ready to supply.
The meeting at the Baptist church is still
progressing with favorable results.
Yours &c, ZEBULON.