Evening star., 1869-09-21
OR WATER POWER.
District Mills and their Capacity.
Interesting Facts.

Interesting Facts.
We lately entered, at some length, upon the
consideration Of the question II the improve.
ment OF our vast water power, now running
largely to waste.
In this connection we have taken some pains
70 ascertain specific facts as to the amount of
water power now used in the District of Co.
lumhia and the purposes 10 which it Is devoted.
The quiet appearance OF the sheets OF "ye
ancient borough" across Rock Greek, would
indicate to the stranger that little business is
done there, bat Georgetown Is not really as
drowsy as 1t seems. On approaching the line
Of the canal the busy hum OF machinery :ells
the story Of manufacturing operations on a
pretty extensive scale. Though the water
power at command is used oaly to moderate
extent, yet an examination Of the differen [
branches of manufacturing industry carried
on here successfully, shows that the enterprise
and capacity OF our citizens in this way have
been much moderated. We do lbt If many In
Washington. TO say nothing Of the pc ople OF the
country at large, have any idea OF the extent
and importancs or these man ufacturing opera.
tions Carried on within tae District limits. 1 [
VIII be seen, on examination, that even prior
to the construction Of the Chesapeake Ind Ohio
Canal the water power of the Potomac was not
as the limited population and scarce appliance
incident to that period would permit. Com.
mencing with the Touring and grist mills
(and stating by way of explanation, that W hen =
ever inches OF water is mentioned below, su-
perficial inches are meant, with q head OF 80
les- on ell the mills along the canal,) We
have
THE COLUMBIA MILL
Low owned by James 5. Welch, whose name
is given TO the celebrated "Weich's flour"
This mill used solely as a Touring mill is situ-
ated on Water street, between Lingan aud Fay :.
cite streets, Is lbs by 60 feet, and four stori
high IL was originally built by Thomes
Davis in loll and after wards pa ,sed into the
hands Of Boyce, Taylor & o., by whom 1t was
much enlarged. So fiourishing a business did
II then do that Vincent ]. Taylor, one of the
firm, who had erected fne residences on
Bridge street, near by, wa3 about to have a
bridge thrown over the canal to connect tue
same with the mill, when death prevent
sas S05 af fIs is
who had long been a succr5sful miller in Har.
per's Ferry, Nd, and by him again was enlarg.
ed, improved and started in operation on jan
nary LIST, 1863. 1t has been unning steadily ever
since eleven pairs of burrs, the motive power
being hve hundred inches of water, and IL q An
turn out eight hundred barrels of fiour dav
though now only about four hundred are aver
aged on account OF the great amount of time
recessary for the manufacture Of the brand
known as Welcn's family -four to which the
mill is exclusively devoted. Next In order
comes
THE PIONEER MILL,
owned by A. IL. Herr, also miller of long e..
perience and extensive reputation. Here is
manufactured the "Herr and Welch" and
''Welcn's family" flour both of the same grade
On the site OF the present mill, at the intersec-
ton OF Potomac street with the lnaI, smaller
one was built many " hrs ago and was des.
troyed py fire in 1850, when the ground was
sold to g. Bomford, who built a large iac ,ory
81 fad sss .sa
ull 1861. From him 1t was bon yht by Mr.
Herr In 1885, who enlarged the building and
converted 1t into Touring mill in 1861 The
capacity OF this mill, which has nine pairs of
burrs driven by three hu ndred In ches OF wa err
Is 800 barrels per day, although only two hun
reasons al ove Stated The building is most
substantial structure and is one hundred and
forty I, ct long by fifty feet wide. Almost i'm.
mCd!ately adjoining this mill is
THE ARLINGTON MILL,
on the corner Of Potomac and Water streets,
and owned by A. Ross Ray and Brother. The
site Of this mill was formerly occupied by a
saw mill, bat passed in 1877 into the hands OF
Alexander Ray, the father of the present pro.
prietors. The building is five stories high has
eight pairs of burrs driven by i've hundred
in ches Of water, and Is capable Of turning out
three hundred and fifty barrels Of -four per
day, the brand Of which is known az "Arling.
ton Mills" and is thought by many to equal
the best cereal manufacture. Having been
built entirely for fiouring purposes, and at a
later day than any Of which we speak, its con.
struction is more modern, and its external
appearance more pleasing to the eye. few
yards further mp Water street stands
THE RIVERSIDE MILL,
owned by George Shoemaker. This building
was formerly a large warehouse, as were
nearly all the buildings on Water street in days
lrI
its present uses by Robip son and Anderson in
1850. Five pairs OF burrs are here at work.
driven by one hundred and twenty. We inches
OF water, and one hundred barrels of -four of
all grades can be turned out per day. few
yards westward we find
THE MODEL MILL
A substantial structure, built originally by
VIM. e. Duvall and used for many years as
cracker bakery. Twelve years ago it was
made a Touring mill, and when the present
proprietor, Jonn Davidson, came into poss ses.
sion the only clue he had to the name of the
establishment was the inscription Model
Mills on the beam ia the lower portion of
the building. Four pairs OF burrs, by the aid
OF two hundred and fifty inches Of water, con.
s,hule tne working power OF THIS mill, which
is capable of sending out two hundred end
htty barrels OF flour per day. In the imme-
diate vicinity is
YOUNG's GRIST MILL,
Owned by Mark Young. This Is build
ing well adapted for It's purposes, that Of
grinding corn, though Of limited dinen.
sions. This, with two pairs OF burrs, can
grind four hundred bushels per day. Here one
hundred inches OF water are used. The build.
ing was originally a saw mill, and 1t was here
that the first water power for saw mill was
used from the canal in lSA 1t was then owned
by Miller d Duvall, after whith 1t was con.
verted into an iron furnace by - Rynex, aid
then passed INTO the occupancy OF Mr.. Young.
Gong further westward and beyond the aQue.
duct one half mile we reach
THE FOUNDRY MILL,
on the north bank Of the Potomac. owned by
ID. L. Shoemaker Il Co., ana so called be.
cause 1t was originally built for an iron foun.
dry by an Englishman named Foxhall. who
carried ON the business for many years, and
amsssed fortune that enabled him to erect
which 10 the row on Bridge street, eastward
OF and adjoining the Farr ers' and Mechanics
Bank. Here nearly all the cannon used in
the war Of 1872 were Manufactured, and Were
tested IN what il called the approving ground"
snort distance northWard, ana aIterWards
sDlpped direct from the foundry IN sea-going
snips. Many years ago the foundry was con-
vefted into Touring mill, and was supplied
with water from Green Springs. Al the lime
OF the construction OF the Cnesapeake and
OHIO canal, the foundry was owned by
General John Mason, father of ex-senator
James M. Mason, OF Virginia, and from whom
Mason's or Analostan Island derived It's mama,
ne having long resided there. Unwilling to
accept any profered compromise Irom the
canai authorities, the CONSTRUCTION OF their
work having destroyed his water power, OBJ
tained from q small stream whicn runs into
the Potomac, he fought them long, and SO