The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-08-06
Correspondence.
An Interesting and Valuable Letter
ON Wind Mills.
CLAREMoNT, DoDoE COUNTY,
Mimi, July 25, 1874. (

CLAREMoNT, DoDoE COUNTY,
Mimi, July 25, 1874.
Editor Ant-Monopolist
DEAR SIR =: In your issue of the ANTI
MoNoPoL1sr of July 23d saw an article
relating to the application of wind as a
motor for grinding grain into -four. l
would like to add little testimony to
that already given.
Wind mills we're and still are in COM
mon use for grinding in England. For
the first nineteen years in my life eat
no bread but what was made from flour
manufactured by wind power; and |
don't remember eating any poor bread.
Wind millwrighting having been my
fathers business, worked at it from
the time I was old enough to use tools
until my 10Th year, when | emigrated
to the United States. | did not see
any wind mills used in this country
until | moved to Minnesota. The first
one saw of any size, for Touring, was
Uullt at TceDOIu. I1CCOOiA NOohSys ~
John A. Wheeler, in the fall OF 1856,
with the wheel on the principle of the
slat pattern, the wheel being fifty feet
in diameter. This wheel was really
not success in so large mill. This
at least, is my Judgment. based on the
running of the mill, until the June Of
1867. when the wheel blew off. In the
meantime Mr.. Wheeler was maturing
plans for a new kind of wind wheel, and
when the first wheel blew off he went
to work and put up wheel of fifty
eight feet in diameter on his plan (for
which letters patent were granted him.,
which proved success, and the same
wheel is now running on the Freedom
mill, though slightly out of repair from
neglect. l worked in this mill as
miller for something over three
years, and also helped build it.
While in the mill l kept an account
of what amount was ground; it was
such that the owners were satisfied that
it paid very good percentage on the
investment.
TO any parties wishing to build l
would give true statement of the mat
ter if they would come where l am, as
could do it much better than by let
ter. We all know that there are parts
of the great West that have no water
power and where steam power is entire
" out of the question on account OF
fuel. We must, therefore, utilize the
only power left, of which there is plenty
ever at hand for our use, and that is
wind. Just imagine the amount OF
wind power reduced to its equivalent
in horse power) that passes by within
the limits of our own observation; and
then think of the amount of power that
could be made available over the whole
western country. In this country this
business is but in its infancy; there
being but four such mills in operation
to nv knowledge in this State,-on at
Freeborn, one at Owatonna, one at
Potsdam, Olmsted county, one at
Elliota, Fillmore county,-and one now
in process of building at this place. As
this is business | am somewhat con-
yersant with, presume to be a Judge
of what wind mill can do. 1t is
argued by great many that the un-
eyenness of the motion could not be
overcome so as to make good amount
of -four per bushel of wheat in compar-
ison with water or steam. l have but
to refer all such to the mill at Ovation
ma, it's gentlemanly owner and the
users of his mill which mill for six
years has run in friendly competition
with steam and water mill in its i'm
mediate neighborhood.
I do not write this as an advertise
ment. write for the benefit of those
of the public that wish to avail them
selves of the uses Of wind as a motive
power. As many people probably have
not thought it practicable to use wind
power for making -four, l think the
builders of those large power mills
ought to advertise and bring such a
thing before the public, as many Of the
people of the country could be benefit
ed thereby, as we'll as the manufactur-
ers of such mills.
Yours respectfully.
JOHN WARWICK.