Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1881-08-17
EXHIBITION OF MILLING MA.
CHINERY.

The British Mercantile Gazette has
the following respecting the threaten
ed invasion of the domain Of the Eng
lish miller by their enterprising cousins
of the far West:
1t has been stated that there are TO-
900 millers in the United Kingdom,
and that very large proportion of that
number had not, previous to the late
exhibition, even 80 much as seen the
devices by the aid of which our Amer.
lean cousins have asserted they will,
before long, secure for themselves the
exclusive manufacture of the enormous
ly increasing growth of American
wheat that now flows into this country.
To enable the British and Irish millers
to take stock of their position, and de-
eide whether they will give up the
fight, as many of our British farmers
are doing, or embark more capital, en-
ergy, and skill in their business, the
Council of the National Association OF
British and Irish Millers resolved to
hold an international exhibition OF
milling apparatus, and although only q
comparatively short time elapsed be-
tween the mooting of the suggestion
and the actual accomplishment of the
intention, the display of milling ma
chinery wa. emphatically the largest
and finest ever made.
1t is the surprising growth Of the
milling industry in the United States
which fills our home trade with the
most serious misgivings; for, whereas
the quantity Of -four coming from the
States was only l,77,2000 cwt. in
1877, it was 1886, 900 cwt in 1873,
rose to 6,836, 900 cw.. in 1879, and
nearly reached 100000 cwt. last
year.
There is also every apparent indi-
cation of the permanency of the rapid
increase One authority has it that
in the State of Minnesota alone the
mills turned out 100000 barrels OF
-four in the year 1879, and that the
mills in Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, and
other states produced no less than 49,
900, 900 barrels in the same year. The
city of Minneapolis has twenty-five
mills with capacity of 5000 barrels
daily. At St Louis nearly 100000
barrels Of -four was manufactured last
year; and in both of these two great
centers of milling industry number
of new mills are in course Of erection.
The substitution of -four for whole
grain in exporting lessons the weight
for land transport and shipment by
about 30 per cent. as the proportion oi
fine baking -four yielded by the wheat
is some 10 per cent; the remaining
portion Of inferior -four, offal, and bran
being used as valuable interchange
with maize for fattening American
cattle. Even the packing in bags in
place of barrels has had it's effect. II
has contributed toward the econ0miZ
ing of room in the holds Of vessels, and
the matter of cost reduced to mini
mum by the smaller outlay necessary
for the bags, and the realizing of theiI
values when discharged in this coun
try Indubitably, therefore, the situa
tion is, "not to put too fine point up
on ii" serious, and millers are appre
hensive that their anticipations-tba'
at very not remote period the vast
imports from the other side Of the At
lantic may, for the greater part, if moi
indeed wholly, take the form Of floul
instead of grain-may assume an un
pleasantly material aspect. Without
wishing to be 'alarmist' like, or to prog
| =
dustry will become obsolete, it serves
no good purpose to mince matters, ant
the British miller had better look to hi
guns if he wishes to hold his own il
the whirlwind OF competition If any
thing is calculated to stimulate the on
ergies Of English milers and mill
wrights, certainly the great exhibition
at Agricultural Hall ought to bav'
done much to obtain the desired effect