Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1884-10-09
The Pioneer Cities of the Great
Northwest.

Northwest.
TBy AN OCCASIONAL CoRREsfoNDENT]
LETTER NO. 81
MINNEAPOLIS, Sept 20, 1884.
That part of the Mississippi from the sus-
pension bridge to the mill dams, distance OF
hundred and fifty yards is .called'St. Antho-
ny's falls. The falls are ON the right fork of
the river looking south, and next the. bust
ness part of the city. There is more work
done from this water power than any in the
states. We will first take a brief sketch of
the city water works. The building is far
from imposing and we had already decided
to indefinitely postpone our visit when we
thought of those beautiful words of the poet,
q believe that is the regulation thing to say?)
The office and hallway are gloomy enough
to cast a three-ply shade of disappointment
over you, but when you have come inside
the main wheel-house this is all dispellcd by
floods of light from the sky lights overhead
To any one that can take pleasure from see
ing perfect machinery in motion we would
say, spend pleasant hour here when you
visit the city. The first wheel is one OF Soo
horse power, carrying a 5 #. mitrc and drives
the main shaft from 81 in. line shaft. On
the main shaft'are two spur gears that drive
pair of pumps from TT. shaft carrying a
Is feet filled gear. These pumps were the
first erected and stand ina room to them
selves. The second wheel is one of $50 horse
powe. and drives the combination pumps,
Jumbo" The wheel shaft carries q pom
derous crank having connecting rods, with
one common head The pumps, i've IN
number, set at equal distances in 10 IT. cir
Gle. A very clever Little device registers the
number of revolutions of the wheel. 1t had
made 33S, 55l at the end of the sixtieth hour
Another of the same pattern is nearly com
pcted and will be set up in the same room.
The pair were made by the G. Pray Mfg. Co.
Of this city.
The manufacture of flour Is the most ex-
tensiye industry Of the city. More flour is
made here in one year than in any two 9TH
er places in the states, and it claims the ml'l
of the largest capacity in the world. Several
| wears ago an explosion of gas completely
demolished the Pllsbury mill on the west
side and at the same time fire communicated
! to those adjoining and the result WAS clean
sweep and new mills to be built at once
These were built OF very small blue stones.
They are built one against the other and pre-
sent solid face to the street. Fires are
common occurrences but never do much
damage. Every modern appliance for eX-
tinguishing is at hand and every workman
a thorough fireman. Should fire become
unmanagcable there is little hope for the
whole mass. The capacity for "a hours is
from 800 to S 200 bbls. Pillsburys B mill has
made $500 barrels in one d"y. 1t makes
80 600 Der week. In 1880 there were lO,904,-
100 bushels of wheat received and ~ ,l24lo
in 1888. For those years there were COOL
$40, and 4,O4G,20 barrels of hout manuiac-
turel, ;G9, ti2 and /, 3l3 l05 of which were
shipped to Europe. To give your readers
fair idea of this immense trade, say our
dusty friend Mr.. Jones makes so barrels per
day, 300 DAYS in each year, then when he
shall have headed up the last barrel he would
be $40 wears old, reckoning him 40 years at
the lightning,
LUMBER
St. Anthonys Falls with 10000 horse
power at low water mark, runs all the saw
mills in the city. There are Is mills in all,
some among the largest in operation one
third of this power is used by them. In 1880
and 'S3 there were 149, ia, j41 and 329 ,354 III
fl of lumber manufactured. They run day
and night Next year tie amount manu'ac-
turcd will only be one-fourth tue capacity
This was arranged last week by the manu-
f,ctrrers ofthc northwest This is condi-
tiona however and few think it will he
done. Everybody anticipates boom in the
spring We would not have you believe this
a land of pure gold. We only speak com
parativcly, having other cities in mind at the
time. Times will be close here this winter,
as it will be everywhere, but with her own
peculiar advantages, Minneapolis Will hold
her own and be able in the spring to say:
I'm jude, dandy jude w Il +
Don't fail 10 attend the great Republican
Mass Meeting on this Saturday evening in