Telegram-herald., 1889-11-13
FARMER AND MILLER
Interesting Meeting ofthe Farmers
Club.
'lPERS READ BY SONE NlLLERS.
The Relations Betue cen Farmers and
Aiilers Thoroughly Discussed-A al
liable Meeting 10 Men of Both
CsllinSs-A Nery Large CrSsd.

liable Meeting 20 Men OF Both
CaninEs-A Nery Large CrSsd.
Why can not the farmer get hls
grinding done for one-tentA' the legal
rate for grinding Al = grist mill2" Ma
the question under discussion al tie
Farmers Club yesterday afternoon, anc,
about $50 farmers were present from al
parts OF the county. The milling men
OF the city were also present by !nyita-
ton 10 take part IN the discussion.
Mr.. Rowland opened the discussion
by remarking that he gave from thirty
70 thlrty-eight pounds Of -four and ten
pounds OF bran, all that he could afford,
10 the farmer. Years ago he gave forty
eight, but he could not 10 that now.
1t cost more 70 NJ up 4 mil now with
improved machinery. Wheat viii clear
out one-tenth before IT Is lit 10 grind.
Mr.. DAVIS asked II the millers could
get all the flour out of wheat by the
new process that they could by the old.
Mr.. Rowland said they could. Mr.. Kel-
logg wished TO know if it cost more 10
get the offal out OF wheat now than
formerly. Mr.. Rowe, of the Valley
City Milling Company, said that It cost
about three times as much.
Mr. Rowe then read the following
paper IN answer to the question under
discussion:
"Within the past fifteen years mill
ing has been, practically, revolution
ized, and with the change from old
fashioned mill-stOnes 10 rolls, many
perplexing questions have arisen, some
of which have not been satisfactorily
answered or explained, and this one Of
gristing seems to be one of them. In
the first place, let me say there has a
ways been a recognized difference, even
by the farmer, between a grist mill and
a merchant mill. An ideal grist mill IS
supposed to be erected where II can Sc
cure liberal patronage from the farm
,ng community, whether IN the cOun-
try, village or city, and its purpose is 10
grind wheat IN grlsts, small or large, a 5
the farmer may see fit TO bring il, taking
n certain portion of the grain as toll be-
fore grinding and giving 20 his CUSTOM
er the flour from the wheat he brought,
or make him believe so at least, each
customer taking his turn, waiting fire.
quently the better part of the day,
when time at home Is valuable.
"The machinery of a grist mill is
necessarily limited, because the owner
can not hope TO draw custom
81
area, and he can not hope to do both
merchant business and custom work;
and right here let me say is the rock
stranded. Perhaps you will smile at
this statement, but is fact, neverthe-
less, and scores of such mills can be
bought to-day for one-third or less of
their first cost. As proof, examine any
of the leading milling journals and
read notices of mills for sale. More
mistakes of this kind have been made
during the gradual change from stones
to rolls than for many years previous,
occasiOned partly by the lengthening
of the grinding system and the ma
chinery thought necessary to accom-
pany it to make complete roller mill;
but in most cases because the miller
listened too attentively 10 statements
of the mill furnishers statesmen,
without careful investigation, and lost
sight of the fact that while he might
have been getting fair interest on an
investment of three to five thousand
dollars in his old mill, the new one
costing fifteen TO twenty thousand q,
with no larger area 10 draw from,
would prove to be an elephant. | am
citing you these facts simply to call
your attention more closely TO the
difference between a 'grist milP and
merchant MILL and that you may
not hereafter cOnfOund the two.
"The old-fashioned grist mill was
Il very simple affair with poor
wheat cleaning machinery, If
any, one or two pair of stone
and one or two -four bolts, and but one
straight grade of flour was made, so
that many years ago the merchant mills
in large cities and towns, well equipped
with tho best machinery known TO their
time and making several distinct grades
of -four, began exchanging with farm
ers who desired their product on a basis
Of the merchantable value of the grade
desired. The only way to do il unless
they insisted, as many do now, on buy
ing the wheat and selling the -four. 4
merchant mill Is not so distinguished
because of any ability of Its proprietor
as a merchant; on the contrary, he is
often unworthy of the name. bat be-
cause u has been built with reference 10
and for the purpose Of manufacturing
-four for the general market. for the
countless number who cat bread and DO
not grOE gram. who gather wealth