Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-07-03
Shall we Have a Flour Mill.

EDITORS INDEX: Your brief para
Waph in the INDEX of last week, in re-
gard to a -four mill, viii be endorsed by
every intelligent citizen Of this part of
Barber county. There is no enterprise
that is more needed than good flour
mill. The people of this county are
paying as much for the flour they con-
sumo as have to pay for that consum-
ed in my hotel in New York city. And
yet there is wheat enough raised in the
county TO supply the demand, and no
market here for the wheat. All the
flour consumed here is shipped IN, and
the wheat that is raised is shipped out
on the railroads. The freight on the
wheat and on the flour is paid by the
consumers of the flour. Nearly all the
farmers III this part of the county buy
their flour. Now, why should these
farmers sell the wheat required to make
barrel of flour, at So barrel, and buy
their flour at the rate of So? Here is
loss of 81 that goes to some foreign
manufacturer, and to the railroad and
merchants. A good -four mill would
keep that money in this township, and
the larger part of it would go into the
pockets of producers and consumers of
-four.
a leading merchant of your city told
me last week that from eight to ten car
loads OF flour month are shipped into
Medicine Lodge and sold to the people.
and yet the farmers don't know what
to do with the wheat they raise.
The new water-ditch seems to supply
water-power enough to run mill that
would grind all the flour consumed or
sold in this city. If flour mill was
constructed, it would bring farmers in
to the city, with wheat, from many
miles around. and they would find a
market for their wheat, and spend the
money received, in the stores and mar
kets. AS the city has supplied the wa
ter-power, now let the citizens subscribe
the funds to build a mill, or a part of
the same. There are two banks in this
city that are ubundantly able to sub
scribe one or two thousand dollars each.
aud several merchants half that amount
each. During these years of bad crops
the bankers and merchants have made
all the money that has been made, and
instead of letting the farmers have
money at lower rates of interest, and
goods at cheaper prices, have they not
charged higher rates on money, and
higher prices for goods ?
In New York state the farmers think
that four and six per cent. interest on
money is too much; but in this locality
from eight to thirty-fve per cent. is
paid. The farmers must get money at
lower rates of interest, and goods at
cheaper prices, and freights at lower
rates, and better prices for their grain
and cattle, or many of them will be
driven from the county.
A good flour mill will help all classes
OF people, for all consume flour, and
they are now being supplied by mills
out of the township, instead of consum-
ing the wheat that is raised here.
Let the board of trade of this city
take this matter in hand, and raise the
funds to start a mill.
l am told that several parties have
been here, and have offered to build a
flour mill if the citizens would assist
somewhat in putting up the building ;
and if few thousand dollars are sub
scribed mill can be built.
E. Z. MILLER.