Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-05-14
THE INDUSTRY
Many New Enterprises to be Start
ed About Rock Island.
The Rockford Construction Compa.
pany's Piant---A Grist Mill, Pickle
Factory ana other Projects on Foot
"A Promising season.

The advancement which Rock Island i:
to make this season is not to be confined
alone to identifying. But the improve
ments that have been and are being made
in our streets. sidewalks and parks have
given an impetus TO new industries round
about the city. OF course the most i'm
portant of these is the trick plant 10 pro,
| cess Of erection at Sears by the Rockford
Construction. An ARGUS representative
who visited the scene of operations this
morning was greatly surprised at the
progress of the work. The frame is near
ly up for the main building or grinding
house, which is to be three stories in
height and with dimensions, as hereto>
fore noted. of so by IS feet, while the dry
house adjoining it is also well under
way. Its dimensions are to be 40 bv 1870
feet. Manager Meade, who has Just
returned from Rockford is person
ally supervising the work OF construc
ton at Sears. 1--WE have decided
to double the capacity originally contem-
plated" be said to the news man, land
will have nine kilns with capacity of
10000 brick each, and our buildings will
De erected with view to enlarging the
capacity still further as the requirements
arise. As you see we have one kiln al
ready pretty well advanced, and we pro.
pose to push things now until we are
ready to make brick. We hope to be
manufacturing by July 1st."
Ia response to solicitation on the
part of the ARGUS representative. Mr..
Meade gave brief idea of the process to
be employed. An incline is to be con-
structed by means of tunnel under the
roadbed of the Rock Island & Milan rail-
way from the clay beds on one side of
the track to the third story of the grind
ing house. On this car. automatic in
its manipulations, will carry load of
clay and empty it into the crusher, from
which it passes through the various pro-
cesses until it comes out in the shape of
a brick. After passing into tie dry
house the brick is heated by hot air for
twen-y,four hours. when it passes into
the kiln for two days at slow heat, then
at white heat for four or five DAYS, and
after cooling two days the vitrited ma
terial is ready for use So it will
be seen that from the time the
rough clay passes from the automatic car
into the crusher, not more than ten
days lapse before the vitrified brick is
ready to be hauled away. The industry
is one that will be of advantage to Rock
Island far beyond the first calculations.
OTHER INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISES.
Milan is to have new grist mill with
capital of IS. 600. The city of Milan
has appropriated $500 toward the in
dustry, the citizens of the town have
raised a similar amount, while Messrs.
George Sears and John Johnston have
nnoCA ihohS9 euulCicut W iiltet tue Cdpi-
tai indicated. and the erection of the mill
will De commenced within ten days
President I. V. McCagg, of the Milan
Canning company, which Rock Island
capitalists were shaky about investing in,
has Just returned from Des Moines where
he received an order for seven car loads
of canned goods, the demand being with
out regard to price. This speaks pretty
we'll for quality.
A pickle factory is among the new in
dustries that are being talked of at Milan.
1t is believed the plans will soon all be
com Dleted for the transmission of the
power from the Sears dam to Rock Island
for manufacturing purposes. The de-
tails are all practically settled already