Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-07-01
MILLS AND MILLING.
A somParIsen OF the Nsifs % To-day
With These of Fifty Years Ago


With Thsse Of Fifty Years Ago
As loag ago "A 1926. when the Rev.
Leonard Slater frst came 70 this part
or the state, corn was raised 70 some
extent by the Indians. and . mill was
one OF the things that seemed q neces-
sity for the advancement OF clyilszs-
ton. SooG after MS arrival he, with
insllan assistants. bailt a saw mil on
what as kEO8n - lniian Creek near
the u. o.. IL. < NJ. Junction. IL Was .
primitive altar. run Dy riuiter wheel,
but II answered the purpose OF cutting
out lumber enough 10 build plenty or
shantles for the Inhabitants OF the IT.
tie Indian village. As well as . larger
building for worship
In this mill, run oy the same power,
= stone was placed for grinding corn.
This stone Sas manufactured for that
purpose from native ''hardhead' st a
great cost of labor, and though 1t was
Ike the null, rude and rough IN It's
construction, II answered lts purpose
very we'll.
Flour was not used to any great ex-
tent III those days. What WAS used
was brought by team III winter from
Gull PraIrle. where Was located the
nearest Touring mill.
Ia the year 1888 some gentlemen
from the State OF New York, under the
firm OF Smith Il Brownell, built tue
nrst Touring mill IN Grand Rapids. IL
was built just north OF where the val
Icy City Touring mIft now stands. IL
was known later o. the "OwPs Nest
and sill later as sweets Old Mill"
lt was run by clumsy old cast wheel,
and the machinery consisted or a SIN
gle run OF stone or French burrs, a
home made smut machlue and bolt
ing reel about 10 feet long. fhe smut
| machine was made of oak plank and
sheet IRON, hand punched, but was
better than none. The stones were
first dressed by Mr. Jas. A. sRumsey,
who IS well known TO all "Old settlers
and VINO is still living III his pleasant
| home on Grandviile-aye.
The capacity of this mill was only
about two barrels per hour, but 1t was
sufficient for all the wheat that was
raised near here, though grists came
from long distance IN all directions,
sometimes on horseback, sometimes
with oxen ana carts or sieds. and often
by boat from up Grand and Rogue
rivers. lt made but one grade OF Hour
| aud that not always the choicest, rs
corn, feed and even malt were ground
-, in the same stone. Four or five years
later John. w. Synnls built another
| mill, on the site now occupied 10y A.
Leitelt's iron works, Mr.. Rumsey taking
an active part in the construction OF
both mills as well rs in running them
for number Of years. Both mills
were eventually burned.
The FIGURING mills of Grand Rapid:
today. though not large, compared
with mills in States where wheat 10 al.
most exclusively raised, form no small
part of the enterprises of our manufac.
turing city, furnish Us with as good
bread "a can be made in any part OF
the world. give employment to scores
| of men and teams, make q first-class
| market for the wheat raised in this
vicinity and Is no small degree of bene
tit to the railroad companies that han.
| die the wheat and -four. The Valley
City company has a capacity of 700 bar
relS per day and the Star and Crescent
/ together about the same. Con-.