Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1891-12-30
OUR MAMMOTH MILLS.
What a Big Syndicate Propose for
Salem in the Way Of New In
dustrieS---The Capitol Mills
How The willamette Valley Milling CON-
Pany Propose 10 Utilize Their Mag
nifeeOt Water Power.
THE CAprroL Mills.


In the past few months one OF the
largest manufacturing establish
ments in the Willamette valley has
been restored from idleness to activ-
ity. The Capitol FIGURING Mills
have been set running again. The
water-ditch to the Sautiam river had
to be rebuilt. The buildings had TO
be put in order. A railroad had to
be built down Frent street and
switches put in. An immense
amount Of machinery had TO be
overhauled.
IN POINT OF SIZE
the mills are surpassed by only
few In the larger cities of the United
States like Minneapolis and st.
Louis.
They are grinding now about 500
barrels a day. With some added
machinery the plant has possible
capacity of 1000 barrels for days
run. The supply of wheat in sight
is sufficient to keep the mills run
Mug, the year through, about two
boat loads a day being received.
The flour is all sacked for export,
while the mill feed is disposed of in
local and domestic markets.
THE MACHINERY.
There are 20 stands of rolls, SS
heAagon reels, 4 centrifugal reels, 10
No. 2 Smith purifiers, 8 new Era
scalPers, 3 wheat scourers, wheat
separators, 2 hexagon scalpers, 2
hran graders, bran duster, l shorts
duster, 3 flour packers, feed pack
ers. Besides these even 100 ma
chimes, there is the shafting, pulleys,
gearing, betting aud other details of
modern flour reduction machinery.
Columns would be required to de-
scribe every particle of machinery
in the three buildings, from the 800
horse power turbines, driving steel
five-inch shafts to the inBumerable
spouts in position to discharge the
various products of the mill.
THE PROPERTY
was purchased the past year by the
Willamette Valley Milling Co., at
the head of which organization
stands Theodore B. Wilcox, q young
man recently from the East. The
company organized by him bought
the Capitol Mills for $4,000 put in
$50, 900 needed repairs, secured the
franchise and built nearly a mile Of
railroad down Front street of this
city, employ 100000 capital to
operate the business with, and are
receiving wheat and discharging the
finest kind of flour by the steamer
load almost daily from their wharf
at the mills. 1t is a splendid plant
aud admirably managed.
THE COMPANY
was organized by Messrs. Wilcox &
Ladd of Portland. A. N. Bush
of Salem, being the only
Salem stock holder. The company
has recently acquired good power
site In East Salem, and with the
power at the old "a" mill are in
position TO conduct two large manu-
featuring enterprises. They have
a proposition from an electric
light and power company to estab-
llsh a plant of sufficient size to sup
ply power for both Salem street rail-
way systems, II desired. 10 light the
whole city Of four square miles and
supply power for other purposes.
The company has abundant capital
and does not propose to let any Of
its fine water power go to waste.
The presence Of such enterprises at
Salem Is an indication that other
large investments Of capital are de
slrable and will no doubt turn this
way II proper encouragement ia
ofvan