Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1891-09-04
ANCIENT MILLING.
Tho Marvellous Change OF Both Method
and Product.

Tho Marvellous Change OF Both Method
and Product.
For ages the various cereals used in
brcadmaking were ground with very
uncouth coptriyances hardly deserving
the name of mill, as we understand it,
They consisted Of two portable circular
stones, tue upper being the smaller and
turned upon the lower and concave one
by means Of an iron or wooden handle,
the grain being placed between them:
These stones were usually obtained
from quarry in the vicinity of Babylon,
from which sufficient we're taken to sup
ply all the Eastern countries.
The grinding was usually performed
by two females, who sat opposite each
other with mill-stones placed between
them, the upper stone being kept IN
constant motion by the hands OF tho
operators. Very often this tedious
work was assigned TO prisoners, who
considered it a most degrading task.
This is recorded in Holy Writ. in which
we are told that Samson did grind in
the prison-house of the Philistines;'
and Jeremiah bewails the fact that the
BabyIonians "took our young men to
grind"
Two famous plrilosophers-Menede-
mus aud Ascle iades-when pursuing
their studies at Athens, were enabled
to pay for their support and schooling
by acting as millers after school hours.
receiving the munificent sum OF 30
cents q drachm.n) per night, Happily
their fellow students, upon hearing this, !
raised a subscription sufficient to defrays
the expenses Of these deserving young
men.
While women we're milling they
usually relieved the mOnotOny OF their
work by singing songs of lively and
cheerful character. Ordinarily they,
prepared as much meal in the morning
a. would lie required for the day. On
this account Hebrew writer's associated
the noise Of the morning mill with
prosperity and happiness. If, on the
contrary, this work was performed In
the evening, they imagined there was
the sound OF adversely and sadness III
the notes Of the song.
The Romans, among whom agrlcul-
ture was q highly favored occupation,
we're an inventive race, especially in the
matter Of labor saving machines. hec-
ognizing the drudgery Of hand-mllls,
they invented those whose motive power
was impaired by asses. mules and oxen,
and introduced them into all the coun-
tries conquered by their victorious
armies There il no positive record OF
the name of the originator OF this I'M
proyement in milling
About the year 70 j. c., Mithridates,
King of Cappadocia. one of the most
ingenious and abe princess Of the time,
invented the first mill driven by water.
This triumph If his skill and ingenuity
he caused to be erected in the immedi-
ate vicinity of the royal palace. In the
course of time the Cappadocian bakers
became celebrated, and we're in great
demand throughout all parts OF the
world rs then known.
These mills were usually placed upon
boats on the river, being 50 elevated
and coulriyed as to be easily driven by
the water, and the millers were thus
enabled to move from place to place,
distributing the meal to their Gus
toners.
Prior to the introduction Of water
power mills, the public mills in Rome
were operated chiefly by slaves These
establishments were located in the
vaults OF an immense building, known
as the Pistrinum, devoted exclusively
to the uses Of the bakers of that city.
Often it happened that this slave labor
was very difficult to obtain. and to sup
ply the want the mill proprietOrs re-
sorted to violent measures. They en-
ticed strangers and ignorant persons
into the building on the plea oflnspect-
ing it. In some OF the rooms ingeni-
Differentiated trap-doors were placed
in the floors. As soon as an unsuspect-
ing victim stepped upon the trap no
was precipiiated to the vaults and there
imprisoned and condemned to perpetual
labor. No chance of communicating
with his friends was afforded the pris-
oner, and thus he was compelled to
drudge until released by death.
This horrible state of affairs continued
for many years, until it was finally un-
masked bT the merest accident. A
lusty soldier of the guard was enticed
into the Pistrinum and treated in the
usual manner, but not being rendered
unconscious by the fall through the
trap, he drew his sword, aud after kill
ing two of his would-be enslayers
forced his way out of the vault. He
soon laid bare the entire scheme, the
emperor Immediately ordered the build
ing to be RACED to the ground, and all
who were proven to have been actively
engaged in this murderous method OF
obtaining workmen were quickly OK
ncuted.