The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-04-22
SlsS.22

SS7 lbs plaster of paris ............ 5000
dog. sickles.. ........... ..... 1900
TOTAL Sloo.Sz
But the wheat sown by the soldiers,
yielded very light crops and the manu-
facture of flour was discontinued the
principal use of the mill being to feed
the stock and grind the corn. Just
when the mill ceased operations is I'M
certain but in 1929 Maj. Toliaeferro, an
Indian agent at the fort, in writing to
the Secretary of the Board of missions,
about mission for the Sioux Indians,
suggested that either the saw mill or
the grist mill might be used as they
were idle and falling to decay.
The first court in Hennepin county
commenced in the old mill that being
the only available quarters, July, 1S49.
All the early mills ground more corn
than wheat, the nearest flour producing
city of that time being Prairie du Chen,
Wis, that being considered the greatest
flour producing market of the country.
The first merchant flour mills at the
Falls dates its origin from 1854. 1t was
big question with them for several
years how to get wheat enough to keep
the mill running. The first wheat came
from Iowa and Wisconsin.
In 1859 the first large shipment to the
outside world took place, 100 barrels
shipped to Boston sold readily, but the
freight was 1925 per barrel.
The last mentioned mill was on Hen
nepin Island. In 1865 its capacity was
increased to 500 barrels per day. The
largest output occurred in that year, 65-
600 barrels in five months. During its
active existence the Island mill enjoyed
kho Iicfi nc
than any other mill in Minnesota.
AS contrast to the above, notice
some recent achievements of the Wash
burn Crosby Company. One day week
or two ago they produced $1,000 barrels
of flour in ten hours and shipped it to
Philadelphia on a special train of II cars
and bigger job than that's more recent
still, when the people of Philadelphia
raised $10S,S76 for the starving Russians,
Edward S. Stuart, the Mayor of the city
sent an order to them for $4,000 barrels
of flour; here was a load for 175 cars
and seven or eight engines and it fur
nished two days job for the mills Of
the Company.
Various disasters of fire and food, the
last of whichin 1870 closed up the mill
history of the Island and all the mills
have since been built on the main land.
The past success of Minneapolis has
been largely dependent on her water
power. Twice has her permenancy as a
milling center seemed well-nigh swept
away; first by breaks in the river bed in
1S69-70 and again by the explosion in
1873. That catastrophe destroyed six
mills which together had SO runs of
stone, the largest of the mills had Al
runs of stone and ground upwards of
100000 bushels per annum and en-
ployed 200 men. Eighteen lives were
lost in the explosion. In Lakewood
cemetery is fine monument in their
memory.
In this connection it is interesting to
note some comparisons with Buda
Pesth, the flour city of Europe. 1t is
beautifully situated on both sides of the
Danube. Buda, the original city, was
on the bluffy western or right bank
In the time of Roman supremacy it was
noted as health resort. Pest is the
newer city on the opposite bank and
it has outgrown the old town by reason
of the rich agricultural lands tributary
to it. The two cities were united in
1872, the united city taking both names.
The most important comparison is the
industrial analogy, as Minneapolis is the
chief Touring center of this country and
of the world so Buda Pesth is the chief
city in Europe and next to Minneapolis
in the world. Its prominence in this
industry is of long standing. In 1878 it
produced $500, 500 barrels, while Mime
apolis produced in that year, only 94o,-
1856 barrels. 1t was only in 1884 that
Minneapolis got ahead.
Hungary, of which Buda Pesth is the
ic fn ha &c tho
invention of the roller process and
other improved methods and from
there Gen. Washburn introduced them
into his mills here.
A subject of historical interest is be-
ing discussed here at present. Until we
can boast of little more maturity of
age it seem desirable to make as good
use as possible of the few Antiquities we
have got. will quote from the Mime
apOlis journal: 1.-THE first house built
in Minneapolis is still standing. 1t is
safe to say that no other city of its size
in America is the pOssessOr of such an
interesting and important part of its be-
ginning as this. 1t is more remarkable
when it is remembered that this first
house was not stone structure but
plain wooden building. That such a
building should have stood to see among
its successors such structures as the
Guaranty Loan, Lumber Exchange ~
stories), West hotel and Public Library,
is one of the most striking evidences Of
the rapid growth of this remarkable
city that could be presented"
Just imagine what Chicago or New
York would give for the first house
built in those cities.
The journal was the pioneer mover in
the plan to move this house to Central
Park and settle it picturesquely among
the trees, using it as museum of an
tiquties, but some aristocratic property
owners living near the park, with more
money than they have interest in history,
object to locating it in their pleasure
ground, saying that it would be blem-
Ish the the beauty of the park. The
question is in controversy.
Col. John II. Stevens the builder of
the house was a soldier in the Mexican
was, and he and a companion were per-
mitted by an act of Congress in 1916 to
take up claims at st. Anthony military
reservation.
G. X. BRECRENRIDG DEE.