The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-08-11
ANCIENT WINDMILL Is SOLD
1t has Worked Away for One Hundred and
Fifty Years.


Nantucket, Mass, Aug. 9-The oil
windmill which has stood GROWING tn,
summit of NIL hill" for $50 years vii
go under the customers hammer 10
| morrow a. 10 O'clock.
II has ground no grist OF grain fol
many years, but it has become in it:
| d0tage the sign manual Of the island
| No one would think OF coming to tow
without inspecting this antique struc
ture, as it stands overlooking the vii
| lage, stretching its saillesS arms to the
heavens as II pronouncing benedictior
upon all who pay il homage.
Here it was at the time of the revolu-
ton, when il saw the British land OF
| stores and carry away $4,000 Of the
| thrifty old quakers savings.
| 1t was here when the youth Of the town
went by hundreds in answer to the cal
| Of President Lincoln.
II was the first to see the massive
| whalers when they returned from four
years voyage, Ike golden argosies,
loaded with thousands OF dollars worth
Of oil. the vintage of the deep. Then
there was only one town in the United
States richer than Nantucket, in pro-
portion to the number OF inhabitants.
In its later days the old patriarch has
witnessed the degeneration of the
islands great industry, and it sometimes
seems as f the altitude of its arms was
an invocation to heaven for the old days
70 return.
II these later days the old mill sees
a strange and newer crowd advancing
70 IT'S STE. It must be fattered TO find
itself photographed. etched, painted in
ellis ami water color, and circulated
throughout all the world.
When the heavenly laden excursion
BEATS arrive in the summer. the pas
seng=rs go by the hundreds to Mill hill
which also furnishes an excellent view
of the old whaling town.
Its most distinguished visitor this year
was Grover Cleveland. who came here
on the Oneida and spent a few hours
here with Mr.. Benedict. The ex-presi-
dent was in an extremely jovial mood
and cracked a few jokes at the expense
CT the old mill
Its gray sides. with moss-covered
shingles. seem in appropriate keeping
with the quaker ancestry OF the town.
The whole place is a vision Of gray, and
artists delight in the somber tints they
find here Although there are few OF
toe old Friends left. the old mill remains
true 70 the ofd traditions and wears the
gray in all seasons.
There is no doubt that the old mill was
built in 1747, for that date IS craven in
the massive doorstep Of stone. II IS
said that il was erected for Eliakim
Swain. and when he passed away his
son Timothy tended it for many years.
1t Is interesting to note that it was
constructed of oak. which was grown
just across Dead Horse valley. This
fact adds greatly 10 the historical i'm
portance OF the structure. for there are
a few who DOUBT that oak ever grew
here % sufficient size 20 make timber.
time, and the only species OF the family
is the scrub oak, which. Of course. could
never be used as building material
TIE old mill. howeve-. ought 10 be
good evidence that there We're oak for
es.s here; for no one would be likely to
import 50 expensive building material
Cor the construction of a windmill
Il the traditions are to be relied on, |
the old mill once had a narrow escape |
from destruction. l. is said that it was
sold to Jared Gardner in 1928 For 500. Mr.. |
Gardner intended to tear il down and |
make it into firewood. But he found |
that the framework was 81 sound shat
L was wortl. repairs, and the relic was |
saved.
There was once three others. ii is said. |
which stood IN the same hill. and waved |
their arms IN unison, II the song Of the
working machinery insi-e. Thus the oh |
mill IS the last Of i;s race.
During the revolution the millervorl,-
FL AZ the perl OF his life: once. We are
told. British cruiser in Nantucke.
sound fired a cannon ball right through
the mill. within foot OF the miTler's
head
Another time a little girl INDUCED IN
the dangerous sport OF gras2ing one OF
me VaneS as il began torevolve and was
Jared around The circle. She IS saii
to have accomplished this feat without
injury. but none OF her play,nates ever
-ried the experiment
Strangely enough. there are as vet n,
ghost stories attached u l.. The old
niliers were all respectable citizens. AMI
nave been allowed 10 rest in their graves
n peace.
The interior OF the mill has two sto-
les and remains just IS Il i: had but i,js.