Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-12-03
ARO0STOOk FLOUR.
Commissioner Oak Says It Is the
Equal Of Any Made.
Something About HE New Flour Mil q.
Gated At Caribou.

now intensely interested in the aorr
manufacturing business as tho arr, :.
which he is member has inst nu+ IN
a mill. in Caribou, that is bound 70 \.
a success. 1t is Aroostook's latest ~
dustry and is what Mr.. Oak saws 10
destined to become one of the greatest
for he cannot see why Aroostook can
not raise more wheat as well as nt,,ar
products Mr.. Oaks friends were not
over sanguine when he spoke ahout
putting in flour mill in his big Aroos.
took town, but the firm had thought
the matter over fully. and saw no req
son why they could not make a success
of it. as well as they do in the mills ~
the West.
Now that they are showing that they
can make flour in Caribou thew exnect
to do still greater things, next wear.
and the people in that section of the
country are making preparations to
put in a good supply of wheat. another
spring. They have been planting more
and more wheat each year and it has
proven to be a great crop for them. so
the planting Of the crop will not be an
experiment by any means.
Mr.. Oak says the press and the
Grange have been calling upon the
farmers of the section to raise some
thing besides potatoes. so that should
that crop fail them they will not be left
in so destitute condition The firm of
S. w. Collins & Son which is the one
to which Mr.. Oak is member, is doing
something more than urging the mat
ter. They have put in a mill where the
product of the wheat fields can be sold
or ground, whichever pleases the
farmer. In that way the firm is prov
ing to be benefactor to the farmers
of Aroostook.
The Collins mill runs day and night.
They have been receiving 500 bushels
daily, 200 bushels of wheat and 300
bushels Of buckwheat, barley and feed.
The capacity Of the mill is about so
barrels daily. The mill was purchased
in Chambersburg. Pa, last summer,
consisting of four machines in all, four
rollers in each machine, making a to-
tai of Is rollers in all.
The process of grinding is as follows
First the wheat passes through one
set of rollers which takes out the part
made into flour; then the balance
the process of taking out the -four is
repeated, and the balance rolled for a
third time. First rolling, then sitting
takes place eight different times before
it is completed. The sitting process is
done by two gyrators consisting Of two
large cases eight by four feet and three
| and half feet high filled with sleeves,
| 20 in each, cases poised on two crank
wheels which revolve rapidly, giving
! the large frames Of the cases a crank
motion.
The wheat product passes both into
and out Of the gyrators through cloth
tubes, which being flexible, allow them
to turn freely. The outlets, Is to each
gyrator. sort the wheat products into
as many different grades and distribute
to the different sets of rolls for fur
Their grinding, or to the flour or bran
bins, if it is the finished product. So
perfectly is the work done that the
bran has more the appearance of saw
dust than wheat, having little or no re-
semblance to a wheat kernel.
There is another machine still for
treating mddlings to take out any per
cent. of flour there may be left after
the gyrators have completed their
work.
Then comes the packer for packing
the -four into barrels and bags, being
an automatic machine. packing and
weighing at the same time, the flour III
one-eighth. one-quarter. one-haif ana
barrels, as may be required
The present prospect is that the out
put of this mill for the season VIII pe
5000 barrels of flour. or equal to about
10000 bushels of wheat, which VIII
doubtless be increased another year as
the farmers are more than pleased oy
the products of this mill, for with Its
short time only of business it has giver
wheat a cash value in Aroostook, whhcf
is something never experienced IN TINS
section before, so cents being PAID roi
all that is offered.
The greatest difficulty is that tne
quantity offered is small. showing the
fact plainly that the AroostooK FARMER
must SOW more wheat and other grain
as it is understood that the quah"'s
raised here per acre is double tna'
raised in the West.
Workmen are fixing the street al Tie
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