The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-03-22
KANSAS news.
Gypsum Industry on a Boom at
Blue Rapids.
A Big Mill rs to Start Soon
Grinding Out Plaster.
is A FINE FERTILIZER.
Orders Flowing in From All
Parts Of the State.
Something Of the History of
the Discovery Given.

Blue Rapids, Kan, March ZZ-AS q
result Of the strong recommendations
from most OF the agricultural colleges
and other experimental farmers, our
plaster companies are flooded with orders
for land plaster for fertilizing purposes.
or with applications for sample bags of
the fertilizer by the more tirnid farm
ers-
Judging from the nature and the var
ious sources of these applications the
value of land plaster as a fertilizer must
be comparatively new This idea comes
as a surprise to the citizens of our state
where its value has always been apprs-
ciated. The wizard of the famous Kan
sas corn is gypsum. The fertility of TIE
river valley. is regarded as due in past
to the fact that all rivers have their
sources in the gypsum beds
The study of gypsum is intensely IN
teresting and dates from the most an
cient times in the history of the world.
The mineral has been used in various
ways from very remote times PhEy
records that the cOnservatOrlesW were glaz-
ed with transparent gypsum ca.l'd
lapis specularis. Bee-hives were render +
ed transparent and on account OF the soft
lustre given to the light as it passed
through these transparent plates the an
cient people named this variety Seller te
the moon. Selenite was regarded by
them as the most delicate variety of ala
baster and was used by the wealthy IN
their palaces for windows, and house
hold ornaments
All the ancient writings show that the
Greeks were familiar with the use of
plaster made from calcined gypsum-ita
use as a fertilizer was also well known
in those days
Blue Rapids is justly proud of her gyp-
sum industries. The first gypsum de-
posits worked in Kansas We're in the
northern, or Blue Rapids area In The
spring OF 1857 Thomas c. Palmer, pio-
neer from Ohio camped on the bank of
the Big Blue river near where the FOw-
Ter mines are located. He used several
of the large whitish rocks lying near to
hold up his campfire When they became
cola again he found they had Stacked
like lime. thus was the great industry Of
Blue Rapids discovered.
He afterwards made crude sort of
plaster to use on his cabin which he
built on the bank of the Little Blue riv
er at the place where the Winter or Blue
Valley mill now stands Because the
rocks under the waterfall and the
lodges of rocks at that place resemblei
marble and because he knew no other
name for 1t, he called the place Marble
Falls. name still used by the Oldest set
tiers.
In 1858 Gen. Frank Marshall built his
house in MarySville, the first house OF
any pretentions in the county, and was
for some years the finest private resi-
dence on the overland route between st.
Joseph and Denver 1t is now one OF the
landmarks of Marysville and some of
the old plaster, the first made in Kansas
from Kansas gypsum is still to be seen
on it's walls.
The first gypsum mill built in Blue
Rapids was built by J. v. Coon in 1872
A pioneer industry in a. pioneer country
meets many difficulties unknown to their
successors, good wOrkmen came high in
those days and shipping facilities We're
things Of the future Mr.. Coon abandon
ed his mill in 'S9. In 1887, the Fowler
Brothers formed the Blue Rapids Plas-
ter company. procured a calciner and
force of practical worI1men from Grand
Rapids. Mich, the then center of the
gypsum industry, and doomed the Blue
Rapids gypsum
The Blue Valley company was organ
lied in 1890. A. z. Winter, manager. and
the Great Western company began work
in 1895.
Another mill viii soon be built on the
YarricS farm south of town. The other
mines are all near the river, the var
rick mine will be cut into the high. rag
ged bluffs, which attract so much atten-
ton from the passengers on the Central
Branch trains. The bluffs lie just south
of the track and are said to be rich in
compact, pure gypsum