The Oskaloosa herald., 1905-03-09
SOUTH SPRING MILLS
Destruction of Land Mark Recalls
Interesting History.

interesting bits of history. For half
a century names prominently con-
nected with the history and pro-
gress of Mahaska county have been
identified with the old mill, which
stood over the old South Spring.
for fifty years to the month, and
honestly built as men in those days
did build, was a good building yet,
when torn down to make room for
a more progressive factory.
Tradition says that the old South
Spring" was the fayorite camping
place Of the Indians long before
this country was settled, but the
tradition dates back to days that no
living Oskaloosan can remember,
and after the country was once set
tied, and the Indians once were
driven away, the story could not be
wholly verified.
Mrs. Semira Ann Phillips tells of
an Indian gentleman from Indian
Territory, a man evidently of means
and Of some education, VINO, while
visiting in the city some years ago,
called upon her and told her that
the tradition said truly that South
Spring" was a favored spot among
the Indians long before the settle
ment Of the Iowa country. This In
dian (Mrs. Phillips does not remem-
Der his name) had come back to
Oskaloosa to visit the scenes about
what had been his old home.
Among the statements he made was
this, that just south Of the Iowa
City road in a hill, along the banks
of Spring Creek, is a large cave, or
was, and that the cave served as a
playground for himself when a boy.
The old chieftain was unable to YER
ify this while on his visit here and
no one else seems to know Of the
cave. The man was about ninety
years old and did not show fifty.
He was a fine appearing old fellow,
says Mrs. Phillips, and seemed in
the prime of life. His sister, he
told the old lady, was a favored
wife Of Sitting Bull.
History takes up the tradition OF
the South Spring" several years
after the Indian tradition has left
it. In the forties the land sur
rounding the spring was owned by a
family named Mosier, who lived on
the hill to the south. The spring
in those days was esteemed by the
settlers as highly as the Indians
had regarded it in former years;
it was a never-failing source OF
Sweet, pure water. The settlers al
most envied the Mosiers their
spring. 1t was a trysting place for
loving lads and faithful girls.
The land changed hands. In 1855
the South Spring Mill was erected,
during the month Of February. The
mill was built for a nan named
Ezra Fletcher, who opened a saw
mill and furniture factory in the
place as soon as it was completed.
The building was quilt by Charles
Munroe, the venerable father of c.
E. Munroe of this city, and two
other carpenters, a Mr.. Bowen and
a Mr.. Tucker. Bowen was from
Ohio, and during the framing of the
building developed a bad cold which
ran into quick consumption and the
man was taken back to Ohio for
burial within a month after the
building vas completed.
The old mill was built of native
timber and the lumber was sawed
in the cid saw mill which used to
be located on what is now North B
Street.
The new saw mill was a failure as
an investment and IN 1856 the mill
was sold to a Mr.. Talbot who chang
ed it to a Touring mill, and vas op'
orator for some time. 1t next pass
ed into the hands of a partnership
Of three men, William Tolbert, now
living in this city, James Glenn and
the late George Baugh. Later Mr.,
Baugh's interest was transferred to
Carroll Phillips, and Mr.. Phillips
and Mr.. Glenn afterwards disposed
of their holdings to a Mr.. Adkins.
Adkins was a man who wanted to
do everything as well as possible
AS manager he built the large
smoke stack which afterwards
characterized the building. The smoke
stack was metropolitan and Oska
loosa was quite proud of the bic
chimney. Alas, in a few days after
the thing was erected, during the
night it was, the ground gave way
under the weight of the structure
and it collapsed. With a better
foundation it was qickly rebuilt and
lasted until torn down last week by
Dick Atchison and his helpers.
1t was during the management
and ownership of Mr.. Adkins thai
minnesota and Kansas flour were
first shipped into this country il
such quantities and ait such price:
that the milling business in Iowa
became to a great extent a losing