The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1905-04-20
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. ssssssssssssssssssysss


that hls team was gone. After looK.
Ing about for them for tlmo ho
went into the mill and told Mr.. Dun.
can that no believed tho Indians
had driven away his trusty team OF
oxen. Mr.. Duncan replied, III think
you will find tnom up ON tho hill in
my stable, and I want you TO take
dinner with mo today" 10 then tod
Mr. Crowder that when no came TO
his mill no should never DO COMPEL.
cd TO take his turn" like tho OTHER
patrons, but as soon as the grlst
then grinding was out, his grain
should next Ill tho hoppers. This
rule ne maintained MS dlstinguIsfls
Ing mark Of friendship TO Mr.. Crow.
der as long as no owned the mill
property. II scarcely need DO men.
toned that tho sixty.nve dollars was
gratefully returned to IT'S generous
owner in good time for the land pur.
chase.
We have given full space 10 this
beautiful story Of friendship DO.
cause 1t emphasizes n phase Of life
among the better class of pioneers
which IL worthy OF emulation.
The Duncan mill was built where
tho J. s.. Whitmore mill now stands
Messrs. ,Comstock and Pilgrim vlg.
tied tho South Skunk regions with a
hunting party in 1912 and selected
tho present site Of tho Glendale
mills as tho spot for mill site
when this county should be opened
for settlement. During tho month or
May, 1S43, theg3 two gentlemen pro.
ceedcd 20 carry out, their designs,
and constructed a dam across the
Skunk river at the above point, ug.
ing brush and rock, which served
them for q number Of years. The
mill was constructed under tho d..
rectiOn Of Alexander McCleery, a
milI.wrIght, and partner in the new
enterprise. IL was built almost en-.
tIrcly from the native woods, gear
ing wheels and all being hewn and
chigcled out Of the most suitable tim.
bers from the near by forests. The
mill was completed as a saw mill in
1874 and was operated night and day
for time 70 supply tho growing de.
mands for building material for the
new settlements. A. little later at
tachmentB we're made for grinding
corn, and in 1916 the management
were able 10 turn out good wheat
flour In heso early years theBe
two Mabaska county mills had many
customers from Fort DeB Molncs anc
Vicinity. The records show that
they registered their grlgtB and wait
cd sometimes as long as eight days
for their turn. In the early days
these two mills were known as the
upper and lower mills. Tho fall OF
water rs about six inches 10 the mile
between them. In tho course 81
time, Mr.. George Duncan, who built
| the upper mill, sold ~ and bought
the lower mill a quite important
law suit appears on the county rec
ordg between Mr., Duncan, who
brought tho suit, and the owner Of
tho upper mill. Mr.. Duncan claimed
back water damages. Ex-Governor
Eastman represented tho prosecution
and W. H. Sewers tho defense. The
defeDse won the suit and Mr. Dun
can afterwards bought the upper
mill
Tho Huron mills we're built on the
Skunk river in Black Oak township
IN 1857 by Morris brothers at a coz
Of some FIVE thousand dollars. In
1868 the mills were bought by Rey
Bolds r. Bowdel, VINO enlarged and
improved II, making IT ten th0us
and dollar property. Parker g. Ora
mer purchaged the plant In 1870 and
did good business FOR number d
years, Tho above mill was the sue
cessOr 20 Warren's mill built by II
y. Warren in 1916. afterwards burn
ed, and rebuilt in 1850.
/ A grlst mill was built in Okaloo
va in 1851 by Roop. Harbour e Co
In the following year II was used al
q grlst mill and digtiIIery. IL wal
much enlarged In 1857 The proper
~ passed into the hands Of siebeI