Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-02-12
A LANDMARK DOOMED
Beed's Mill, One OF the Oldest
in Central Iowa Probably
Will Quit Business
RESORT MAY BE DESTROYED
Milling Business Has Grown Unprofit-
able - Citizens of Franklin County
Fear That With Passing Of the Mill
Lake and Natural Park Will Cease to
Exist - Mill 10 Historical.
Special to Tines Republican.

Hampton, Feb. 12.-It is currently
that one of the Oldest business insti-
| tutions in the county, If not the oldest,
fer to Beed's roller mills. This mill,
together with Bced's lake, created to
furnish a water supply to operate the
mill. has become q landmark hat is
known to probably every resident of
this county and to not d few outside
our boundaries.
The mill was established about the
year 1861 by one G. *. Riwehandt, who
CONSTRUCTED a small brush dam and
operated the mill some eighteen
months, when the property was pur-
chased by the present owner, William
G. Beed, who has given his personal
attention to the business yer since-a
period of forty-tive years.
During his time the only other wat
er power in this vicinity, and in fact
the only grist mills of which we have
any knowledge, We're at Iowa Falls,
twenty miles away, and Belmond, a
distance of twenty-five miles. Thus it
will be seen that Mr.. Beed N his mill
supplied one of the prime necessities
of life in the days before it was so
common a practice for people to SO
far forget their home institutions as to
withdraw their patronage from a
worthy home enterprise and buy their
supplies abroad, a condition that has
had not a little to do with the falling
off In patronage of this mill in recent
years. Another condition that has
worked to Mr.. Beed's disadvantage,
and one that has been unavoidable, is
that he has. been obliged to haul the
point, to the mill, a distance of three
miles, by team. and to haul the fin
ished products pack in the same way.
This, of course. has added much to the
cost of operation.
Thru the kindness Of Mr.. Beed and
the cooperation of some of our bus
mess men, a picnic ground has been
provided contiguous to the lake, where.
during the summer months hardly a.
pleasant day passes that the vicinity is
not visited by a picnic party from
some part of the county, bent or pleas
ure in some of The man ways it is
provided at this popular place. Boat
ing, fishing, bathing, picnic dinners,
for which tables, a stove and even
benches were provided, and even Il
"chute the chutes' are among the
means provided to furnish pleasure and
pastime for visitors.
In the winter season the lake fur
nishes a splendid quality of ice for
local use, and if occasion demanded,
a large amount might be shipped to
points less favored.
If it should be the intention to cease
the operation of the mill and to
abandon it, there would be no fur
Their need of the dam for power pur-
poses, and it is feared that it would
soon be allowed to fall into a weak
.ened condition and might ultimately be
destroyed to such an extent as to per-
nit the escape of the water now int
pounded. If this should be. true the
main beauty and attraction Of the
place would be destroyed, a condition,
which, in view of it's present popular
ity. would certainly be regretted.
It is to be hoped that some way may
be found to keep the mill in opera
ton and to preserve indefinitely the
usefulness of Beed's lake and the pie
sort for the people Of our county.