Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1910-11-17
CITY MILL WAS PIONEER.



equipped with stone burrs for grind
} ing wheat and corn by the old girls
mill process.
In 1882 P. ]. Stoddard and =. D
! Humphrey came to Abilene ant
bought the mill from Marx. The,
} associated with them S. A. Fiennel
and In 1884 organized the Abilene
, Mill & Elevator Co., with capita
, of $4,000. p. r. Pitts being one
of the officers. This mill was one
OF the first In the state to use stee
: rolls for grinding wheat in place oil
stone burrs and also one of the first
to adopt the centrifugal reels fol
boiling flour. Later when the plan
sitter method of separating flour
came into use this process was In
stalled.
In 1894 occurred the tragic death
of p. r. Pitts who had for ten years
been one OF the familiar figures at
the mill. He went to the basement
to put on belt which had slipped
from pulley and being caught by
the belt was instantly killed.
The Fourth Of July 1901 was q hot,
dry day. Most people in town were
occupied in watering their lawns and
keeping cool. About four o'clock
in the afternoon an alarm OF fire
brought half the population of town
to the mill where the black smoke
rolling from the warehouse showed
where cinders had fallen from pass
ing locomotive. There was no water
pressure and the firemen could only
watch the fire slowly devour the
buildings. 1t was one of the three
largest fires in the history Of the
city. Loss $4,000 with insurance
$4,000.
The warehouse in which the fire
started was known among old resi-
dents as the Immigrant House
a long frame building erected by
the River Brethren when they came
to this county in the late 7O's, and
fused as a storehouse and place Of
residence for families waiting to gel
out on their farms.
In 1902 the present mill was erect
ed by s. A. Flenner and Mr.. Glade
OF Grand Island, Neb., and the firm
being the Abilene Milling Co. The
Glade boys who lived here about
four years were we'll known as base
ball enthusiasts and among the best
players OF which Abilene could boast
Mr., Flenner died soon after the
mill was completed and the Glades
managed the property till 1907 when
they sold to Ephralm Engle. Later
Mrs. Flenner's interest was pur-
chased and the present corporation,
the Abilene Milling Company, was
formed. Mr.. ]. Alvin Engle and
]. s. Engle becoming stockholders. In
1909 the new steel tanks for storing
wheat with capacity of $4,000 bush
els were erected.
This mill is an institution which
is a credit to the city, Never asking
bonus, only a fair chance to make
reasonable profit ON its products
! It has paid out each year thousands
of dollars in wages and many thou
sands more to the farmers for their
wheat and corn and throughout its
history the name Abilene Mill and
Elevator Co., has been synonym for
fair dealing and hCssst treatment OF
its employees.
Only the best quality of Kansas
hard winter wheat Is used, and the
flour produced ID sold extensively
throughout the middle west, in KAN
sas, Missouri, Iowa. Wisconsin and
as far east as Pennsylvania, competr
ing with the best brands Of northern
flour in what is practically their
home territory,
The firm takes especial pride IN
its large Kansas trade, which is not
only exacting In its demands, but
has flrst-hRnd knowledge Of the con-
dltions under which the flour is pro-
Educed. Its patronage indicates its
complete approval.
Some idea Of the output and capae-
lty may be gained from figures COW
erIng a period Of three months Of
the current year. During that time
IS, goo bushels Of local wheat we're
bought by the company and $4,000
bushels in car load lots. This wheat
was milled out as 1t came in, pro-
Iducing a little over 10000 barrels
Of flour.
The mill contains nine, stands OF
rolls, and employs - to is men outs