Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1914-06-16

bushel of wheat. Very little actual
cash was exchanged, except where
the miller sold flour outright. In
the late summer when the water
ran very low, the miller could not
grind at all. No water ran over the
dam for two or three months and
grists were stacked ten and fifteen
grain bags high and the miller
watched for heavy rains.
This mill for a time changed own
ers rapidly Lambert Sternberg
sold to Jay Sternberg in 1868. Jay
Sternberg sold the property to John
Ross in 1868. It was at this time,
when John Ross was owner, that a
;, tragedy which is still mystery, &C.
Cured. One day in the early sum-
mer of 1869, the body of John Ross
with bullet would in the back, was
found in the wheel pit under the
mill. Suspicion was at once direct
ed toward a nephew of the murder
ed man, John Ross, Jr., who had
made his home for a time with the
uncle. 1t was known that the ne
phew had requested and been refus-
ed loan of money. And this fact
coupled with the immediate disap-
pearance of John Ross, Jr., was the
only clue to the murderer. He was
apprehended and brought back to
Webster City for trial. The Webster
City Freeman of February 10, 1885
says: "a long and complicated trial
ensued, in which Charles A. Clark
appeared for the state and N. B.
Hyatt for the accused, who was but
eighteen years of age. The case was
tried before Judge D. D. Chase in
the December term of district court
of 1869, John H. Bradley acting as
district attorney" The accused was
acquitted by the jury and the mat
ter rested there. No one save the
guilty person knows the murderer.
In the fall of 1869 the mill prop
erty was transferred back to Jay
Sternberg, who sold the mill in 1870
to James W. Kimbell. He put in a
feed burr and what was known as
a Lafell turbine, forty-eight-inch
water wheel, instead of the old Rose
wheel. This Lafell wheel was a
clumsy, heavy affair, weighing
three tons and was hauled by Mr..
Page from the Illinois Central sta
ton to the mill, six miles south of
town, in a rudely constructed cart.
The cart was made of an axle of a
new wagon, and an oxcart with
sawed-log wheels. A yoke of oxen
completed the equipage. The trip
was made in two days, breaking
through small bridge near the
Treat farm and elayed by minor in
cidents.
In the fall of 1870, Kimbrell sold
a half interest to his son, Ben Kim
brell. Upon his death, soon after,
the widows interest was sold to
Joseph Bone, who had rebuilt and
run Bells mill. The following year
Joseph Bone bought out the J. WI
Kimbrell interest and became the
sole owner. At this time he began
extensive improvements building
over the house, putting stone foun-
dation under the mill, and soon af-
ter installed the new process of max
ing flour. This necessitated one ex-
ira burr, purifier, a sixteen-foot
double reel boiling chest and some
other new machinery. He also rails
ed the mill twelve feet, adding one
and one-half stories, thus making it |
the largest Touring mil on the river
at this time. He discarded the saw
mill to make room for other machin-
cry. A. D. McKinlay who had been
miller for John Hill at the Hill mill,
later for Kimbrell, was also retain
ed as miller.
A little touch of romance is added
here. For the second time Joseph
Bone retained his miller as son-in-
law. James A. Snodgrass, his miller
at Bells mill, married his eldest
daughter, and A. D. McKinlay, his
miller at this place, married anoth-
er daughter. In 1880 the mills were
named Excelsior" to distinguish
them from the other Bones mill
known as Bells mill. The firm name
at this time was Bone & McKinlay
and on until 1889. During the years
of Cleveland's first administration
postoffice was installed at the mill
and named Tremaine for Ira H. Ire
maine, whose farm lay near the mill
This was later discon-
tinued. e
The modern child in kindergarten