New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1914-01-28
New UIm's Water Mill

WOW UlliI ] WQlGI WIll
New Ulm has numerous institutions
hose history when told fairly out
lines the history Of the city, so linked
| is it with events that took place here
from year to year. One such institu-
ton is the picturesque Cottonwood
; NEE, located some two miles from the
| heart of town. which has gone steadily
on its way thru nearly forty years OF
activity, grinding away pleasantly
among its beautiful surroundings of
| woods and river. 1t was built by
men we'll known In the old days, men
who took an active parG in the history
making of the city and has been
managed always by the same people.
1t has been improved and made to
conform steadily with advancing
conditions in milling and has steady
! trade among people of New Ulm who
know the worth Of it's products. Its
financial statement would look funny
, If placed by The side of that of the
Eagle Roller Mills but it's history is
none the less Interesting than that of
its large sister Industries.
In the spring of 1879 the first spade
full Of earth was dug TO start the
foundation for the mill and by hard
work, under the superintendency of
Julius Schramm, now deceased, father
| of our present Register of Deeds, sur
mounting difficulties Of all descrip-
! tons, on the first lay OF September of
that year the subject of this sketch
was SO far completed as to turn out
the first flour.
1t certainly was with feelings of
pleasure and spride that William
Frank and John Bentzin who had
associated themselves under the firm
name of Frank & Bentzin saw their
efforts crowned with success, and it
was line music to their ears, the purr-
ing CT cog-wheels and the rhythmic
rum bling of the mi]lstopes which only
miller who has been thru the old
school can appreciate. And millers
OF the old school they we're, these two
veteran millers of New Ulm. The
! history of their association thru forty
long years in their chosen work is an
example of steadfast friendsh and
fidelity that has touch of the David
and Johnathan in it.
Having been schoolmates in the old
country and. as life goes, they drifted
apart after their school days we're
over and entered into life's school
which rules with a hard hand. Coin
cidentally both happened to be ap-
prenticed to the milling trade. Being
miller's apprentice in those days
| did not only consist of being from
10 tolls years of age, wearing white
cap tilted to one ear and having some
dust On his clothes, -four stick
showing conspiciously in his pocket,
smoking a cigarette and asserting in
loud voice how much moro he
knows the Of trade than his superiors
and that he is grossly underpaid. It
was hard work then for many day
from before sunrise till after dark,
ooeying orders from any one, older
than himself for the term of three
years, working for only his board.
Apprentices of today will say to this
VI would not have stood for that, l
would "a quit!'' But times were
different then. An apprentice that
'threw up a job' was not considered
worth his hire and nobody wanted
him and he thus lost all respectable
standing In the community.
Both Frank and Bentzin stood tire
hard work we'll and it made them short
aud stocky as you see them on the
streets today or in their homes, still
straight and strong in spite of their
Is odd years. After 3 years of ap-
premiership they were initiated as
fullfedged millers in what is called a
"Zunft'', kind of association OF
operative millers.
William Frank came to this country
first and to New Ulm in 1856, working
in the old Globe, or Cincinnati, Mill
as it was called, until the same burned
down and then, in 1874, he started to
work in the City Mills, the present
Cereal Mill Of the New Ulm Roller