The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1915-02-27
VALUABLE ENTERPRISE
MANUFACTURING INSTITUTION
OF MUCH BENEFIT TO THE
BUSINESS INTERESTS OF
MADISON AND LAKE
COUNTY.

Madison'S most important manu-
featuring enterprise is the Madison
Mill and Grain Co. The business of
the company is under the direction of
W. l.. Thompson and the plant oc-
cupies a site 200 by 800 feet front
ing on Van Fps and Blanche avenues
and Third street. The buildings
comprise the mill, elevator, engine
house, office, -four house, corr cribs,
coal sheds, wood yard, etc.
Within the past few months the
company has been improving the
property and adding to their facilities
so that the mill is easily the best
equipped milling establishment in
this portion Of the state. Recently a
65-horsepower Corliss engine has
been added to the equipment and an
80-foot smokestack erected on the
boiler house. For some time past
the machinery of the mill had been
operated by electric motors, but a
high power steam engine was consid-
cred more suitable for the purposes
of the plant and a new Corliss engine
was substituted for the motors. With
this steam power within the absolute
control of the company the mill may
be operated twenty-four hours a day
without interruption, which is being
done at the present time. Besides a
dynamo has been installed and the
buildings are lighted night and day
by electricity, over 100 lights being
in use in the different buildings. New
rolls have been added and the mill is
capable of turning out 125 barrels of
-four every twenty-four hours. Base
ments have been newly finished with
concrete. adding much TO the cleanli-
ness OF handling flour and feed, be-
sides convenience. The department
in which the rolls are located has
been provided with a system of pipes
which eliminates -four dust, resulting
in both safety and economy. In fact,
the latter is one of the principles of
the business which receives much at
tention from Mr.. Thompson-the
matter of economy in manufacture,
which enables the mill to compete
successfully with the larger milling
establishments of the country. All
of the buildings requiring heat are
heated from the exhaust steam of the
boiler. Hence in the matter of pow
er. heating and lighting Mr.. Thomp-
son has solved a problem that always
causes more or less inconvenience
and confusion in the average manu-
featuring establishment.
In order to facilitate the handling
of the products of the mill, coal,
wood, etc, the company has con-
structed at their own expense a sid
ing 700 feet in length, extending
from the flour house fronting on
VanEps avenue to a point west to a
connection with the trackage of the
Milwaukee road. This is in addition
to the siding provided by the railroad
company on the south side of the
site. This new siding enables cars
to be brought conveniently to flour
house, corn cribs and coal houses for
unloading and loading, reducing this
work to a minimum and which is also
a source of economy in handling
the big shipping business.
The flour manufactured by the
Madison Mill and Grain Co. COM
prises brands we'll and popularity
known rs Little Hatchet, Seal of
South Dakota and Dakota. Little
Hatchet is perhaps most prominently
known, the excellence of its bread
making qualities making it "a house
hold word in this portion of the state
and wherever it is shipped. The
company leads in the manufacture of
graham -four, its product being pro-
nounced almost absolutely pure by
the state pure food department. This
estimate was in the regular course of
business of the state pure food de-
partment. samples having been OBJ
tanned from grocers who sell the
Madison mill graham -four. A new
grinder for corr meal has been in
stalled and the company purposes
building up a reputation for the ex-
cellence of its corn meal, using only
the best grades of corn for the pur-
pose. In the manufacture of their
several brands of -four the best
grades of hard wheat are shipped in
from outside points for grinding pur-
poses. The facilities for grinding
feed are large and complete and a big
business is done by the company in
feed grinding.
In addition to the magnificent
property owned and operated by the
company in Madison, they also own
valuable property in Sioux Falls-a
site near the Milwaukee depot in that
city with the conveniences of sidings.
This has been used as a wholesale
house by the company where prod
ucts from the Madison mill have been
handled in carload lots. So satisfac-
tory has this outlet of their products
been to the company that they con-
template replacing the building now
on the site with a new solid building.
"A by 100 feet, two stories and base
ment, during the summer.
The Madison Mill and Grain Co. is
certainly a great source of benefit to
the business interests of Madison.
Ten men, all of families. are employ
ed in the establishment. Towns and
cities are built by manufacturing in
situations that furnish employment to
men, enabling them to become resi-
daptc of founc whnra THAR cnrvicoc