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IOWA PACIFIC MILL: Difference between revisions
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IOWA PACIFIC MILL. This | IOWA PACIFIC MILL. Construction of the building used for the mill was begun in 1856. This was one of three stone buildings constructed. Dr. J. H. Lull and his brother E A. Lull financed one of the buildings and Alfred McDaniel and a Mr. Maryatt built the other two. Financial panic the following year led the buildings to be abandoned without roofing or flooring. (1) | ||
[[RHOMBERG, Joseph A.|Joseph A. RHOMBERG]] purchased the buildings in 1864 and renovated them at a cost estimated to be $165,000 as the Dubuque Distillery. Alleged violations of the internal revenue law and suits involving about $300,000 were filed against the company. Resolution did not take place under 1873. Rhomberg during this period was involved in railroad development and when this was finished and the suits settled he chose to renovate the site in 1873 into a flour mill. (2) | |||
The name of the company was announced on August 14, 1873. Rhomberg then hired a Mr. Fulton, a well-known Chicago mill wright, to be the superintendent. | |||
The mill featured the best coopering department believed to be found in the West at that time. Located a short distance to the west of the mills, the building was large enough to employ fifty-two men. A new invention called the Parent Flour Header was used which enabled an estimated 700 barrels to be manufactured daily. Once work was completed on the interior of the mill, the construction of a warehouse was planned for cooperage stock, staves and hoop pools. Contracts to awarded to outside companies to supply staves for 75,000 barrels. Between 200,000 and 30,000 hickory hoop poles were stored on site. It was estimated that the waste from the cooperage was large enough to supply twenty-five families with winter fuel. While barrels for flour usually were made with from nine to ten hoops, Rhomberg barrels used twelve. (3) | |||
To expand productivity, Rhomberg chose to convert the plant from the traditional six to eight run of buhrs. By operating day and night, the mill was able to produce seven hundred barrels of flour daily. (4) | |||
Stiff competition from mills in Minnesota caused the Iowa Pacific Mill to close in 1882. | Stiff competition from mills in Minnesota caused the Iowa Pacific Mill to close in 1882. | ||
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Source: | Source: | ||
"Iowa Pacific Mill," ''Dubuque Herald'', August 15, 1873, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=uh8FjILnQOkC&dat=18730815&printsec=frontpage&hl=en | 1. "Iowa Pacific Mills," ''The Daily Herald'', January 14, 1874, p. 4 | ||
2. Ibid. | |||
3. Ibid. | |||
4. "Iowa Pacific Mill," ''Dubuque Herald'', August 15, 1873, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=uh8FjILnQOkC&dat=18730815&printsec=frontpage&hl=en | |||
[[Category: Flour and Feed]] | [[Category: Flour and Feed]] | ||
Revision as of 18:36, 30 August 2018
IOWA PACIFIC MILL. Construction of the building used for the mill was begun in 1856. This was one of three stone buildings constructed. Dr. J. H. Lull and his brother E A. Lull financed one of the buildings and Alfred McDaniel and a Mr. Maryatt built the other two. Financial panic the following year led the buildings to be abandoned without roofing or flooring. (1)
Joseph A. RHOMBERG purchased the buildings in 1864 and renovated them at a cost estimated to be $165,000 as the Dubuque Distillery. Alleged violations of the internal revenue law and suits involving about $300,000 were filed against the company. Resolution did not take place under 1873. Rhomberg during this period was involved in railroad development and when this was finished and the suits settled he chose to renovate the site in 1873 into a flour mill. (2)
The name of the company was announced on August 14, 1873. Rhomberg then hired a Mr. Fulton, a well-known Chicago mill wright, to be the superintendent.
The mill featured the best coopering department believed to be found in the West at that time. Located a short distance to the west of the mills, the building was large enough to employ fifty-two men. A new invention called the Parent Flour Header was used which enabled an estimated 700 barrels to be manufactured daily. Once work was completed on the interior of the mill, the construction of a warehouse was planned for cooperage stock, staves and hoop pools. Contracts to awarded to outside companies to supply staves for 75,000 barrels. Between 200,000 and 30,000 hickory hoop poles were stored on site. It was estimated that the waste from the cooperage was large enough to supply twenty-five families with winter fuel. While barrels for flour usually were made with from nine to ten hoops, Rhomberg barrels used twelve. (3)
To expand productivity, Rhomberg chose to convert the plant from the traditional six to eight run of buhrs. By operating day and night, the mill was able to produce seven hundred barrels of flour daily. (4)
Stiff competition from mills in Minnesota caused the Iowa Pacific Mill to close in 1882.
---
Source:
1. "Iowa Pacific Mills," The Daily Herald, January 14, 1874, p. 4
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. "Iowa Pacific Mill," Dubuque Herald, August 15, 1873, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=uh8FjILnQOkC&dat=18730815&printsec=frontpage&hl=en
