The Mills of Stevens Point From the Portage County Gazette, July 31, 1878 Page 3 Submitted by Joan Benner jmbenner@tznet.com The mills at this point are located principally on the banks of the river, and are all, with two or three exceptions operated by steam power. The exceptions are the flouring mill and Clark's saw and shingle mill. The first-class sawmills are Clark's Saw and Shingle Mill, Karner's Mill, Bosworth & Reilly's Mill, Weston & Sons Mill and Wisconsin Lumber Company's Mill. There are three shingle mills with a capacity from 75,000 to 100,000 per day: Wade & Company's Mill, the Portage Lumber Company's Mill and Wight & Potter's Mill. There are three planing mills, E. M. Copps' Planing Mill, E. R. Herren's Planing and Moulding Mill, and Pride & Company's Mill (planing & millwork), and last but not least, North Star Flouring and Grist Mill. CLARK'S SAW AND SHINGLE MILL Clark's Saw and Shingle Mill was built as early as 1846, and is on the east bank of the river on the Shaurette Dam--a costly structure built at the foot of the Shaurette Rapids, which is 6 feet in height. It drowns out the rapids, giving a slack water navigation for about nine miles that enables logs and lumber to be landed, which, but for the dam, would have to go before stopping. This dam involves a large yearly expense to keep it in repair, which expense falls wholly on Mr. Clark. The mill was rebuilt in 1875 and is furnished with two double rotary saws, two gang edgers, two gang runners, a gang lath mill and a shingle mill. Its capacity is about 65,000 feet of lumber and 30,000 feet of shingles per day. It has a boomage of about three million feet, but the boom, unlike those at most other mills, can control the logs running on the river, independent of the boom operated by the Stevens Point Boom Company. Its total cost with dam & etc. exceeds $60,000, and it gives employment to 20 to 25 men. KARNER'S MILL Karner's Mill is situated on the west bank of the river, about one mile above the foot of main street. It cost about $10,000 and is furnished with one set of rotary saws and gang edger, and shingle and lath mill. This mill can manufacture from 25,000 to 30,000 feet of lumber per day, besides shingles and lath. It has boomage for about one million feet of logs, and has cut this season about 700,000, including those now in the boom. This mill, if not within the corporation, is so close as to be considered in the city limits. The next mill on the river is that of Bosworth & Reilly. BOSWORTH & REILLY Bosworth & Reilly's Mill was built by the Knox Brothers, Marcus Crawford acting as foreman, millwright, etc in 1874, costing some $30,000 with its appurtenances. It is furnished with an engine of 100 horsepower, three boilers and an improved self saw dust feeder, one self rotary saw, gang edger, gang trimmers, shingle & lath mill, and is capable of cutting 60,000 feet of lumber and 30,000 shingles per day. The Knox Brothers sold this mill to Messrs. Bosworth & Reilly in 1877, who refitted it, putting everything in perfect trim for a large business. This enterprising firm have a controlling interest in a tract of pine timber estimated at forty millions, from which they are now logging with the use of two tram roads, each about four miles in length. They have about one million feet of lumber of past years cutting on hand. They expect to be able to keep the mill supplied during the entire season, and have a very large force of men employed in the woods and at the mill. Their boomage capacity is about four millions. The next in order is the Weston Mill. WESTON & SONS MILL The Weston mill, built by William Weston & Sons is next on the river. These gentlemen are natural mechanics, as well as trained mill men, and the mill was in greater part constructed by them, and several improvements in the mill bear the stamp of genius. The engine house is built of stone, with sheet iron roof and superior stone bed for the engine of 60 horsepower, which rests upon it. Besides the usual mill machinery this mill has several contrivances which increases its efficiency, one of which is a set of so-called dump-blocks, used to facilitate the turning of the log upon the carriage; also the steam cant hook. In the gang edger, Mr. Weston has invented a horizontal roller, attached to a spring lever, which holds the stuff going through the edger closely up to the guide. The saws in the gang edger are so arranged that they can be adjusted to any length stuff, by a turn of a wheel. This mill has a boomage of about one million, and a sawing capacity of from 30,000 to 35,000 feet per day. The cut at this mill, including those in the boom, this season, has been about one million. A mill of this capacity requires about 22 men to operate it. WISCONSIN LUMBER COMPANY MILL The Wisconsin Lumber Company's Mill is situated on the opposite bank of the river nearly opposite the Weston Mill. It was built in 1873 by a stock company consisting of N. C. Wadsworth, A. H. Cronkhite, L. S. Davis, S. S. Hobson, M. Wadleigh, J. A. Walker, E. R. Herren and B. G. Plummer, at a cost of about $40,000. The mill was finely fitted up, with all the necessary machinery for a first-class mill, but like many other stock operations, it has failed to re-imburse its stockholders, and has passed into the hands of the Northwestern Life Insurance Company, as mortgagees, after foreclosure. It has operated under lease last season, by Wadleigh & Herren, but nothing has been done with it this season. The property has a river frontage of about 2,000 feet with a possible boomage capacity of two and one half millions. These are all of the first-class sawmills. There are three shingle mills with a capacity from 75, 000 to 100,000 per day, as follows: WADE & COMPANY'S MILL Wade & Company's Mill is situated on the slough, on 1st Street. It is a shingle and planing mill combined, and manufactures a large quantity of first-class shingles. PORTAGE LUMBER COMPANY'S MILL The Portage Lumber Company's Mill, owned by W. J. Clifford, is on the east bank of the river between the Weston and Bosworth & Reilly mills. Under the energetic management of its owner, a very large number of shingles were manufactured at this mill last seaosn, which is likely to be followed up this season. The other shingle mill is owned by non-residents; it is a first-class mill but is not in operation this season. There are three first-class planing and manufacturing mills and one other not in operation and has not been for some years. WIGHT & POTTER'S MILL Wight & Potter's Mill was built in 1876; has a 40 horse-power engine which operates all the necessary machinery for a first-class planing and manufacturing mill, including sash, doors, blinds and mouldings of all kinds. In connection with the mill is Excelsior Dry Kiln, so constructed that green timber can be taken off the railroad cars, directly onto the kiln cars, each kiln car holding about 4,000 feet. Ten such cars fill the kiln. Forty thousand feet of lumber can be seasoned at one time without checking or warping. The total cost of the mill and appurtenances was about 10,000. E. M. COPPS PLANING MILL E. M. Copps' Planing Mill is situated on the north side of the slough and is also a first-class planing mill. This mill was rebuilt last year, having been destroyed by fire, supposed to have been kindled by sparks escaping from Clifford's Shingle Mill. The loss was a very severe one to Mr. Copps, but with his characteristic energy the mill was rebuilt and now ranks among the wealth-producing institutions of our city. E. R. HERREN'S MILL E. R. Herren's Mill is situated on the main track of the Wisconsin Central Railroad, and cost, with its appurtenances, about $14,000. It was built in 1874. A 40 horse-power engine operates the necessary machinery for dressing and splitting lumber and manufacturing mouldings. The management of this mill is excellent, everything being kept extremely neat and the prospects of fire from the use of the mill reduced to a minimum. About seven million feet of lumber was produced by this mill last season. PRIDE & COMPANY'S MILL Situated as it is upon the opposite side of the main line of the Central railroad, but is not yet completed. It has an engine of about 50 horsepower and all the necessary machinery for a first-class planing mill and manufacturing establishment, together with some machines not ordinarily found there. Pride & Company's Mill in a short time will be prepared to contract for buildings from churches, schoolhouses and homes. NORTH STAR FLOURING AND GRIST MILLS North Star Flouring and Grist Mills are near the Shaurette dam, and furnished with power created by that dam. It was built by the energetic proprietors, Lampert & Company, in 1875. The building is of stone, costing with appurtenances, over $30,000. It contains 6 runs of stone and 4 machines for cleaning the grain before it goes upon the stones, viz: Kurtz's cockle machine, Barnard & Lea's separator, California smut machine and Barnard & Lea's wheat brush. One of the water wheels in use was manufactured at the machine shops of Rice Brothers, of this place. The old grist mill located on the Shaurette dam has been leased by Lampert & Company, and refitted, a new bolt being just put in for the manufacture of rye flour. Side tracks extend from the main line of the Western Central railroad down each side of the river and furnish railroad facilities to each and all of the mills except Wade & Company. For more information on Joan M Benner: http://www.rootsweb.com/~wiwood/resource/r-joanb.htm (c) 2001 All Rights Reserved - Joan M Benner ============================================================================ USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. 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