THE WAUPACA REPUBLICAN

November 26, 1884

 

The “Crescent Roller Mills”

 

            Major Roberts is one of those retired merchants of Waupaca that is building monuments that are to perpetuate his good deeds while he lives to enjoy them and will be lasting memories of his enterprise when he gets through earth’s cares.  But while he is in one sense a retired dry goods merchant he has, or is very soon to be a merchant miller.  In company with Sam Oborn they formulated their plan last spring and purchased the famous water power east of the business portion of the city and commenced building a mill which today stands proudly erect on the high banks of the Waupaca with a fifteen foot head of water pouring through a forty-five inch Berlin turbin water wheel to drive the improved and modern machinery that will enable them to manufacture from 100 to 125 barrels of flour daily.

            The building has been constructed by Mr. J. Johnson of Neenah, a practical mill wright who has had long experience and knows just how to build ‘em, and Sam Oborn’s critical eye and willing hands have been ever ready to assist in seeing the structure move from the foundation up – three stories above the basement.  And the general plans of the whole has been subject to his approval, as Sam has had experience to enable him to know what he wants in a first class roller mill.

            The editor of the REPUBLICAN looked over the establishment Wednesday morning.  They had just got the machinery to running and although there were a few minor details to get straightened, as in all new machinery, but everything is now adjusted so as to run like clock work.  In the basement, one Berlin turbine wheel starts a net work of shafting and belt wheels that propels all the machinery of the mill.  Here also is a Kirk & Fender’s smutter and polisher that prepares the wheat ready to be conveyed to the pipes leading to the 12 sets of the Stevens’ Patent Rolls on the 1^st floor.  Also, besides the rolls on 1^st floor are two of Barnard & Lea’s flour packers, one large and two small Fairbanks scales.  Also connected with the rolls on this floor is one of the Prinz Milwaukee dust collectors, which has come to be an indispensable and practical machine for collecting all the dust arising from the manipulations of the grain by the machinery, making it healthy for the miller, as well as the consumer of flour, and safety from fire and explosions in the mill caused by mill dust.

            On the 2d floor we noticed 4 of the Smith’s Middlings purifiers, with dust collectors attached to each, 4 break reels of scalping chests.  Also on this floor are the bins for the different grades of flour, wheat, rye, bran, middlings, etc.

            On the 3d floor is a net work of machines indispensable in modern flour making.  One scalping reel, 2 Centrifuged reels, 1 bran beater, 1  16 foot chest with 4 bolting reels, 1  12 foot chest with 4 bolting reels.

            The mill is a modern and model one in every detail.  This week the spur track will be commenced to connect it with the outside world, and soon the following brands of flour will be called for from a large section of the country from up the line and down below.  Here are the names given to their flour:

            “Holiday Loaf” (patent.)

            “Every day Loaf” (straight.)

            “Hard Tack” (common.)

            Messrs. Roberts & Oborn are confident they will be able to turn out as good flour as any mill in the country.  Mr. Sam Oborn will have the entire supervision of the mill with C. K. Foster and Andrew Wells as assistants.  Cal Morgan will have charge of the feed mill just south of the main building.  A down town office will be in charge of Major Roberts located in Roberts’ new block.  This adds one to the important factors of the business of Waupaca.  It has cost its projectors upwards of $20,000 but will, we are confident, pay them abundant returns for the money invested.