Part 7
From same place we hear from Mr. George again under date of March 20th, 1872. I am still running the mill here that I got of you. I am looking for a larger engine, and can you give me information as to prices, size, &c., for three run of stones, same size as you sent me before? Suppose your prices and terms are the same. I have ground 100 bushels per day on this one on the average, and use ¾ cord of wood per day. I have regular customers that come by the doors of my competitors. Here they say they get better flour and more of it than at the old style water mills, and their own flour from their own wheat. In the four years that I have used your mill I have had but one item or bill of repairs to foot, which was one set of wood cogs. I often grind 15 bushels per hour, and do good work, but find the bolt will not clean it so well at this speed of grinding. I like your larger bolts, as improved, much better. I grind when the stones are in average condition as to sharpness 8 to 10 bushels per hour, and satisfy all in quality and yield of flour. There are two mills at Bainbridge, 7 miles, and two others, 6 and 7 miles in other directions, so you see I have competition all around me. Now, give me figures on the other mills, with your improvements. I have been a miller over 20 years and want a model job.
Yours, respectfully, L. W. GEORGE.
One 3½ ft. Wheat Mill, and One 30 inch Corn in Combined Husk.
SPEIER, Blue Earth Co., Minn., July 16, ’72. NORDYKE, MARMON & Co.:--
_Gentlemen_:--I started my mills on the fourth day of July. It gives entire satisfaction. It over-reaches your recommendation. My miller says he thinks the burrs the best he ever saw. I think I will be able to meet my note promptly at the expiration of the sixty days given.
Very respectfully, GEO. W. WOODHAM.
Corn Mill and Portable Engine.
CANOLA, Howard Co., Kansas, June 17, 1872. NORDYKE, MARMON & Co., Richmond, Ind.:--
_Gents_:--Yours of 7th inst. is received, and will say in answer, that our mill came through all right and complete, excepting the hopper frame, which we mended without any expense, consequently did not report it. After thoroughly trying the mill, have to say that it fully comes up to the warrant, and beats it, as we can grind from 25 to 30 bushels per hour of good merchantable meal, with our Gaar, Scott & Co.’s fifteen horse engine and 80 lbs. of steam, and if we were to buy another mill it would be of the same brand.
Respectfully, yours, MORGAN & LATTA.
What an Old Mill-Wright Says.
GUTHRIE, Lawrence Co., Ind., June 27, 1872.
_Gents_:--
The grist mills we purchased of you that we are using, are all right. Our miller has followed mill-wrighting and milling for 30 years with us, and he says that a better mill never run than the “Richmond Mill and Bolt,” as they are now improved.
KINSER & WHISENAND. MOSES FRENCH, Miller and Millwright.
The Nordyke or Richmond Mill, Stands the Test.
BOXLEY, Hamilton Co., Ind., June 21, ’72. NORDYKE, MARMON & Co.:--
_Gents_:--At your request I will write you what I am doing with the mill you made. My engine is a 10×18 inch cylinder, boiler 42 inches diameter and 20 feet long, with two large flues, and the stones, if you recollect, are one of your heavy husk, 3 feet upper-runner mills for wheat, and one of your 30 inch under-runner for corn and feed, and with one and a half cords of wood every ten hours we can grind the week through 10 bushels per hour on the wheat stone, and 20 bushels per hour of corn on the corn stone. It has now been over four years since this mill was started, but it does better work now than then, because of its better management. I have new customers almost every week from near other mills. It is no mistake, I make better flour--and my millers have discovered it--than any of the larger mills through this country. I need another run of wheat stones and bolts, as with them I could manage the whole with my engineer and miller, and do about double the wheat grinding with but little additional expense. Out of the wheat of the year before last I made 40 pounds of flour from weighed wheat per bushel, after tolling one-eighth; from last year’ wheat I could not do it, it being rather light in this section.
Yours very truly, RILEY WILSON.
Its Equal Cannot be Found in the State.
GREENFIELD, Ind., Dec. 23, 1869. MESSRS. NORDYKE, MARMON & Co.:--
_Gentlemen_:--Yours of 23d inst. came to hand this date and contents noted. Our mill gives perfect satisfaction, and must say we don’ think its equal can be found in the State, of its size. Our smut mill can’ be beat. We would cheerfully recommend your mills to any one that contemplates building or refitting, in preference to any other mill. Our old mill was burned on the night of July 3. We commenced cutting timber for the new mill July 17, and the building was ready for the machinery August 7; machinery set up and running October 12, and during the time of setting up machinery one week was lost by the sickness of your mill-wright. The machinery of our other mill was made in Cincinnati, but it does not at all compare in finish and usefulness to our present mills. We now run three pair of stones, and grind faster on each of them, with less fuel, than we did on two pair before. We have two pair of 36 inch wheat burrs and one pair of 30 inch corn burrs in one of your Combined Mill Husks with long spindles; all three are under-runner cockhead mills. They are driven by eight inch belts, with tightner pulleys. This way of driving is so convenient for stopping and starting the burrs, that we would now use no other arrangement. Our two Bolts are single reel, 22 feet long. We have ground fifteen bushels per hour on each of the wheat mills, and twenty bushels per hour on the corn stone. When the wheat mills are in moderate order we consider ten to twelve bushels per hour a fair speed for grinding and bolting, and making a good yield. Our customers often get 40 and 41 pounds of flour to the bushel after tolling. Our Engine is 10½ inch cylinder and 20 inch stroke; it runs 110 revolutions per minute. Eighty pounds of steam will drive all three run with ease. It requires about four cords of wood to convert five hundred bushels of wheat into prime flour. We can say but little more in relation to our mill, other than this, that any one contemplating building a mill would do well to see our mill before building; would be pleased to have you come out and see our mills run, and should you have occasion at any time to refer people to us, would be happy to show them our mill and give them what information we are able to.
Yours, with respect, WOOD & Co.
On Feb. 14, 1870, Mr. Wood stated to us in person that on Feb. 12, they ground twenty bushels of corn into nice family meal in forty-three minutes, or at the rate of nearly _thirty bushels per hour_.
N., M. & Co.
Another Letter Near Three Years Afterwards.
GREENFIELD, Hancock Co., Ind., May 18th, 1872. MESSRS. NORDYKE, MARMON & Co.,
_Gentlemen_:--Yours of 10th inst. came duly to hand; have been so very busy have not found time to answer sooner. We can only repeat what has already been said in relation to our mill; it gives perfect satisfaction. We would not like to be considered vain, but we do think we have the best mill in the State. Our mill has stood the test of near three years constant and hard labor, with no perceptible wear.
Yours respectfully, WOOD & Co.
WM. G. SALLIE, Miller.
This mill is located on the P., C. & St. L. R. R., 20 miles east of Indianapolis.
URBANA, Ohio, Sept. 20, 1870. MESSRS. NORDYKE, MARMON & Co.
_Gents_:--Your mill gives entire satisfaction. Enclosed please find check on First National Bank of Cincinnati for the full amount of your bill.
Yours truly, H. M. CHEW.
36 Inch and 30 Inch Geared Mills.
BROOKSTON, White Co., Ind., Aug. 5, 1869. MESSRS. NORDYKE, MARMON & Co.,
_Gentlemen_:--We expressed you the amount of last note on mills yesterday. We have commenced grinding new wheat, but it is in rather bad condition yet. We are doing a very good business, and are giving perfect satisfaction in quality and quantity. We can make from 35 to 40 pounds of flour per bushel, and grind on an average from eight to ten bushels per hour. We have a 25 horse power engine, and can run both mills, bolt, smutter, elevator, conveyors and corn shellers with from 60 to 70 pounds of steam, and do it with all ease.
Yours, truly, A. VENCIL & Co.
Oct. 20, 1869, Messrs. Vencil & Co. ordered their third run--a 36 inch geared mill, together with 20 feet Bolt, No. 1, Richmond Smut and Separating Machine, Flour Packer, &c.
N., M. & Co.
UNIONTOWN, Bourbon Co., Kansas, Aug. 26, ’71. MESSRS. NORDYKE, MARMON & Co.,
_Gents_:--Find enclosed draft on New York for twelve hundred and eighty-eight dollars and sixty-five cents, which, if you have not forgotten, is the amount of the first note. Please send it (the note) with the name torn off. Our mill gives entire satisfaction. Will write more fully in the future.
FOSTER & KIRBY.
Perfect Custom Flour and Corn Mill.
MONITOR, Tippecanoe Co., Ind., March 1, 1872. MESSRS. NORDYKE, MARMON & Co., Richmond, Ind.:
_Gents_:--We have used your machinery with persevering energy, now commencing the second year, and have a larger custom patronage than all of the other four mills nearest us. Our machinery consists of a 42-inch iron turbine water wheel, under 9 feet working head; one 3 feet upper-runner mill for wheat; one 30-inch under-runner mill for corn; one Richmond Smutter with screen shoe separator; one 20 feet bolt, all of which you made for us.
The wheat mill runner is in such perfect balance that we can run it within thin paper thickness of the face of bed-stone; thus face to face it will run with nothing whatever between them to the speed of 270 revolutions per minute. Any grinding mill, no matter how heavy the runner stone, can be made to do this, if provided with your improvements; and it pays well to have a mill so rigged. When the hoop is on our wheat mill, a man standing six feet off and looking at the nicely turned back, cannot tell that they are running. Not a particle of jar or shake about them. The self-tram irons are the nicest thing ever invented; would not do without them for half the price of the whole mill. With one-third gait we can grind of wheat 8 to 10 bushels per hour, and make more and better flour to the bushel, than any mill our Mr. Fretz (in his 18 years of milling experience) has ever seen.
With a full gate it may surprise you to know that we grind of corn on the corn mill 25 to 40 bushels per hour. Our flour stands the highest of any that comes to LaFayette. There is no such thing as choking down, as is so often experienced with other mills. We would advise those wanting mill machinery to go to the Richmond firm and look before they buy elsewhere, or they are welcome to see our mills run, which will satisfy any one that understands anything at all about a mill. It only took us 15 days to set up our mills for running. Our machinery was shipped from works on the 1st day of February, to Lafayette, and on the 13th we commenced setting up by the assistance of your mill-wright, and on the 1st day of March, 1871, we started up and run every working day since, and without any expense at all for repairs or changes. Our pulleys being balanced, there is no such thing as any of the bearings heating. Our mills are run with 10 inch belts from upright shaft and pulleys. The smutter does better work than the Eureka or Silver Creek.
Yours, with respect, REDINBO, FRETZ & BRO.
D. B. Fretz, } Millers and W. B. Fretz, } Proprietors.
Three Pair of Burrs in a Combined Husk, with Belts.
MONROVIA, Morgan Co., Ind., Feb. 22, 1870. NORDYKE, MARMON & Co.:--
_Gents_:--It has been eight months since you re-fitted our mill. We can run all of the Burrs, (one 42-inch and one 36-inch for wheat, and 30-inch under-runner for corn,) twelve hours on one cord of seasoned beech or sugar-tree wood. With 50 to 60 pounds of steam we grind on each Burr eight to ten bushels per hour. Our customers are highly pleased with their yields and the quality of their flour. In fact, our custom has more than doubled since the introduction of your mills. On our own account, we can say, in simplicity, durability and lightness of running it exceeds our expectations, and, if necessary, at any time can cheerfully recommend to others wishing mill machinery.
Yours, truly, HADLEY & TAYLOR.
After Years of Steady use they Say.
MONROVIA, Morgan Co., Ind., May 8, 1872. NORDYKE, MARMON & Co., Richmond, Ind.:--
It is now three years since we overhauled our mill and put in your improved machinery; since which time it has been run almost daily as a custom mill, and in quality and quantity of flour gives universal satisfaction. In fact, the custom increased one-half since its introduction. We find it very permanent and durable, as well as tasteful in style and finish. We can grind at least 10 bushels per hour with each run of burrs, and use from one to one and a fourth cord of wood in ten hours’ grinding on all three stones. We would recommend all desirous of purchasing mill machinery to procure yours, believing their money will be well invested if they do.
Yours, truly, HADLEY & TAYLOR.
MADISON, Indiana, May 6, 1872.
_Gents_:--Yours of the 3d inst came duly to hand, making inquiries how we are pleased with our mills that we purchased of you over three years since, (we expected to write you before this.) If you remember our Burrs are sharp old quarry, not very open, and they make very lively flour, and don’ get dull as soon as most others. Our stones are, two pair of upper-runner 3 feet mills. We make a barrel of flour with 3 pecks of coal; we do not know that we could say anything more, excepting that they work fine, and together with the bolt you made for us, make flour that we can find ready sale for in any market along with the best brands. Your flour bolt deserves special mention; with the knockers or “percussion apparatus,” as you term it, which we can stop or start at any time while the mill is running, we are able to keep the bolt clean and bolt through the fine cloth without specking or injuring the flour. The arrangement of the bolt for clean bolting, we think is your best effort.
Very truly, yours, W. W. & B. F. PAGE.
The above is from Madison, Indiana, 60 miles below Cincinnati, on the Ohio river.
ROCHESTER, Ind., Feb. 14th, 1872. MESSRS. NORDYKE, MARMON & Co.:--
_Gentlemen_:--Our custom work runs from 60 to 250 bushels per day of wheat, besides a large amount of corn. Although there are several mills here, our flour has the preference, and sells more ready than any; the self-tram irons are perfect. You shall hear from us again.
Yours, truly, A. L. BOWMAN & Co.
This mill is composed of two run of our 42-inch and one run 30-inch in combined husk, the two former being upper-runner, latter under-runner. They use our 20 feet double reel bolt and other supplies for the complete furnishing of a mill.
Two 30 Inch Pulley Mills.
CARMEL, Hamilton Co., Ind., Jan. 4, 1869. NORDYKE, MARMON & Co.:--
_Gentlemen_:--The mills purchased of you last May, set up and started by David Carey, have given entire satisfaction. Our mill consists of two run of 30-inch upper-runner burrs, pulley mills--one for corn and one for wheat--can grind from seven to ten bushels of wheat into the best merchantable flour, and from ten to fifteen bushels of corn into fine meal, per hour on each burr. Our bolt is sufficient to bolt the above amount, and performs well. Our mills and machinery is driven by an engine, 8 by 16-inch cylinder, and runs 170 revolutions to the minute. We can run the entire machinery ten hours on three-fourths of a cord of wood, have been running almost every day since we started up. Our custom is still on the increase, extending over a great amount of country. We run now every day, while other mills in town and immediate vicinity do not run now to exceed two days in the week. Your mill and bolt arrangement is the only thing suitable for custom, and does well for merchant work. We would recommend persons who think of buying mills, to give you a call--or if we purchase again we will do so. We will take pleasure in showing any one our mill.
Yours, respectfully, CAREY & ROBERTS.
Lay by Your Old Notions.--36 inch and 30 inch Pulley Mills.
CUMBERLAND, Guernsey Co., O., Feb. 14, 1870. NORDYKE, MARMON & Co.:--
_Sirs_:--We have used your mills since the 4th of last November. We consider them durable as any mills can be. We can grind on our 36-inch wheat mill from fifteen to twenty bushels per hour, owing to the grain, and can make flour that will satisfy any community, both in regard to quality and quantity. On our 30-inch corn mill, we can grind forty bushels per hour, if the corn is dry. Our miller says he can make forty barrels of XX family flour in ten hours. We have a twenty-five horse power engine. Our boiler is twenty-two feet long, for two inches in diameter, and two flues. It affords enough power, under seventy pounds pressure, to drive both mills together with their attendant machinery, which is one of your twenty-two foot Flour Bolts, No. 1 Richmond Smut Machines, Buckwheat Bolts, Elevators, Shafting, &c. Three bushels of coal per hour is all we require. To those wishing mills we would just say they had better lay by their old notions and procure improved mills.
Yours, &c., HOWELL BROTHERS.
Mill and Bolt Cannot be Beat.
HAMBURG, Fremont Co., Iowa, Jan. 11, 1869. MESSRS. NORDYKE, MARMON & Co.:--
_Dear Sirs_:--I have had one of your 36-inch Pulley Mills and 18 feet Bolt in operation nearly one year. I like it very much; my flour gives general satisfaction; am averaging ten bushels of wheat per hour on the one pair of burrs, making the best flour. In short, I think your Mill and Bolt cannot be beat. It is driven by one of Leffel’ 20-inch Double Turbine Wheels, under a total head and fall of 11 feet 9 inches.
Yours, respectfully, H. LAMB.
Under date of January 25, 1870, Mr. Lamb orders another run of 36-inch burrs, together with bolt, &c., complete.
What One of Our three feet and 26 Inch Under-Runner Mills will do.
HOUSTONIA, Pettis Co., Missouri, March 3, ’72. MESSRS. NORDYKE, MARMON & Co.:--
_Gents_:--The balance of the things we ordered came to hand yesterday. We have started the corn mill and the way it ground, we were all surprised; 30 bushels per hour of fine meal is a side show for it. The miller says he can grind 40 bushels per hour of corn into fine even meal, every part of the works go off right; will be ready to start the wheat mill last of this week. Our miller is an old experienced hand, and is doing a good job in putting the wheat stones in flouring condition; will write you soon again how we succeed in making flour; have strong competition, and it must do 1st class work to prove a good investment.
Yours, respectfully, J. L. WILLIAMS & Co.
Under date of March 11th, 1872, they say, after ordering another flour bolt, “That you sent us a splendid pair of wheat burrs; they grind so rapid that we find we need the other bolt to do the work. I think we have the best mill in the State or any other State. The machinery works well, beyond my expectation. On the one run of wheat stones we can make with the new bolt 6 to 7 one hundred pound sacks of good flour per hour. Ship as soon as you can with the numbers of cloth as describe in your letter. We want to send some lots of fancy flour to St. Louis. Our miller is an old St. Louis miller, and he says with this addition he can compete with any mill in St. Louis or any other place.
“Yours, J. L. WILLIAMS & Co.”
The mill-wright who set up and started this mill, writes from same P. O., dated March 17, ’72, “That I have to write you that this mill beats any mill of its size that I ever saw. We started the wheat mill last Saturday in the afternoon, and run it three-and-a-half hours, and ground 65 bushels of wheat, and could have ground more if we could have bolted it. Everything runs like a top; they will send you a specimen of their flour as soon as they get some sacks, then you can see what kind of flour it makes; 30 bushels per hour for the corn mill is an easy thing, and it does nice even work.
“Respectfully, yours, ALONZO M. COLE.”
WESTFIELD, Clark Co., Illinois, May 11, 1872. MESSRS. NORDYKE, MARMON & Co.:--
_Gentlemen_:--It has now been ten months since we started our mill, purchased of you, and you will, no doubt, be glad to hear that it more than fills your representations of its good qualities. We make flour that brings the highest price, and have competition of other mills at almost our doors. The mills, bolt, and all in our opinion excels in style and finish all other mills we have seen, and one of our firm has owned and used for many years several of the leading kinds now advertised and for sale. The temper and sharpness of the burrs are very good. With our power it takes near one cord of wood to make 20 barrels of flour. The quality and yield of the flour cannot be surpassed by any mill, as we take it all out, leaving the offal clean. If we need any thing more in your line, will let you know at once, because you have so far fully met our wants.
Yours, truly, BOLTON & WOOD.
Would not Exchange their Mill for anything Known.
NINEVEH, Johnson Co., Ind., Nov. 28, 1867. MESSRS. NORDYKE, MARMON & Co.:--
_Gentlemen_:--You will please find enclosed four hundred and eleven dollars, the amount of note and interest of the note we gave you, due on the 30th inst., which note you will please send us marked paid. Our mill is still doing a splendid business. We make the best flour in this section of the country, and as much to the bushel. We weighed one man’ wheat--19 bushels, then weighed the flour, after taking one-eighth toll, and made him 41 pounds to the bushel. The burrs and their gearing work very nicely. To use a common expression, they cannot be beat; would not exchange them for anything known. We can grind as much in a given time as any of the large merchant mills; make better flour and as much to the bushel. We can grind fifteen bushels per hour on either of the wheat run, and forty bushels of corn on the corn run, with a 20-horse engine, 10 by 16 inch cylinder, and uses about one cord of good wood in ten hours, for driving one wheat and the corn run. The meal is of even quality, and well ground. The only fault found with our flour is, one man says, his “wife set rising in the morning and had to bake bread before dinner, when flour that she had used heretofore would wait till after dinner.” This, however, is easily remedied.
Yours, with much respect, BARNETT, JONES & PUDNEY.
NINEVEH, Johnson Co., Ind., Oct. 18, 1869. MESSRS. NORDYKE, MARMON & Co.:--
_Gentlemen_:--We write you in regard to a bolt for rye and buckwheat--wish it to attach to our corn mill. We think a small one will answer, but want it to be of sufficient capacity for the mill, which grinds pretty lively. We have now been running the mills bought of you, since August 23, 1867, two 36-inch for wheat and one 26-inch for corn, bolts, shafting, smutter, &c. We are so crowded with custom work that it is impossible to grind it in six days a week--it may seem strange to you, but it is so. If we had the bolt referred to, we can run all at once, and possibly keep up. Gents, we have proven beyond a doubt to the mill men of this section that your mills beat them all, and can now say that we have effectually dried up all the old style mills in this country, on custom work. We have some customers that come to us twenty-five miles, and pass two other mills on the trip. You will please give us your lowest figures for the bolt complete, with suitable cloth. We have bought Mr. Barnett out.
Yours, truly, JONES & PUDNEY.
One of the Best Smutters and Separators.
WEST ALEXANDRIA, O., Nov. 22, 1869. MESSRS. NORDYKE, MARMON & Co.:--