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fjCHESTER FLOURING MILLS.A Brief History of the Mills and Mill Business in Rochester, From the Pioneer Days to the Present.^ Many years ago Rochester was reputed to possess the largest flouring mills of any town its size in the state. Such was the fame of its mills that ple brought their wheat from iat distances to be ground. This was, in the time of mud and sand roads, corduroy and 110 roads at all,»iit the early sc-ttlers brought their leat and corn to this place to be ground, the trip often taking a week or more, sleeping out nights, enduring hardships and privations for the nfn-pose of supplying the hungry mouths at homes with bread. How courageous an example was set by these pioneers, who would start out with their grain, often with a possi tAlity of not returning, and pursuing their perilous course through the unbroken country, filled with treacherous Indians, possibly not hostile at the time, but nevertheless Indiaris in Jn that the word implies, just to go mill.-Thus through the worth of her uills Rochester became the objective ■ffcintof these lonely journeys. Many years she maintained her superiority but gradually with the building up and settlement of the ad joining counties, like the receding of the tide, her *ade silently stole away to other quarters.transformed it^ into a woolen mill, which followed in the wake of Rochester’s pioneer industries, and was destroyed by fire.The Ditmire mill was built in 1888 by B. P. Ditmire and J. D. Edwards, near the L. E. W. depot. In 1890 it too was visited by the fire fiend but it was immediately rebuilt by B. P. Ditmire, who gave it the name of the •‘Crown Mills,” and was a fairly successful institution. In 189G J. W. Whittenberger purchased the mills, changed the name to the Rochester Mills and commenced a business career that is reckoned among the first of Rochester's industries.In 1898 Messrs. Christy and Tester came to this city and together with J. T. Hutton built the Maizena Mills, in the Improvement Company’s addition. Its purpose was the exclusive manufacture of corn goods, but after a brief period of industry was closed down and went into the hands of Israel Taylor, who in turn disposed of it to Mr. Kane, of Chicago, who sold an interest to Mr. Huckins, also of Chicago. Since the latter transfer the Maizena Mills are the scene of industry and the continuous hum of machinery is heard. From a seemingly financial failure it is being transformed into a paying investment, which it is hoped will continue to pay good dividends.Thus wo step into the footprints of Father Time and follow the rise and fall of the flouring mills of Rochester. The Maizena Mills and the Rochester Mills are the only remaining products of the corn cracking institution,
Newspaper Details
Rochester Weekly Republican
Rochester, Indiana, US
Thu, Nov 25, 1897
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
William K.
IN, USA 25 Mar 2017
Other Publications Near Rochester, Indiana
Rochester Mercury
Rochester Independent
Rochester Daily Republican
Rochester City Times
Rochester Indiana
