LE GRAND MILLS
Modern in Equipment--A Big Institution For Marshall County.
125 Barrels of Flour Per Day Made--An Interesting Description
The well known Le Grand mills, owned and operated by Hammond & Son, has been entirely rejuvenated by the proprietors and al the old machinery, from basement to attic, has been replaced by new and the latest improved machinery in use by the best mills in this country. A short description of this mill may not be uninteresting reading to most readers. In the basement is located the driving machinery, consisting of shafting, pulleys and gearing. Three James Leffell double turbine water wheels whose united capacity in nearly ninety horse-power furnishes the driving power. A steam engine of seventy horse-power has recently been attached to supplement the power of the wheels when the water is either too low or too high.
On the first, or grinding floor, is located five double set of 9x24 Stevens' rolls, one No. 3 Eureka receiving separator, with a capacity for cleaning 300 bushels per hour, one four-foot run of French mill stones for grinding corn and feed. One of the celebrated Beal wheat steamers does the tempering of the wheat before it goes to the rolls to be ground. One Dandy and one Excelsior packer do the packing of the flour.
On the second floor is located the purifying machines, consisting of two No. 3 Whitmore dustless purifiers, one double Holt aspirator and one Silver Creek centrifugal reel. Here also are located two stock bins, screenings, shorts and bran bins; also two large galvanized iron flour bins.
Three swing sifters 60x67 inches made by the Nordyke & Marmon Company of Indianapolis, are lcoated on the third floor. These three swing sifters take the place and do the work of seven 16-foot hexagonal reels used in the old mill. They have a great capacity and do superior work.
A Silver Creek centrifugal reel is also located on this floor.
On the fourth floor is one No. 3 Excelsior smutter and wheat scourer, one Barnart & Lease milling separator and one dust collector for collecting the dust from the cleaning machines. A line of nineteen elevators terminate here. An elevator on the east side of the mill has a capacity for holding 10,000 bushels of wheat to supply the mill with grain.
The mill has a capacity for grinding 125 barrels per day. It is running day and night to fill its constantly increasing merchant and custom trade. The quality of the flour ranks easily with the best Minnesota and Iowa grades. The flour, etc, made by the Le Grand mills is kept on sale and exchange for wheat at No. 33 North Center street by Hammond & Benedict, where every one is cordially invited to call and get a trial sack of the Banner flour.
--Times-Republican, Marshalltown, Iowa, Thursday, November 3, 1898