1893 - McCaskill set about constructing a new mill on the site. He and his brother James were familiar with mills, having recently built the roller mill at Summersville, 15 miles west of Alley. Three years previously, George McCaskill had bought and quickly resold a farm on Rocky Creek near the Current River in the east part of Shannon County which had a small mill on it. In addition, his brother James lad business connections with the Richmond City Mill Works, Richmond, Indiana, a leading builder of mills and milling machinery. The machinery in both the Alley and Summersville mills was made by the Richmond firm. The new mill at Alley was much larger and Bar more sophisticated than the tiny, primitive one it replaced. It was a 2 1/2 story frame structure housing five steel flour rollers, scourers, and a separator, powered by a metal turbine. A new dam extended across the spring branch nearly two hundred feet, creating a pond more than forty feet deep and a hundred yards across. The mill was completed by early 1895 when McCaskill advertised he could grind 50 barrels a day of Straight Fancy Roller Process Flour, corn meal and chopped feed. Turbines had been used in mills for more than fifty years and offered more efficient operation than large, bulky wheels. Steel rollers were far faster and cleaner than stone burrs and required less upkeep. They allowed millers more variety and consistency. It was one of the most modern mills in the Ozarks. Alley Spring Roller Mill once more became the center of a community. A new store and sawmill using power from the turbine were built and a school was established. About a dozen persons worked in these enterprises and the school had twice that many students. The dramatic beauty of Alley Spring pond at the foot of a high bluff attracted persons looking for relaxation and to accommodate them, McCaskill built a picnic area beside the pond. It became quite popular. Below is two turn-of-the-century post cards displaying the beauty of Alley Springs and Mill. The red painted Alley Mill was taken by me in 2013. Albert Archibald Wilson, on the left, was one of the carpenters who built the Alley Mill. His father, Archibald Wilson, is pictured on the right and was skilled in cabinetry. He is buried in the Summersville Cemetery in Summersville, MO.
Posted on: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 02:29:30 +0000
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