Trick Miller, or Second Miller
Description: Supervises the mill on a particular watch; responsible to the head miller; takes the lead in adjusting trouble at any particular point; presence required in all parts of the mill.
Qualifications: Like those for miller.
Schooling: Common school.
The following occupations—unloader, loader, elevator man, sweeper, smutter, sack man, trucker—may be classified as unskilled, and the men who work in these occupations work under immediate direction of their foreman.
The following occupations—unloader foreman, loader foreman, elevator foreman, warehouse foreman—may also be considered unskilled, but they are filled by men who are able to direct operations of the first group.
The oiler, roll tender, blender, grinder, bolter, spouter, packer, packer foreman, sack sewer, and millwright work under the immediate direction of the second miller in mills of 500 to 1,000 barrel capacity. In smaller mills, however, much of the work listed under these various occupations is done by the miller himself. Mills of less than 500 barrels per day have no second miller, and in that case much of the actual work described in the above occupations is done by the head miller. Wherever there is a second miller, as in the case of the very large mills, he generally takes direction of the mill during the night shift.
Men interested in milling should start preferably in small mills of about 300 barrels’ capacity, or less, and work in such mills for one to two years in order to become fully acquainted with each of the processes listed in the various occupations. If employment is secured in a large mill there will be very little opportunity to do any of the diversified work as in all such mills the work is more highly specialized.
Physical Disabilities
The description of the various occupations given above answers several questions regarding the schooling and necessary qualifications. Milling is entirely an indoors occupation and one which should not be undertaken by any person affected with tuberculosis. A miller should be agile and capable of endurance. Many of the occupations in the mill require considerable climbing and walking, making it a serious handicap for a person who has lost a limb (unless he has become expert in the use of an artificial leg) or for one who is afflicted with rheumatism.