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.