Built an elevator near the Stillwater & White Bear depot in 1870-71. It has a capacity of 300,000 bushels. The officers are: President, Louis Huspes; secretary and treasurer, H. W. Cannon.
EXPRESS COMPANIES.
The first office was established by the Northwestern Express Company, in 1855; Short, Proctor & Co. were agents. This company was succeeded in 1858 by the American, and in 1869 the United States also established an office here.
THE STILLWATER BRIDGE.
A charter was obtained from the legislature in 1875 to build a bridge across Lake St. Croix, from Stillwater to Houlton. The bridge was completed the ensuing year at a cost of $24,000. It is 1,500 feet long, and is furnished with a pontoon draw 300 feet in length, operated by an engine.
LUMBERING INTERESTS.
Stillwater is the metropolis of the lumbering interests of the St. Croix valley, and is indebted to them chiefly for its welfare. These are considered separately in other parts of this history. The local interests are centred chiefly in mills and manufactories, of themselves an important element in the prosperity of the city. The principal proprietors of the saw mills since the first settlement of Stillwater have been McKusick & Co., Sawyer & Heaton, McHale. & Co., Schulenberg & Co., Hersey, Staples & Co., Hersey, Bean & Brown, Isaac Staples, Seymour, Sabin & Co., Herschey Lumbering Company and Turnbull Lumbering Company.
FLOURING MILLS.
In 1872 J. H. Townshend and W. F. Cahill erected a flouring mill on Third street. It was run by water brought from McKusick creek, the motive power being an overshot wheel forty-five feet in diameter. In 1880 D. M. Sabin became interested in the firm. The capacity of the mill was increased from fifty to three hundred barrels per day. A Corliss engine and other improvements were added, and the mill was run on the Hungarian roller system. The firm name was changed to Townshend & Co.
The St. Croix flouring mill was built in 1877, on Upper Main street, near the lake, by Isaac Staples. Its dimensions were 40 × 50 feet. Its capacity was two hundred and fifty barrels per day. It was removed to make way for the buildings of the Car Company.