The Pioneer Milling Company

 

The Pioneer Milling Company. ---- Of all human necessities the food supply outweighs the balance in the ratio of two to one, and as natural consequence interests connected with its production and distribution are of the most vital importance. It would be interesting to trace the development of the manufacture of flour from the hollow-stone mortar, and its flinty pestle, of the aborigines, through successive stages, to the mighty steam power, roller-process mills of to-day. Perhaps in no branch of industry have the improvements been more marked. Half a century ago the “upper or nether mill-stones” turned by immense water wheels, making only coarse meal, were the only ones known. The first mill in this county to make “Extra” flour was the old “Bay State” mill, located on M street, between First and Second streets, in 1852, owned and operated by Polly, Nichols & Garfield. This mill which had a capacity of 150 barrels, was burned in the great fire of November the 3d of that year. It was rebuilt and in operation within six weeks after the fire, and run by Polly & Garfield until 1856, when it blew up; but prior to the explosion Mr. Garfield had sold out his interest to a Mr. Hall, and had in connection with Mr. George W. Mowe, bought the Wilson mill, located at the mouth of the American River; this mill was called the “Eureka,” and built about the same time as the “Bay State,” in 1852. It was improved by Garfield & Mowe, and the name changed to the “Pioneer Mill;” subsequently Mowe sold out to Alexander Dyer. The firm name remained unchanged until the fall of 1859, when it was burned by an incendiary. In 1854 a man named Carey had bought the buildings of the “Boston Ice Company,” put in mill machinery, and called it the “Carey Mill.” At the time the Pioneer was burned the “Carey Mill” was owned by Mr. E. P. Figg, and in 1861 Garfield & Co. bought the mill, and changed its name to “The Pioneer.” This mill, in its turn, was burned during the following year, 1862.  Mr. Garfield then bought the “Sunnyside Mill” at Auburn, brought it down, and erected it at the mouth of the American River, gave it a name of the “Pioneer,” and once more started in. It was subsequently enlarged and improved at an outlay of over $70,000, the firm being Mowe, Carroll, Simpson & Garfield. The property was greatly damaged when the mouth of the river was changed, its store house, etc., being washed away by the current. Several changes having been made in the membership of the firm, the name of the firm was changed to H. G. Smith & Co. This continued until 1883, when a joint-stock company was organized under the laws of the State of California, entitled “The Pioneer Milling Company,” with H. G. Smith as president, and Mr. Llewellyn Williams, vice-president, F.  B. Smith, secretary, and S. N. Garfield, general manager. The “Pioneer Mill” is one of the oldest and largest establishments in its line in Northern California. It is most conveniently located for the transaction of its business, being upon the bank of the Sacramento River, permitting the deepest-draft river craft to discharge directly into the mill, and to receive cargoes of flour therefrom, while on its eastern side a side track is placed which permits the convenient and speedy loading and discharging on railroad cars. The mill proper is a commodious four story building, to which is attached a large two story warehouse, the whole covering an area of 150 x 600 feet. It is fully equipped with the latest improved roller-process machinery, and employs some thirty-five men in its operation. It has a capacity of 500 barrels per day, and makes an annual average of 150,000 barrels. The manufacturers of this establishment occupy the foremost position in the market, and are regarded with marked and popular favor by merchants and consumers. Besides manufacturing and handling flour, this firm deals largely in grain, and all kinds of mill feed. The individual stockholders of the company are all well known and substantial residents, who have been identified with the progress, prosperity and improvement of Sacramento in every way, and have always been foremost in every effort to build up her commercial, industrial, manufacturing and social prestige and advantages. Mr. H. G. Smith, the president of the company, is a native of the State of New York, having been born at Ithaca, at the head of Caynga Lake, in 1832, the son of Franklin Smith, a farmer. At the age of seventeen he entered the drug house of Dr. Hawley, of Ithaca, and for two years remained there, learning the business, but with the aspirations of an energetic mind.  Desiring a larger field, he early determined to migrate to the far West, and in company with two friends ---- Joseph Trueman and John Thompson---he left New York on the 7^th of December, 1850, for California, coming via the Nicaragua route, landing in San Francisco on the 9^th January, 1851, having made a remarkably quick passage. After spending a short time in the mines at “Negro Bar,” on the American River, and becoming convinced that the life of a miner would not suit him, he came to Sacramento, and was engaged in various enterprises; among them, in 1856, was draying, having bought two drays, one of which he himself drove for a time, hauling chiefly for the old “Bay State Mill.” He continued in this business for seven years.  In this and similar enterprises he accumulated money, and upon the failure of the “Odd Fellows’ Bank, in 18__, he became the receiver of that defunct institution, and later on, when the “People’s Bank” was organized, he became a large stockholder and a director. As early as 1863 he had bought an interest in the “Pioneer Mill,” and when the joint stock company was formed he became its president, which position he still retains, taking an active personal part in the direction of the affairs of the great institution. Coming to Sacramento, as he did in his early youth, he may be said to have grown up with the city, having been closely identified with her social and material interests for upwards of thirty-seven years. He stands to-day foremost amount her representative men.