Keeping with the Crowther-Brothers-Milling-Company-theme a couple of stories from Gordon Crowther’s “History of Crowther’s Mill” exemplifies true ingenuity. Production at the mill kept growing and more storage was needed in the early 1900s. Two large steel storage tanks located near the Gwenford Flour Mill in Samaria came up for sale. The Crowther brothers were interested, but moving the tanks was going to be a challenge. They located experienced movers; got the power company on board to turn off power to electric lines the tanks would have to pass under; and moving day finally arrived.

It was a relief when the tanks were delivered on site at the mill with no mishap. “To increase the capacity of the tanks, a concrete foundation was poured the same dimensions as the tank and fourteen feet high. Then came the task of jacking and blocking, jacking and blocking the tanks to the height of the cement ring where they were to rest. All went well until the tanks were ready to be lowered to the cement foundation. There was no way to remove the planks and allow the tanks to be lowered into place. After much thought, Mr. Budge, the contractor, came up with a brilliant idea. He sent his men to find the ice man and pick up a load of block ice. The blocks of ice were placed at intervals around the cement foundation. The tanks were lowered onto the ice blocks. Then Mr. Budge said, ‘Now let’s go to lunch. When we get back, the ice will have melted, and the tank will be in place.’ Sure enough, that’s just what happened. It was a miracle.”

“Another interesting addition to the grain-receiving end of the mill was a large electric motor with a spool on the top. The motor was geared down so that it turned the spool very slowly. This motor was situated at the far end of the receiving pit. The floor over the pit was also a scales, where the load of grain could be weighed before it was unloaded.

“In the winter months much of the grain coming in was by team and sleigh. As the farmers attempted to pull onto the scales, the horses would lose their footing. Then the sleighs on the dry surface made it nearly impossible to pull. When a team had trouble pulling onto the scales, a long heavy rope with a hook on one end would be hooked onto the tongue of the sleigh. The other end was tied with a couple of half hitches around the spool. The motor was started, and very slowly with what help the horses could give the loaded sleigh was pulled onto the scales. It was most interesting to witness.”

It’s a Good Life when you use your head and when someone in the family records those moments. Thanks to Gordon Crowther, grandson of Edward and Mary Weston Crowther, for writing a history that documents ingenious actions. You can still see the Gwenford tanks atop the cement cylinders on the west end of the mill.