Grain Elevators part 2

Smith and Burtch eventually became friends as Smth’s health began to fail. In the 1890s Burtch even sold his elevator to Edwin Astley and took over operation of the Oat Elevator for Smith. About 1900 the Oat Elvevator caught fire in a blaze that was thought to have been ignited by the sparks from a passing train. The wooden building burned rapidly and even though the fire department responded promptly, low water pressure made it impossible to get water to the roof. The elevator was destroyed and was not rebuilt.

When Edwin Astley purchased the Burtch Elevator he built a second Bean Elevator adjacent to it. This was smaller with a capacity of only 5,000 bushels. About 1905 these elevators were sold to W.L. Ireland. Smith’s Wheat Elevator was sold as his health failed in the 1890s to John Walsh. Walsh would expand the evlevator to 16,000 bushels. In 1901 two brothers from Eagle Township purchased the elevator from Walsh and the well remembered firm of Doty & Doty was formed. The Dotys expanded the capacity of the elevator and began dealing in fuel products like wood and coals.

It is said there was a friendly competition between the two elevator companies. Farmers would bring their wagons full of grain to the corner of Clinton and Union Streets and then the Dotys and W.L Ireland would come out and bid for the wagonload. Whoever offered the best price would get the grain. This competition ended in 1921 when the two merged to form the Grand Ledge Produce Company.

Up until around 1905, all of these grain elevators relied on horse power-- from real horses. They each had one-storey wings in the back where the horses were put to work. Two to four horses we be harnessed to a wheel. As the horses walked around in a circle, the wheel would turn large gears that would pull ropes and belts to power the elevator’s machinery. Horses were eventually replaced with steam or gasoline engines.