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THRILLS
aplenty broke in upon the peacefulness of life
in Decatur in the '70s when for a few years it
was the location of the Decatur Rolling Mill.
The mill did not stay long,
but while it was here Decatur enjoyed a boom.
When it left, it was the biggest blow in an
industrial way that Decatur had ever suffered.
There was no lack of excitement during the
rolling mill day. The hard work at such a
plant necessitated having employes that
were men of great a physical strength.
They were men of brawn, but while they were hard
workers they were also hard drinkers and hard
fighters. Rough and tumble fights were
frequent, especially on Sundays and holidays.
The men drew good pay and they spent much for
drink. They were proud of their ability to
fight and were not only ready but anxious to
have it out with the other fellow.
Those were the days when the "levee", the
district in the neighborhood of East Eldorado,
Front and Cerro Gordo streets, was born, and
when it saw its most hilarious moments.
Front street then was lined with saloons.
Folks who lived in Decatur in the time of the
rolling mill never forgot the impression it made
upon them. Yet it let its
impress upon Decatur in other ways.
Before the coming of the ill and city ended at
Jasper street. During the period it was
here, several additions to the city were laid
out, known as first, second, third and fourth
Rolling Mill additions. In these additions
we still have reminders of the rolling mill
promoters in the names of several streets.
Stone and Witt, and others. East avenue
was formerly Chrisholm street, named for a
member of the rolling mill company.
Many new houses were built during this period,
and the chapel known as the Rolling Mill chapel,
which later became an Episcopal mission, was
erected on East Eldorado street.
Probably the greatest influence the mill had was
in brining about the beginning of the Decatur
waterworks system. In order to provide
water for this mill, the first waterworks plant
was built. The rolling mill
came to Decatur in 1870. Messrs.
Chrisholm, Stone and Walters of the
Cleveland Rolling mill company had been here the
fall previous to select location and make other
arrangements. The site was donated by the
city. Franklin Priest was then mayor and
it is thought that it was through his influence
that the mill was brought here.
The company had similar mills in operation in
Harmony, Ind., and Chicago. Erection
of the Decatur plant took place in 1870, and in
the spring of 1871 operations began. The
company was incorporated May 16, 1870, with
capitalization of $300,00 The purpose was to
manufacture railroad iron. A.
B. Stone was president of the company and
Colonel W. H. Harris was secretary and
general manager. Directors were A.
Stone, Jr., S. Witt, Henry
Chisholm, H. B. Stone and William
Chisholm. The mill was located east
of the railroad depot, about where the Decatur
coal shaft was later.
In the neighborhood of 400 men were employed at
the mill during the height of its prosperity.
It was the busiest place in Decatur and was a
favorite stop for sightseers. The
operation of the mill at night was a thrilling
spectacle, and handling of the hot metal, the
roaring furnaces and grinding machinery making a
scene not to be forgotten. Often small
particles of white hot metal would be thrown all
over the mill, setting fire to workmen's
clothing and to the building.
Sometime there were accidents, and one day a
tragedy occurred. One of the workmen was
drawn into the machinery, his clothing having
caught in the cogs, and he was crushed to death.
Officials of the rolling mill did not share the
same reputation as their laborers. The
Harris family especially made a place for
itself immediately in Decatur's social and
church circles. The Harrises were
responsible for the building of the Rolling Mill
chapel on East Eldorado street and Ira Harris
was the Sunday school superintendent there.
The Harrises
were active workers in the Baptist church and
helped build the First Baptist church building
on Water street. Colonel W. H. Harris
lived at the northwest corner of Eldorado and
Broadway and Captain Ira Harris lived in
the house across the street south.
The mill moved from Decatur to Rosedale, a
suburb of Kansas City, in 1875, presumably to be
nearer a market for its products. Steel
rails were then coming into use in the east, but
in the west iron rails were still being used.
The Decatur mill did not make steel rails.
A great deal of railroad construction was then
going on in Kansas, and prospects were naturally
much brighter. The establishment of a
rolling mill in Springfield also was given as
one of the reasons for the change.
The rolling mill brought hundreds to Decatur and
it took most of the away again. It left a
big gap when it moved away.
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