Emporia Weekly News, 3 Sept 1859
Messrs. Haworth & Soden are about to add another pair of burrs and a smut machine to their mill on the Cottonwood. This will enable them to do a great deal more business and also to make better flour that heretofore.
Emporia Weekly News, 11 May 1861
The foundation for Mr. Soden's new water power Flouring Mill, on the Cottonwood at this place, is now being laid. The walls of the foundation are to be of stone, nineteen feet high, and two and a half feet thick. The building is to be of wood, 32 x 48 feet and three stories high. The dam is already constructed. It is not expected, however, that the mill will be put into operation the present season. The machinery is yet to be purchased and brought from the East, and this will probably occupy until another harvest. But the mill is to be built, which is a pleasant and profitable assurance for our people. It will be needed the present season; but we can get along until next.
Emporia Weekly News, 14 June 1862
The large frame for Soden's mill, south of town, was raised on Tuesday last. The frame, as well as the masonry on the basement story, is the best work we have seen in this country. We hope Mr. Soden may speedily complete his mill, and reap a rich reward for his enterprise.
Emporia Weekly News, 17 Jan 1863
Soden's Flouring Mill. A few days ago we visited W. T. Soden's flouring mill, on the Cottonwood, one mile and a quarter south of town. We were pleased, as well as surprised, to find it so nearly completed. It will be ready for grinding as soon as the river rises so as to give a sufficient supply of water. This mill is 30 x 48 feet, and three and a half stories high. It has all the modern fixtures and improved machinery for a first class water mill. As yet, Mr. Soden has put in but one run of burrs. It is his intention, as business increases, to put in three others, and also an engine. This mill will be one of our institutions, and a great blessing to this part of the country. Enough grain has been hauled from this vicinity this season to distant points to have run another mill this year. We hope this will not be the case in the future. Mr. Soden's energy in pushing his work to completion thus early will be rewarded.
Emporia Weekly News, 23 May 1863
Soden's Mill is now in full blast. We have heard several say that this mill made as good flour as they had ever seen in this country.
Emporia Weekly News, 6 Feb 1864
We are glad to announce to the public that Soden's mill has started up again, with a good supply of water. Mr. Soden has a new set of burrs on the road somewhere, which will doubtless soon be here. We hope the necessity for our farmers to go thirty or forty miles to mill will soon be done away with.
Emporia Weekly News, 8 Oct 1864
WATER MILL FOR SALE - I have for sale a No. 1 Flouring Mill, two set of burrs and smut mill attached one mile south of Emporia, on the Cottonwood River. For particulars, address W. T. Soden, Emporia, Lyon Co., Kansas.
Emporia Weekly News, 24 Jun 1865
The water mill south of town is doing a driving business. The late rains have furnished a good supply of water, and Soden is making use of it. Those wishing a good article of flour cannot do better than patronize Mr. Soden, as his mill does the best of work. He lays the highest cash price for corn and wheat. For particulars see his advertisement.
Emporia Weekly News, 5 Aug 1865
EMPORIA WATER MILL - This institution is now in full blast, and W. T. Soden, proprietor, announces to the public, in our ad-tising columns, that he is ready to grind wheat and corn at all times. This mill is one of the largest and best water mills south of the Kaw river, and is run by one of the best millers in the State.
Emporia Weekly News, 12 Aug 1865
Emporia Weekly News, 4 Aug 1866
Soden's mill is grinding night and day, running through about four hundred bushels of wheat every twenty four hours. We have some of the new flour from this mill and can pronounce it as good if not better than any ever made in Southern Kansas. Mr. Soden informs us that it is his intention to add new machinery to his mill soon, including two more runn of burrs.
Emporia Weekly News, 23 Aug 1867
Mr. Soden informs us that his mill will not do any more grinding for some time, perhaps two or three months. The reason for this stoppage is to enable Mr. S. to raise his present building three or four feet higher that at present and to put a large addition to the front of it. This will add largely to his room and facilities for work.
Emporia Weekly News, 6 Dec 1867
W. T. Soden's watermill is not in running order yet, but will be in a short time. He has nearly finished refitting and furnishing his mill throughout and when completed it will be in every respect a first class Merchant Mill.
Emporia Weekly News, 13 Dec 1867
EMPORIA WATER MILL. W. T. SODEN, Proprietor & Manager.
Situated on the Cottonwood, south of town, is now in successful operation, and is ready to grind for customers on its customary terms, and will try and please those that can be pleased. Will keep flour constantly on hand, and will sell it as cheap as can be bought in this part of Kansas. Parties buying by the quantity, or to sell again, a liberal discount will be made, and all flour warranted. Fall and spring wheat wanted. The biggest cash price paid for prime, and strictly prime wheat. Emporia Kansas, Dec. 12, 1867 10-50-tf
Emporia Weekly News, 13 Dec 1867
W. T. SODEN in his advertisement this week, announces to his customers and everybody in general that his mill on the Cottonwood, south of town, after undergoing thorough repairs, is again in operation. It has been raised six feet on its old foundation, is remodeled throughout with new machinery, bolting cloths, elevators, and three run of burrs. It is ceiled throughout, painted, etc, and the appurtenances added to it make it a first class mill. As it now stands it will compare favorably with any mill in the State. Those who have grinding to do, or wheat to dispose of, or flour to buy, cannot do better than to give Mr. Soden a call.
Emporia Weekly News, 17 Sept 1869
SODEN'S FACTORY
A splendid spring. Soden is rushing the work on his woolen factory adjoining his mill. The foundation is about completed. In digging out the bank for the foundation just below the mill, a splendid spring of water was discovered. It is a strong and pure stream. This spring will be of incalculable advantage to the mill and property.
Emporia News, 27 June 1879
WE PROTEST
Is it proposed to change the name of that nice grove, on the Cottonwood, south of the city, from "Soden's Grove" to "Arcadian Garden"? If so, we enter our protest. Soden - we speak of Bill Soden, the miller - is one of our institutions. He came here at an early day from New York, evidently having read and pondered over Horace Greeley's well known advice to young men, and has grown up with the country; so have his mill and dam, so has his bank account. Now Soden and all he has is among "our things". Especially is this so with that grove which kind providence and Soden have provided for the pleasure of this cow-worshiping, sun-burnt town. Some day we will have a street railroad to Soden's grove! It is in every sense of the word, a grove - a place of woods. There is nothing about it that looks like a garden and especially an "Arcadian" garden. Webster says Arcadian pertains to Arcadia, a mountainous district in the heart of Peloponnesus. Now, there are no mountainous ranges in that grove that we have ever observed. Arcadian has no application in any way, and we want it plain Soden's Grove. That expresses all there is in the lovely place. Soden is a plain mad, not given to either starch or style, or airs or poetry of hifalutin. We don't suppose he ever soared into verse in his life, and the high sounding "Arcadian Garden" don't mix well with him. Let that grove be called "Soden's Grove" from now till doomsday. Some day he will have a fine park there and will present it to the city, and coming generations will bless his generosity. The next man that calls it the "Arcadian" ought to be eternally squelched.
Emporia News, 1 Nov 1883:
A NOTE OF PROGRESS
A Trip of Inspection to W. T. Soden's Flouring Mills.
Introduction of the Latest and Best Improved Machinery
The Emporia water mill, owned and operated by Mr. W. T. Soden, is well known as one of the largest and most complete mills in this part of the state.
Last summer the proprietor determined to avail himself of all the latest and best improvements which act science and mechanics had placed within his reach, and Sept. 1 shut down the mills and refitted throughout for the gradual reduction process, by which the flour retains all the nutritious qualities of the wheat, much of which was lost by the old method of grinding. The mill is four stories in height, with solid stone foundation and basement 22 feet high. In this basement is located all the driving machinery which is of the latest and most improved water power description. The main building is 31 x 68 feet in dimensions, with a 2 1/2 story ell, 30 x 30 feet in measurement. This latter is used only for cleaning of wheat and the storage of bran. On the east side of the mail building is a stone and brick flour warehouse, 24 x 50 feet. In this division is also located the office. The location of these premises is on the left bank of the Cottonwood River, which furnishes a plentiful and adequate water power.
The buildings were first erected in 1860, but from time to time enlargements and improvements have been made. In front of the main building is a 22 foot Fairbanks platform scale for the general weighing of large quantities of wheat. On the working floor is also a scale of similar manufacture for weighing light offerings. After weighing, the wheat goes to a receiving hopper, is elevated and goes through a rolling screen, then passes to the wheat bins, remaining there until it is needed for grinding. After leaving these bins it is passed to a zig-zag separator, thence to a Silver Creek smutter, then through a zig-zag oats extractor, and then through two brush machines - thus in every way being thoroughly cleaned.
After leaving these machines it is passed to a set of coarsely corrugated chilled iron rolls by which it is split longitudinally through the seam or crease. This splitting frees or exposes the seam impurities and germs, and the miller, in setting or adjusting the rolls for this preliminary splitting or 'first break' exercises due care to prevent the wheat being too much broken, yet to know that each berry is acted upon sufficiently to split it.
The product of this first break is sent to a scalping reel, suitably clothed with wire cloth; where the seam impurities, dust, loosened germs, and whatever first flour may have been produced is taken out, while the split grains pass over the tail of the reel and are spouted to the butts where a medium high grinding process takes places, these pass through two scalping reels and then, after separation of bran, the other material passes a third scalping reel in which the middlings are separated.
The germ middlings that pass the tail end of this third scalping rel pass to a set of chilled iron smooth rolls, revolving at different rates of speed, thus crushing them. The middlings are then passed to a dusting reel, thence to a grading reel, thence to two purifiers, and are then passed to burrs and ground and finished ready for bolting. For this purpose they are passed to a reel with silk bolting cloth, and what is termed patent is taken from this reel. This grade of flour will issue from these mills under the brand of "Emporia Patent" and it is the intention of Mr. Soden that it shall have no superior, if using the choicest of Kansas winter wheat and the exercise of great care can produce such a result. After the last process above mentioned takes place there is still some surplus product not used in this grade of flour which passes to another reel and the material taken from that is separated to other grades. Following the other material (which excludes the middlings and bran), after the third scalping reel it passes to finishing reels, four in number, the product from these is put on a separate reel for finishing and this puts what is known as a 'straight' grade of flour in the packer hopper. The bran, after leaving the first two scalping reels, passes to corrugated rolls and is redressed on them, then passes to a separate scalping reel, in which the flour is separated, and the balance of material taken from this reel with low grades from other reels passed to a centrifugal reels where it is separated to grades.
This, in brief, comprises the system as nearly as a newspaper correspondent can glean it from a casual inspection and examination. If there are glaring mistakes, we must ask not only the consideration of the readers but also of Mr. Soden, upon whom the writer would not willingly reflect any inconsistencies. However, in the main this explains as clearly as possible this system, in which the public are more or less interested and desire to be posted.
The furnishing and refitting of the mill was by the Great Western Manufacturing Company, of Leavenworth, Kansas
Space will not allow of wasting, the different floors and the placing of the machinery, we will, however add, that embraced in the equipment are six sets of burrs, one Eureka flour packer, one first break, two pairs of Allice's rolls, two Smith's purifiers, wheat bins, packer hoppers, stock hoppers, fourteen bolting reels varying from 16 to 20 feet in length, a "Silver Creek" smutter, two Barnard & Leas brush machines, two separators, and one rolling screen; also a corn-cleaner and a bolting reel for corn meal.
Mr. W. T. Casebolt, the foreman of the Great Western Manufacturing Company, has had charge of the furnishing of this mill since September, and will stay until everything is completed and in running order. Everything has been done to suit Mr. Soden and supervised by his watchful eye. To the writer he paid Mr. Casebolt the high and merited compliment that this gentleman had taken charge of everything in the most satisfactory manner both to his interest and that of the company whom he so well represents.
It is an agreeable task to make note of this enterprising manufacturing industry, and which is operated by master-hand. Mr. Soden first commenced to supply the public of this section with flour in 1858, in 1860 became proprietor of the Emporia Water Mills. From the start, Mr. Soden has exhibited that power of grit and determination that is bound to succeed. Oftentimes, we are told, he has labored under the most discouraging circumstances, but his confidence in the future of Emporia and Lyon County did not waver. It is currently reported that while he was building the original frame mill, which was a big thing for the times, and had nearly completed it, he ran out of money and local capitalists would not loan him sufficient cash to buy the window glass. The mill was glazed in due time all the same. Mr. Soden is now a prominent director in the Emporia National Bank.
SODEN AND HALLECK
Have their office and salesroom at No. 113 Commercial Street. The individual partners are W. T. Soden and L. L. Halleck. This firm was established in April of the present year (1883). Mr. Halleck manages the business office and warehouse as previously mentioned, No. 113 Commercial Street. The commodious store is 25 x 100 feet in dimensions. The entire wholesale and retail flour trade of the mill is looked after here.
