The Rockford Woolen Mills Co. to Riverside Commons

The Rockford Woolen Mills Co. – to – Riverside Commons

(from The Minneapolis Journal, Tuesday, November 7, 1905)

MILLS TO BE MOVED

Delano Organizes Company to Secure Rockford Industry

DELANO, MINN. – A company has been organized here with a capital stock of $15,000, of which $10,000 is already paid up, for the purpose of moving the machinery of the Rockford Woolen mills to this place. The following officers have been selected: George P. Schaffer, president; J. E. Borsch, vice president; Charles E. Parker, secretary; L.P. Probst, treasurer, The board of directors are: J. E. Borsch, Adam Horsch, A. L. Mealey, M.E. Muckey, E. T. Ziebarth, F. J. Benner and Frank Roban.

A site will be selected and the erection of a building commenced at once. The woolen mill will give employment to many, and will make quite an addition to the business of interested of Delano. Should the business of the concern warrant, the mills will be increased to double its present capacity and more stock to cover the expense of building will be sold. This can be easily done, as the $10,000 in shares were sold in less than one day’s work, and many other citizens were still anxious to buy.”

(from The Delano Eagle, November 16, 1905)

“The site of the woolen mills has been selected – part of the Ed Bock property on the west side. The piece was purchased for a consideration of $1,000. Work on the foundation of the building will be commenced at once and the structure erected as fast as possible so as to get the machinery in place in a few months. Mr. Brenner is anxious to begin work on his next year’s orders and every effort will be made to push the work forward.”

(from the Delano Eagle, November 23, 1905)

“The foundation for the woolen mills is about completed and the work of erecting the building will be commenced at once. The ground around the site is being graded and put in good shape to allow easy access to the building with teams. The way this enterprise is being carried to completion speaks loud for the business push of those who have taken hold of the industry.”

(from The Delano Eagle, December 14, 1905)

“A large crew of men are at work on the woolen mill and rushing it rapidly forward. It will not be many days before another steam whistle will announce that the wheels of this industry have been set in motion.”

(from The Delano Eagle, January 11, 1906)

“F. J. Benner and family arrived last Thursday from points in Wisconsin where they had visited and are now occupying their rooms in the new brick block. Mr. Benner informs us that he will commence this week the work of placing the machinery in the new building, and the work will be pushed forward as rapidly as possible.”

(from The Delano Eagle, January 11, 1906)

“A meeting of the directors of the Woolen Mill Co. was held last Monday evening and one of the important matters for consideration was the purchasing of an engine, boiler and elevator. Mr. Reichard, representing a Minneapolis firm, was present explaining the qualities of his goods. Several price lists were submitted by different firms and after considerable discussion, Mr. Muckey and Mr. Horsch were appointed a committee to do the purchasing. They will go to the city this week to attend to the matter as the building is now ready for the placing of this part of the equipment.”

(from The Delano Eagle, March 22, 1906)

AN UP-TO-DATE FACTORY

___________

The Rockford Mills Company is Adding New Machinery and Fitting Up Its Plant in First-Class Shape

“In order to be thoroughly up-to-date, the Rockford Woolen Mills Company has purchased several new pieces of machinery which are expected to arrive at any time and which will make their mill one of the most complete in the country. It is the policy of the directors to expend sufficient money to get rid of any handicap that might stand in the way of producing goods at the least possible cost. More money has been expended upon the equipment than was at first thought necessary, but every dollar has been spent with a view to obtaining the best results when operations are commenced. Anybody visiting the mill will readily see that the equipment is first-class in every way and that a permanent and prosperous industry is planned. The market for such goods as the mill will turn out is practically unlimited and the margins of profit are very satisfactory. All that is necessary is to keep the quality of the goods up and to work the factory to its full capacity all the year round, and this can easily be done through the system of steam heating that has been installed.

In order to furnish ample working capital and to take advantage of discounts, etc., the directors have decoded to dispose of the remainder of the stock which will no doubt, be readily taken up by local parties. The business integrity and standing of those interested insures an honest and efficient management and the investment will no doubt prove a very profitable and satisfactory one.”

(from The Delano Eagle, 19__ _)

At the meeting of the stockholders of the woolen mill a bid from the Lundsten Lumber Co. was received in which $3,000 was offered for the concern. By a vote of the stock the bid was accepted but when the impression was allowed to prevail that the company intended tearing the building down and disposing of the machinery a strenuous kick was registered, which was so strong that the bid was withdrawn. This leaves the woolen mill situation as it has been for the past year. There seems to be no solution to the difficulty in the way o getting the mill running again. What the outcome will be is hard to say. The slight indebtedness is liable to eat up all the money invested unless some disposition can be made of the property whereby it will be operated. Should this prove to be the case it is liable to injure any industry which might be brought up for consideration in the future The greatest difficulty seems to lie in the fact that for the past few years like institutions have suffered a loss because of a plethora of woolen goods on the market, which has forced prices down so that the goods cannot be manufactured at a profit and the capital invested has had no return whatever. Another hindrance is that goods have to be sold nearly a year in advance and in this it would be necessary to have a man on the road at a fair salary in order to know just how much would have to be turned out. This of course takes more capital than the stockholders care to put up. But such things have got to be considered in cases of this kind.”

(from the Delano Eagle,19__ )

“M. E. Muckey and Oscar Hildebrandt have purchased the woolen mill for a consideration of $12.00 per share, they assuming all the indebtedness, the total consideration being about $3,200. Muckey & Hildebrandt will open a repair shop and automobile garage for the present and will no doubt do a good business, as both are expert mechanics. Later on they intend to add other enterprises to their shop, one of which we hear reported as being a steam laundry. They will dispose of he machinery used in the woolen mill, which will give them ample space for all kinds of work.”

(from The Delano Eagle, Milton E Muckey obituary, January 24, 1937)

“When Delano business men took over the Rockford woolen mill and moved it to Delano, he installed most of the machinery. Later on he and O. B. Hildebrandt purchased the woolen mill property and started an automobile garage which was the first Ford agency in Wright County. In 1922, Mr. Muckey retired and the agency was transferred to Mr. Hildebrandt, who now handles Chevrolet motor cars and trucks.”

(from The Delano Eagle, Oscar Hildebrandt obituary)

“He (Oscar Hildebrandt) went into the automobile business with his brother-in-law, Milton Muckey in 1912. He and Mr. Muckey had one of the first automobile agencies in the county. Mr. Hildebrandt was in the automobile business in Delano until 1939.”

1912 photo - Milton Muckey and Oscar Hildebrandt were the owners of the Delano Auto Company, the first Ford agency in Wright County. They were located in the former Rockford Woolen Mills building site, across from the current Power Plant. When Mr. Muckey retired, Mr. Hildebrandt switched to Chevrolets. Later, this became Bostrom Chevrolet, Zwick Chevrolet, Walsh Chevrolet, Western Gas and now the Riverside Commons building.

March 23, 1930

June 29, 1939

Harry R. Zwick, owner of Zwick Motor Company left the 260 acre farm along with his brother, G. E. Zwick, now of Minneapolis in 1913 and moved to Lake City where they entered the automobile business. Seeing a need for automobiles among farmers the Zwick brothers were the very first to own a gasoline tractor in 1908. Folks in the vicinity laughed at the brothers and it was quite a novelty in those days, but they were able to finish their threshing that year, long before the neighbors.

After eight years in business there, the brothers dissolved the partnership n 1923 and Mr. Zwick moved to Red Wing where he took an automobile agency. Ill health in 1929 forced him to sell out and retire from business for a few years. In 1935 he again took over an automobile agency at Rochester where he continued until he sold out during March 1939. He then came to Delano where he opened his location during June of the same year. He has been the Chevrolet dealer here since.

(from the Mainstreet, a special edition of The Delano Eagle, 1946)

1946

Walsh Chevrolet, surrounded by the April 1965 flood waters.

10 W. Bridge Ave – Riverside Commons 2021