The Mauser Mill at Laurys Station was once one of the largest mills in the Lehigh Valley. Laurys Station was once one of several now forgotten excursion point along the mainline of the Lehigh Valley Railroad, for example: Calypso Island (Bethlehem, PA), Laurys Park at Laurys Station, Lehigh Gap, the Hotel Wahnetah at Glen Onoko.
Timeline
21 December 1892, Mauser mill purchased the Schall Mill for $12,600. The John R. Schall mill was one of the first roller mills in PA. It had been sold at an administrator’s sale for less than a fourth of cost. William S. Haas has been supervising the mill for last 13 years. Mauser intends to enlarge the mill's capacity and change machinery to grind spring wheat as opposed to winter wheat. (The Allentown Democrat, 8 February 1893)
June 1893, conversion of the mill is almost complete for the processing of western spring wheat. This will be one of the largest mills in the Lehigh valley. (The Allentown Democrat, 26 June 1893)
28 February 1902, the great flood of the Lehigh River. Water reached the LVRR tracks, and the slate dam was threatened with failure. (The Morning Call, 1 March 1902)
August 1902, repair of the slate dam on the river complete. It had been partially swept away in February, and men have been working on it since 10 June. 125 men were in the workforce. Breastworks are 42 feet wide. Long heavy poles are loaded down and filled with stones on both sides. The shape is a V so that the rushing waters will not concentrate at one place. The old canal lock was rebuilt with ten cars of cement and several hundred cars of stone. This will enable the Mauser mill to start up on Monday. (The Morning Call, 16 August 1902)
1903 January, new machinery has been installed which allows for the production of rye flour.
1903 July, the Mauser mill bought a lot from the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company on the west side of the slate dam for $400, 6750 sq. ft, patented to Peter Newhard in 1822. (The Allentown Leader, 15 July 1903). An 800 ft. siding was added along the LVRR mainline, which required the moving of two small buildings. An addition was also added to the mill. (The Morning Call, 17 November 1903)
April 1904, a small dam break shot down the mill for one month. This was the flood of 7 March 1904. (The Allentown Leader, 12 April 1904)
May 1909, the Mauser company announced the construction of a new steel elevator at Laurys with a capacity of 40,000 bushels of wheat. (The Morning Call, 6 May 1909)
March 1920, new, modernized equipment was installed at Laurys.
April 1923, the company purchased a tract of land to build two double houses at Laurys. (The Morning Call, 24 April 1923)
1927, renovations were carried out: new stock house; the office was moved to a new location just below the railroad crossing; built a new, brick warehouse, extending south along tracks; a large garage (The Morning Call, 23 June 1927)
1934, the break in the slate dam caused by the flood of 7 March has been repaired, and the mill was running again. (The Morning Call, 10 April 1934)
August 1937, a bolt of lightning struck the mill and a fire ensued. The mill burnt to the ground, totally destroyed and not rebuilt. (The Morning Call, 12-13 August 1937):
November 1937 Michael Winarchik died on site. He was on a ladder cutting up a metal storage bin when it collapsed, and he fell to the bottom of the pit. (The Morning Call, 12 November 1937)
1950, the Mauser Mill sold 280 ft on the east side of the road to Cementon. (The Morning Call, 18 June 1950)