The Mauser Mills of the Lehigh Valley:
Treichlers

The former Mauser Mill in Treichlers, PA

Overhead view of the former Mauser mill in Treichlers, PA. Photo credit: Google, 2019


This was the most important of the Mauser mills, and the one that lasted the longest.

Timeline

The first record of a mill at this location was that of David Kuntz who established a mill in 1794 with the corresponding village then known as Kuntzford. When Henry Treichler became the owner of the Kuntz Mill, the village became known as Treichlers. He began to use the Lehigh Canal as the water source for the mill. http://www.lehightownshiphistoricalsociety.org/treichlers.html

1879, The fine, large grist mill at Treichlers’s Station, formerly the property of Mr. George W. Bogh, of Catasauqua, recently passed into the hands of Mr. George S. Mauser, of Bath. He intended to add new machinery and four more run of stones, making it an eight run mill. (The Slatington News, 24 September 1879; The Allentown Democrat, 17 September 1879)

1881, the dam break in the Lehigh River at Rockdale (February 1881) has been repaired, and water is again available for the Treichlers’s Mill (The Allentown Democrat, 4 May 1881)

1883, further expansion of the mill took place increasing output up to 300 barrels of flour per day, with five run of stones and six sets of rollers. The work was done by Wolf & Haymaker of Allentown. (The Allentown Democrat, 30 may 1883)

1900, Rumors spread that the mill was building a 50x60 foot addition. (The Allentown Leader, 16 October 1900)

1901, Work began on the foundation for the addition. (The Allentown Leader, 1 April 1901)

1902, The Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company repaired the canal to power the Mauser Mill which has been idle since the flood of 15 December 1901. (The Slatington News, 22 March 1920)

September 1902, Another addition has been completed at the mill by contractor Haas of Laurys. (The Allentown Leader, 22 September 1902)

February 1902, Flooding spoiled over 1500 bushels of wheat. The power house was completely flooded and undermined. (The Morning Call, 1 March 1902) This was part of two almost back to back floods, 15 December 1901 and 28 February 1902.

December 1902, Pennsylvania charter of the new Mauser Mill company approved.

March 1904, Broken dams on the Lehigh River caused the Laurys and Treichlers mills to suspend operations. Even when the river resumes a normal level, the broken dam at Treichlers throws the current away from the canal so that there is no power for the mill. (The Allentown Leader, 24 March 1904)

April 1904, Electrician William M. Dyatt has a contract to install dynamos at the Mauser mills. (The Morning Call, 25 April 1904)

April 1907, An addition to the mill erected at Treichlers (The Morning Call, 5 April 1907)

January 1908, Anzie Kresge will finish filling up the old water way. (The Morning Call, 6 January 1908)

September 1910, A large office will be built opposite Mill A. (The Morning Call, 3 September 1910)

July 1919, The mill was closed for several weeks while new machinery was installed. (The Morning Call, 29 July 1919)

October 1926, A large addition constructed. (The Morning Call, 22 October 1926)

27 May 1932, The Mauser Mill was hit by a bolt of lightning but no fire!

June 1932, A reservoir is being constructed by the Mauser mill, located on the farm along the road leading from Treichlers to Pennsville and close to the Treichlers reservoir, for water to be used for a sprinkling system.

December 1938, Flooding caused the mill to suspend operations when the backwater from the Lehigh River became too high.

28 May 1942, The mill was closed indefinitely because of the flood. Lost an estimated $10,000 in wheat and flour from last Saturday’s torrent. There is no water to run the mill because the dam and canal were wrecked.

194e, The entire flour manufacturing structure was remodeled. (The Morning Call, 6 January 1953)

May 1947, The canal was still kept in shape for the Mauser mill and a paint mill at Bowmanstown, PA.

1951, New shingles applied to the plant. (The Morning Call, 6 January 1953)

January 1953, A fire caused over $250, 000 in damages to the mill and completely destroyed the flour manufacturing section. It started at about 1:15 pm on 5 January in the dust collecting section. About 12,000 bushels of wheat destroyed, machinery damaged, 3rd and 4th floors in the 60'x60' manufacturing building badly burned. The rest of the plant was undamaged. There were about forty employees at work at the time the first sprinkler went off. Eight fire companies responded to the blaze but they had a hard time fighting the fire as it spread to the upper floors and cupola. Only the arrival of the Lehighton aerial truck after 3 pm allowed the fire to be brought under control. (The Morning Call, 6 January 1953). Cleanup started the next day on most of the interior damage. A new roof will be needed as will side walls of the 3rd and 4th floors after the building has dried out. It is estimated the the mill will be shut down for about six months.

February 1953, The rebuild of the mill continued. The fourth floor, the sifting floor, has been fixed, and the roof is now 22 feet higher. The mill is expected back in operation by June.

January 1956. The August 1955 flood washed out the canal, which required electrification of the plant.

1964, a hydraulic loader was added to unload trucks directly into a pit.

July 1966, Nebraska Consolidated Mills has purchased, effective 25 June, by an exchange of stock, the Mauser mill. This also includes Mauser Feed and Grain Corporation (Palmerton). There are 47 mill workers affected. J. Mauser Lerch will stay on in the new company. (The Morning Call, 29 July 1966)

By about 1968, The Treichlers mill was the last active flour mill in the Lehigh Valley, which once had over twenty.

October 1969, The production workers at Treichlers voted 17-1 for union representation.