Madison County History and Genealogy

History and Genealogy



Madison County Advertising


The London Mill Company

Where WHITE CLIFF FLOUR is made

THE GREAT BREAD PRODUCER

MADISON COUNTY ENTERPRISE KNOWN FAR AND WIDE

An Important Commercial Factor in the Life of the City

This is an enterprise whose owner and founder is Mr. Joseph A. Long, a southerner by birth, having been born in Tennessee. He came North when a mere boy, locating in Warren county. Finishing his school education he obtained employment in a grist and flour mill. Unlike many Southern boys, Mr. Long was full of pluck, energy and ambition. His quick intelligence and ardent application soon made him a first-class miller. Ten years ago he came to London, a thorough master of his art, and at once put into his mill some ideas about making wheat into good flour that millers in this section never before knew. He bought the present property (shown in picture) and began a rejuvenating and remodeling that metamorphosed the plant. New and modern mill machinery was installed and Mr. Long put a flour before the Madison county housewife that made bread "just like mother used to make." It was the genuine article, it was wheat properly and scientifically milled. It could be relied upon for bread, pastry, or biscuits. it grew popular in a week, and grows more so day by day. Mr. Long called it "White Cliff," and so famous has it grown that a local poet embalmed its stability in a verse like this:

An author wrote a book
Called "The Man of the Hour,"
A miller ground wheat
Into White Cliff Flour.
The author and his book
Have both had their day;
But White Cliff Flour
Has come here to stay

Mr. Long has kept in touch with modern milling methods, and the output has grown so rapidly that the capacity of the mill has doubled in the past few years, so that now more than 125 barrels can be manufactured daily.

Various grades of flour are made, but many of them are shipped East to fill a demand in that section. A consequence of the enormous output of flour is that Mr. Long has made an important market for wheat right here at home. He pays the farmers the highest market price. He gives employment to eight or ten hands the year round. The "White Cliff" wagons loaded with flour wend their way at all times in all parts of the county. Mr. Long is an extensive dealer in salt and coal, a very convenient article always at hand for his customers, so that his business in all may be said to be one of the most important commercially in the city.

The London mill enjoys the distinction of being on the level, a fact of great significance to farmers who haul heavy loads. The old style elevation "dump" is eliminated, and farmers drive on the level, and dump their grain into the elevator below the load. Hence the mill on the "level dump" is very popular. This is an innovation due to Mr. Long's genius.

His residence shown herein near the mill, is a modern house, attractive in its exterior, and beautifully furnished. Here Mr. Long, with his wife and two children reside and entertain their many friends. He has taken a lively interest in all of the affairs of London since locating here, and has always been prompt and generous to help advance the city's welfare. He is prominent in fraternal orders, is a member of the London Club and a member of the Board of Public Affairs. With his brothers, he is interested in a plant in Mechanicsburg, O., and in Athens, Tennessee. Though born in that state, he had formed a lasting affection for Ohio.


Residence of J. A. Long



J. A. Long, Author of White Cliffs Flour


From Madison Democrat 50th Anniversary
Published by the Madison Democrat, 1908






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