Does anyone remember the grain elevator
on the south side of Ferry Street, across from the brewery? It stood
about fifty or sixty feet tall, and was made of concrete. Most amazing
was how it was constructed. Concrete forms were mounted on jacks
and as the concrete was poured and hardened, the forms were slowly
moved upward.
This process took some time, perhaps over days and weeks. And
slowly the elevator took shape, going skyward reaching it's desired
height. It was then capped off, and stood by ready to receive grains
used in the making of beer. Vacuum pumps were installed at the base
of the structure to move the barley from the box cars to the silo.
Grain that was stored there, was later used in the making in making
that famous 3 Rings, "Purity, Body, & Flavor", Ballantine
beer that became known through the world. Of course the beer was
well known but very few people knew how that grain elevator was
constructed. It certainly was an unique manner of construction at
that time. I wonder does that silo still exist opposite the former
brewery?
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