Our Building Materials – Brick – A Want Supplied. – The improvements in Winona have heretofore been seriously retarded by the difficulty of procuring material. Frequently, our contractors have been obliged to go to Dresbach, Fountain City and other points, and then could not always get what they wanted. It has been known by many that suitable clay for making brick existed in large quantities in Gilmore Valley, and the fact is to be submitted to a practical test. Messrs. D. A. Foot and H. L. Blodgett have started a brick yard in Gilmore Valley, on what is known as the Fry farm. Their yard covers about one acre. They have already imported and set up an Empire State Brick Machine, which took the first premium at the New York State Fair in 1867, and another machine is on the way. These machines are capable of turning out 30,000 bricks, each, in ten hours, but Messrs. Foot & Blodgett will, at first, manufacture only 30,000 per day with both machines. They will erect several sheds, one of which, the kiln shed, is to be 35 by 170 feet, extending the whole width of the yard, and covered with a portable roof. There will also be a drying shed, forty feet wide, extending the length of the yard.
The lumber for these buildings is on the ground and operations will be continued so soon as the weather permits. They have cut 600 cords of wood which is ready for use. So soon as clay can be shoveled, in the Spring, manufacturing will commence. With this clay, however, it will be no experiment. It has been tried successfully and satisfactorily, and Messrs. Foot & Blodgett feel confident that they will be able to meet the wants of builders here with a superior quality of bricks. They have invested capital to the amount of $6,500, and propose to carry on the business extensively. The bricks will be nearly one third larger than the ordinary size, and are used almost exclusively at the East. They will, however, make the smaller size, also, for those who wish them. At the present time they have contracted for 600,000 bricks to be used in the new buildings here in the Spring. In this connection we would state that Mr. Blodgett is the agent for Minnesota, for the Empire State Brick Machine. (The Winona Daily Republican, Saturday, February 8, 1868, Page 3)
BRICK. There are five brick yards in the different valleys adjacent to Winona, having all they can do at an average price of ten dollars per thousand for their manufactures. Foot & Blodget, in Gilmore Valley, employ twelve men. Their yard was established this year (1868), and they have several large contracts for supplying brick for buildings to be erected here this summer. (Winona Daily Republican, Monday Evening, May 25, 1868, Page 3)
BRICK. - Messrs. Foot & Blodgett have commenced to deliver some of the brick from their first kiln burnt at their new yard in Gilmore Valley. The new buildings of Mr. Wm. Richardson, Wilson and Clark, and Webster and Holbrook are all to be built of their brick, and specimens can be examined at any of these buildings. The bricks are larger than the ordinary size and of a superior quality – destined to become very popular with our builders. Taking into consideration the new yard and the new machinery, Messrs. Foot and Blodgett have succeeded admirably and the kilns which they burn hereafter will of course show the improvement which their experience will enable them to make. The Empire machines which they use stand second to none in the country. (Winona Daily Republican, Tuesday Evening, June 9, 1868, Page 3)
Messrs. Foot & Blodgett put up forty thousand brick on Monday and Tuesday last, to burn in a kiln. (The Winona Daily Republican, Saturday, June 27, 1868, Page 3)
Dissolution Notice. – Notice is hereby given that the copartnership heretofore existing between the undersigned, under the firm name of FOOT & BLODGETT, is this day dissolved by mutual consent. D. A. FOOT, H. L. BLODGETT. July 20th, 1868. (Winona Daily Republican, Wednesday Evening, August 12, 1868, Page 2)
Real Estate Transfers. The following is a list of real estate transfers for the week ending Oct. 9, as appears on record at the Register’s office: H. L. Blodgett to Charles Butler, 18 ¼ acres, Winona, $6,000. This is better known as the brickyard property in Gilmore Valley. (The Winona Daily Republican, Tuesday, October 12, 1869, Page 3)
The Brick Business. The brick yard in Gilmore Valley, which for the past four years has been under the ownership and management of Mr. Philip Biesanz, is turning out some excellent building material and is doing a good business. It is supplied with a good clay bank, which was originally opened by Messrs. Blodgett and Foot, who put in two Empire State brick machines, each of which has a capacity of turning out 22,000 bricks per day. A large new shed has been erected the present season for the protection of the bricks while being placed in the kiln, and every care possible is taken by Mr. Biesanz from the time the bricks are moulded to keep them dry and free from exposure that might injure the quality. He employs a force of ten men, which can be readily increased as the trade demands. Last week a kiln of 60,000 bricks was burned out, while there are in the yard and partially laid up in arches ready to burn from 140,000 to 150,000 more. The utmost care is required in burning the kiln, which takes six or seven days; in fact, the entire business is one demanding a good deal of skill, close attention and a thorough acquaintance with the trade. The market price for brick is at present from $6.50 to $7.00 per thousand in Winona. The Republican representative is indebted to Mr. Charles Butler for his kind attention in pointing out the interesting features of this valuable industry. (The Winona Daily Republican, Friday, June 14, 1878, Page 3)