Mr. N.L. Conn spoke about the old-time flour mills, or grist mills as they were called in those days. These mills were always run by water power. A water wheel was turned by water in a flume from a distance, by the flow of the water from a dam or pond, or by the natural flow of a stream or river. In dry seasons there were times when the water supply gave out and the mill could not run until it rained. Mills were located on several streams and rivers in Douglas county. The ranchers took their grain and corn to the mill where it was ground into flour and meal by the miller. He took out a certain part of the flour and meal as payment for the milling. Mr. N.L. Conn mentioned the difference in the quality of the flour and meal as compared with that which the mills turn out in the present day. Different wheat in the old days made different colored flour. Club wheat turned out a flour that was of a yellowish tine. Little White Club made flour that was snow white. Mr. Conn does not know what the modern flour mill does in milling and processing to make the flour all come out snow white regardless of the kind of wheat that is used. He thinks that modern flour has been so purified and bleached that it has been more or less devitalized and thus is not has health giving and wholesome as the product of the old-time grist mill. The same condition is true as regards the grinding of corn into meal. The corn meal seems to have lost the vital oil which made it so healthy. In modern milling the aim seems to be to produce a flour that is attractive in texture and color, with little regard for its nutritional value. The heart of the wheat has been removed. There is a constantly increasing demand to go back to the old fashioned flour and
meal, for the sake of health. The call for whole wheat bread, and the side tracking of white flour bread tells the story of the old and the new. Mr. Conn got, every year, his year's supply of flour and corn meal from the old grist mill. The supply was stored in bins, especially made to preserve the flour and keep all insects and bugs away from it.
Henry Conn Sr, and his sons, Harmon and Francis were at the riot (Champagne Riot) as they were attending a dance at the Champagne Home. They saw the disturbance on Dec 24, 1866 in the late evening. The Civil War bitterness still ran high near the Christmas Holidays. The Yank element had announced a dance at Champagnes house on a ranch, now known as the Albert E Clayton place, located about a quarter of a mile east of the present Melrose Store on Melrose, Roseburg highway. The Rebel faction immediately announced a dance the same night at Goos Mill in Coles Valley with the rumored purpose of breaking up the Champagne dance. As the evening progressed, the Reb crowd saw that not enough came to attend the dance to continue with it. The Coles Valley dance was called off and seven of the men, somewhat the worse for liquor, rode to the Champagne dance with blood in their eyes. They were determined to beak up the dance. Billy Wright, son of John Wright, one of the early pioneers of the district, was with the Reb crowd. Billy s two sisters and the Champagne girls were the bells of the district. The Wright girls were at the dance having gone with Henry Conn, Sr. The girls were inside dancing, and Billy knowing there was going to be trouble, did not take part in the fight but stayed outside. The six men went upstairs to where the dance was going on. They began shooting at the lights, then the fighting began. It became more serious as time went on. Immediately the Yanks took up the fight. Shootings, fist fights, an bowie knives were used. It didn't last much over five minutes. When it was over, there were two dead men, one very badly wounded, died later on. A great many lay wounded on the floor. It was called the worst fight to be known thereabouts. The name they gave to it was "The Incredible Last Civil War Battle at Roseburg, Oregon". Henry Conn Sr was Foreman of the Grand Jury at the Champagne Riot Trial. |
