Grainnet

Written by Barb Selyem. Photos by Bruce Selyem

According to the National Weather Service archives, on June 14, 1880, “five tornadoes struck Central Indiana, killing at least 18 people. Cattle were said to be killed in droves and orchards ruined.” Churches, homes, and businesses were blown away.

The tornadoes gave Cyclone, IN its name. They also may have influenced John C. Young and J.M. Brafford to choose a cribbed-style construction for their 1889 grain elevator.

Starting at the base, they used 2x10 lumber, then changed to 2x8s as the walls increased in height.

Current Manager Chylene Catron has heard that farmers rebuilt a portion of the elevator damaged by fire in the 1920s.

For 108 years, the only other impact to the integrity of the building has been from the flow of grain that has worn wave patterns in the surface of the cribbing.

Original Equipment Chylene has worked here since 1978 and has been coming here since her father, Joe Neal, and his partner, Bob Heilman, bought the elevator in the late 1960s. She lists these beautiful sculpted walls as one of the things she likes most about working here. She knows the evolution of the company and has many nostalgic memories.

“The elevator has its original manlift and three wood legs,” she says. “We can store about 35,000 bushels of corn.

“At first, a steam engine provided power, then a gas engine, and finally electricity. The only other change we have made to that building other than basic maintenance is the new white metal siding we installed in 1987.

“We even have an old cob burner though we don’t use it any more. My Dad thinks we should tear it down. I know there aren’t many left in our area, so I’m standing firm on keeping it.

“I remember trucks loaded with ear corn coming to the elevator. The men would pull into the drive and then attach ropes with hooks to the front axle. The ropes were fastened to pulleys on an overhead line shaft powered by a gas engine. By lifting the front of the truck with the ropes, they could dump the ears of corn out the back. The cobs were shelled, then moved through spouting to the burner. My Dad says at night the sky would glow from the burning cobs.

“I really enjoy working here. My father and brothers are farmers. I suppose loving the smell of damp earth comes naturally. It is fun working with my Dad and the farmers. The old timers used to come and sit on the ‘gossip bench’ up front. We were always laughing at their stories. They still come, but not as often. People are just busier now.”

How a Cob Burner Works To dispose of the byproducts of corn shelling, many grain elevators in corn-growing regions had a cob burner.

A burner was a barrel-shaped brick building with a concrete foundation.

Two walls of brick were set on the foundation, with four openings at grade level—one for a fire door to allow access to the ash pit and three smaller openings to provide air intake for combustion.

The outer wall was constructed of hard-burned brick laid in lime mortar. To provide air circulation, the wall had building or field drain tiles at various intervals determined by the size of the tiles. Iron strapping every five feet vertically around the perimeter provided reinforcement.

The inner liner wall was made of either common soft brick, which required frequent replacement, or firebrick, which was longer lasting. This wall was built independently of the outer wall leaving a 2-inch gap between them to help insulate against rapid temperature changes that could cause cracking.

The upper walls of the burner slanted inward to provide a faster burn and to produce less smoke. The top had a mesh screen to prevent burning embers from escaping.

Cobs entered the burner through a steel spout from the sheller in the elevator. This spout angled downwards at a 45-to-50 degree angle and was smooth inside to allow the cobs to flow freely. Occasionally, a valve and chute were installed to divert cobs intended for other use such as heating.

A grate was positioned in the center of the burner, near the bottom. Dirt was packed in around its perimeter and slanted downward from the inner wall to the grate. Once the cobs fell from the chute or slid from the dirt to the grate, they were burned.

Sparks from cob burners frequently caused elevator fires, and newer, safer technologies eventually made them obsolete. Many are gone but luckily, a few, like the one at Cyclone, have survived.

Barbara and Bruce Selyem are directors of the Country Grain Elevator Historical Society. For more information, contact the society at 406-388-9282; e-mail: bselyem@country-grain-elevator-historical-society.org.

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