中国第一家机器磨坊开办

·历史上的紫竹林大街

清光绪四年(1878)三月，轮船招商局会办朱其昂，在天津紫竹林一带创办了贻来牟机器磨坊，是为天津第一家近代化私人面粉工厂，也是中国食品工业最先使用机器生产的厂家。
有关轮船招商局，初刻于光绪十年(1884)的《津门杂记》有这样的记载： “招商津局，在紫竹林南。同治十一年间创立，总局设于上海。仿西国之制，由众商集资汇办，故名招商。置备轮船多只，载客载货，南北往来，以便商民贩运，并可装粮载兵，裕国便民，两有裨益。”有诗云： “报单新到火轮船，昼夜能行路几千。多少官商来往便，快如飞鸟过云天。”
“贻来牟” 的名称，很有意思。这个词来源于我国古代《诗经》。“贻” ,赠送也。《诗经·邶风·静女》曰： “静女其娈，贻我彤管。” “牟” 通 “麰” ,即大麦。《诗经·周颂·思文》曰： “贻我来牟，帝命率育。” “贻来牟”就是赠送大麦。这里的意思是说，这个机器磨坊，可以赠送给人们大麦磨成的面粉。
“贻来牟”这个词也可以作英语解释。“贻来牟”作为音译，其英文是 “Element”,原意为“元素” 、“基础” ,取其“最早”之意。也就是说这座机器磨坊，是开办得最早的面粉工厂。
所以说它是近代机器磨坊，因为贻来牟的主要机器是进口的先进设备。中国传统的磨坊是人推、畜拉，贻来牟磨坊则是以进口的蒸气锅炉为动力，带动从德国进口的质地特硬而又耐磨的石磨。所以人们又习惯地称它为“火轮磨坊” 。
贻来牟磨坊有技师2人，工人10余人。工厂的人员虽然少，但是效益很高，每年盈利六七千两白银。后来，由于操作不当，造成锅炉爆炸，引起厂房大火，工人死伤，机器被毁，磨坊遂一蹶不振。
In March 1878 (the 4th year of Emperor Guangxu),Zhu Qi`ang,head of the Tianjin China Merchants SteamNavigation Company,opened the Yilaimou Flour Millin Zizhulin of Tianjin. This was the first private modernflour plant in Tianjin as well as the first factory that usedmachinery in China.
The Jinmen Zaji,first printed in 1884,said that"Tianjin China Merchants Steam Navigation Company,headquarted in Shanghai,was located at the south ofZizhulin in the 11th year of Emperor Tongzhi. It wasorganized in western style and invested by businessmen.The bureau has freighters and passenger ships for thepublic,the businessmen and even the army. This isbeneficial both to the country and to the people." A poemis read like this,"It`s said there are new steamships,which can travel several kilomeres in one day; Greatconvenience was given to officials and businessmenbecause the ships travel faster than birds."
The name "Yilaimou" of the mill is interesting. Itoriginates from the Book of Songs (Classic of Poetry).The Chinese character Yi means to give or donate andMou means barley. While,the English name of Yilaimousounds like "Element". The name indicated that it wasthe first flour mill in Tianjin.
Machines of Yilaimou were imported from abroad.In the past,the Chinese people used manpower orlivestock to grind wheat into flour. But,the steam-powered Yilailou`s stone mills were imported fromGermany.
The Yilaimou Flour Mill only had two techniciansand about 10 workers,but it performed well withan annual income of 6000-7000 taels of silver.Unfortunately,the boiler got exploded due to pooroperation,leading to a conflagration that toppled theworkshop,ruined machines and caused casualties. Sincethen,the mill never recovered.

·法租界紫竹林码头