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Lino (1923) In my recall the miller was Luigi Pezzini said the “Tiradü”. The mill ran day and night, the maize was carried waiting to be ground. At that time, in some periods of the year, there were big working problems due to scarcity of water: for drought or because it froze in the winter.
The Mill of Dosso was therefore constructed taking into account this situation and using devices of ancient conception, making it one of the rarest in Italy.
The Mill of Dosso was equipped with stone holders for supporting the ills by the strong soil moisture and by water infiltrations. Using wood, it would rot quickly.
Shaft paddles in larch wood with wheel of 1,70 m. with a large capacity water containers, at slower lap.
Inside the shaft paddles has been constructed another wooden toothed wheel of 1,30 m. in diameter, which turning discharged its strength on a small wooden pinion of 30 cm. diameter increasing the speed of rotation and giving the mill speed of 4,5 turns for each shaft paddles revolution.
The expedient of the big toothed wheel shows that in the Nineteenth century there were no iron gears which currently run the mill. It should also taken into account a rotation speed of the devices compatible with wear devices. Other water mills that I have visited have been restored and are moved in opposite direction compared to the Mill of Dosso. The Mill of Dosso has a paddle wheel that spins faster with a strong push of water. Inside, the still devices are well oiled to reduce the speed, providing a more regular rotation, a more modern and profitable device for millers of our time. Going back to the story of Dosso’s Mill, in 1941 Luigi Pezzini died leaving four children orphans, the oldest prisoner of the Germans in Brescia.
In those circumstances, solidarity was helpful to this family: Pietro Pezzini, the uncle, (1907-1979), with great altruism, left Rasura and reached the german command, succeeding with valid arguments to bring home the grandchild. Those were hard times in the Valley: the war, the mill stopped with its devices worn-out by the time and the death of the head of family. Again with the help of uncle Pietro a new and more efficient wheel was built, so that the mill started to function again. The aforementioned wheel is still working on site.
The technology, new food tastes, the abandonment of the mountain by many families did decrease the importance of this ancient tool to grind flour, and so the activity ceased in 1964, and with it any water-powered rotatory movement in Valgerola.
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