antedating (?) "run of the mill" 1896

[Stephen Goranson]

Economical Designing of Timber Trestle Bridges. By A. L. Johnson (Washington:
U.S Dept. of Agriculture Div. of Forestry, 1896) page 39 [Google
Books full text]:
Lumber can be bought more cheaply by giving a general order for "the run of the
mill for the season" or "a cargo lot," specifying approximate percentages of
standard stringer size, of 12 by 12 inch stuff, 10 by 10 inch stuff, etc., and
a liberal proportion of 3 or 4 inch plank, all lengths thrown in.

Stephen Goranson
http://www.duke.edu/~goranson

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