Maria Pace Chiavari
Updates and Expansion: 1888 – 1908
The history of the Moinho Fluminense mill is punctuated by ongoing updates of its equipment and the expansion of its premises. As indicated in the history related by the Centro de Memória Bunge heritage center, new machinery was bought in during late 1888, stepping up the pace of production.62 [VII]
Streamlining the workflow, a three-story building in the Rua da Saúde was added to the complex in 1889, intended for use as offices.
While the Avenida Central thoroughfare was inaugurated with much pomp and ceremony – having played a vital role in the career of Antonio Jannuzzi – health problems forced Carlos Gianelli to quit working in 1904. Leaving his brother Leopoldo in charge of the business, he travelled to Italy a few months later, dying two years later at the age of 53. Family letters help reconstruct part of the history of the celebrated character, who lived in aristocratic style on the Fazenda Guaxindiba estate close to Niterói.63 In its obituary, the O Fluminense newspaper described the deceased as “an old merchant and industrialist”, born in Montevideo and the organizer behind the Rural Fluminense tramway running between Niterói and the neighboring town of São Gonçalo. It mentioned other activities of Carlos Gianelli, which included serving as the Uruguayan consul and his appointment as the Honorary Consul of the Uruguayan Legation in the Brazilian capital.64
Changes to its management did not slow the growth of the wheat flour business, which firmed up its position on the market in 1908. This is demonstrated through the presence of the Moinho Fluminense mill in the Palácio das Indústrias industry pavilion at Brazil’s National Exhibition in 1908, celebrating the centennial of the opening of Brazilian ports to friendly nations, competing with the Moinho Inglês mill.
It is interesting to recall that the Jannuzzi firm displayed photographs of its 26 best works at this exhibition, including the Moinho Fluminense complex.65 As mentioned, this publication was printed by the Jornal do Commercio newspaper, recalling the long-standing link between its owner José Carlos Rodrigues and Antonio Jannuzzi, dating back to the days when he welcomed his friend into his home during a difficult time.66
[VII]
New machinery at the Moinho Fluminense mill
In 1887, the machinery consisted of 33 wheat grinders, twenty winnowers, thirty centrifuges and frames, twenty sifting machines, forty wheat cleaners and several other devices. When it started up operations, the mill had a daily capacity of eighty tons, reaching 110 to 120 tons of wheat ground each day by September 1888, with this new equipment.
(HISTÓRICO DO MOINHO FLUMINENSE. São Paulo: Centro de Memória Bunge heritage center, 2011. p. 4)