History
1924-Mertel Gravel Co. was formed when the first
stone quarry was started west of Peru, IL. A steam
engine was used to operate the jaw crusher.
1930-Washed gravel was introduced at the pit using the
water stream located next to the crusher.
1935-Plant was moved to the other side of railroad
tracks for easier access to stone. This also enabled
washed stone to be produced more readily due to
larger Spring Creek.
1945-First Caterpillar D4 Dozer was purchased
with a cable operated bucket.
1947-Ready mix was starting to become popular at
$4.35 per yard. Mertel Gravel then purchased a 2 yard
ready-mix truck and later purchased a 6 yard ready-mix
truck that was the first of its kind in the Illinois Valley.
The truck was based on an Army soft cab International
truck. Cement was brought in by railroad cars near
Maze Nail Company, Peru. Each railroad car held eight
hundred, ninety-four pound bags. The bags were then
loaded into three dump trucks and brought to the plant.
1949-Moved to using bulk cement rather than less
productive bag cement.
1950-Purchased new International ready-mix truck.
1953- Mertel Gravel Co. relocated to the West End
of Peru right along the Illinois River.
1955-Purchased 2 x 12 foundation forms to
pour basements.
1956-Purchased T-Joe, our first tugboat. Began barging
in sand and gravel by means of the Illinois River.
1957-Built first deck barge.
1959-Purchased second barge from Nashville Barge
Company.
1963-Built the Triple M tugboat, which replaced the
T-Joe.
1970-Purchased our first 100 ton crane to unload coal
and phosphate rock.
1978-Updated batch size to ten cubic yards.
1979-More bins were built to hold additional material.
This increased the bins to two and the batch out
locations to two.
1985-Fully computerized our batch plant system
Present-Mertel Gravel currently employs over 30
employees.
stone quarry was started west of Peru, IL. A steam
engine was used to operate the jaw crusher.
1930-Washed gravel was introduced at the pit using the
water stream located next to the crusher.
1935-Plant was moved to the other side of railroad
tracks for easier access to stone. This also enabled
washed stone to be produced more readily due to
larger Spring Creek.
1945-First Caterpillar D4 Dozer was purchased
with a cable operated bucket.
1947-Ready mix was starting to become popular at
$4.35 per yard. Mertel Gravel then purchased a 2 yard
ready-mix truck and later purchased a 6 yard ready-mix
truck that was the first of its kind in the Illinois Valley.
The truck was based on an Army soft cab International
truck. Cement was brought in by railroad cars near
Maze Nail Company, Peru. Each railroad car held eight
hundred, ninety-four pound bags. The bags were then
loaded into three dump trucks and brought to the plant.
1949-Moved to using bulk cement rather than less
productive bag cement.
1950-Purchased new International ready-mix truck.
1953- Mertel Gravel Co. relocated to the West End
of Peru right along the Illinois River.
1955-Purchased 2 x 12 foundation forms to
pour basements.
1956-Purchased T-Joe, our first tugboat. Began barging
in sand and gravel by means of the Illinois River.
1957-Built first deck barge.
1959-Purchased second barge from Nashville Barge
Company.
1963-Built the Triple M tugboat, which replaced the
T-Joe.
1970-Purchased our first 100 ton crane to unload coal
and phosphate rock.
1978-Updated batch size to ten cubic yards.
1979-More bins were built to hold additional material.
This increased the bins to two and the batch out
locations to two.
1985-Fully computerized our batch plant system
Present-Mertel Gravel currently employs over 30
employees.
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Mertel Gravel Company
