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Asembagus Sugar Mill |
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Asembagus was an unlikely steam survivor into the 21st century as it used water originating from a volcanic crater lake (Kawah Ijen) which was corrosive for boilers. However, by recycling other mills' cast offs, somehow it kept going although proportionately it always had a huge pile of 'wrecks' in the long grass. The estate rose from north to south which meant that the north side - mainly diesel worked - would have been more demanding than the south line which nevertheless had attractive backdrops. Later, the mill was completely rebuilt and the field railway system removed completely. Uniquely, Asembagus continued to send out its production by rail to the port of Jangkar right to the very end. From the storage shed there, the sugar would be placed upon a lighter and taken to a waiting freighter. Port facilities such as this were once common in Java, but many fell victim to the Dutch Colonial Government’s policy of destroying them, so as to make the Island less inviting to a Japanese invasion. History had the last word, but no doubt the distant location of Asembagus helped the facility survive. Click here for a video of the actual mill in operation. |
