Ferguson Grinding and Grading

About Ferguson Grinding and Grading

Niota sits on the Illinois bank of the Mississippi, facing Fort Madison across the water by way of the old double-deck swing bridge, and in winter that wide river can turn the wind raw. Ferguson Grinding and Grading meets the snow that rides in on it with heavy machinery and a grader's feel for a level surface. Drives and lanes are plowed down flat, the banks are pushed well out of the way, and the low spots where meltwater likes to refreeze get opened up rather than ignored. Out in the river bottoms a blowing snow can close a lane in a single afternoon, and reopening it is work done with patience and a steady blade. On a bright, cold morning after the storm, with eagles working the open water, the way out is clear.