BRYAN-LUCAS LUMBER CO.
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Polk County - Falls City
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May 1, 1903: "On Monday afternoon the engine of the Bryan-Lucas Lumber Company was started up, tested and found to be in perfect trim. Manufacturing operations will commence at this mill before many days. The plant in the mountains has been running for some time." (Polk County Observer)
May 8, 1903: "Hugh Black, bookkeeper for the Bryan-Lucas Lumber Company, has gone to Dallas to assist in Bryan & Son's store during the closing out sale. Miss Graham will keep the company's books until he returns." "Team Wanted. A heavy work team wanted. Apply to Bryan-Lucas Lumber Co." (Polk County Observer)
May 15, 1903: "The Bryan-Lucas Lumber Company's planing mill will soon be ready for business. One must see the plant to appreciate its size and convenience." (Polk County Observer)
July 3, 1903: "By the transfer of the stock of R. E. Bryan & Son from Dallas to the Bryan-Lucas Lumber Company's store here, the big store building has been packed full, and it will take some time to re-arrange the stock and get everything in ship shape." (Polk County Observer)
August 21, 1903: "A deal was closed this week whereby the Bryan-Lucas Lumber Company becomes the owner of the sawmill and timber land of John Teal, south of Falls City. The property is known as the Mountain Mill. The purchase price was $8,000.
The sawmill was built by Mr. Teal about 20 years ago, and has been operated by himself and sons continuously since that time. The mill is a small one, but it is located in a good belt of timber, and Mr. Teal has turned out a great amount of lumber since it was built, all of which has found a ready market in the valley. When the Bryan-Lucas mill was built a few years ago, the latter company found it necessary, in fluming their lumber to Falls City, to use water from a tributary of Brown creek, the stream upon which the Teal mill is located. In the dry season, there is not enough water in this creek for Mr. Teal's use and to float lumber in the flume at the same time. It was doubtless a desire of the Bryan-Lucas Company to avoid this inconvenience to both mills that led them to make the purchase of Mr. Teal's property. With the addition of this property, Messrs. Bryan and Lucas have added greatly to the value of their plant, and Mr. Teal says he is well satisfied with the price received. Mr. Teal will probably remain in the mountains and engage in stock raising on a large scale." (Polk County Observer)
The sawmill was built by Mr. Teal about 20 years ago, and has been operated by himself and sons continuously since that time. The mill is a small one, but it is located in a good belt of timber, and Mr. Teal has turned out a great amount of lumber since it was built, all of which has found a ready market in the valley. When the Bryan-Lucas mill was built a few years ago, the latter company found it necessary, in fluming their lumber to Falls City, to use water from a tributary of Brown creek, the stream upon which the Teal mill is located. In the dry season, there is not enough water in this creek for Mr. Teal's use and to float lumber in the flume at the same time. It was doubtless a desire of the Bryan-Lucas Company to avoid this inconvenience to both mills that led them to make the purchase of Mr. Teal's property. With the addition of this property, Messrs. Bryan and Lucas have added greatly to the value of their plant, and Mr. Teal says he is well satisfied with the price received. Mr. Teal will probably remain in the mountains and engage in stock raising on a large scale." (Polk County Observer)
October 1, 1903: "Bryan-Lucas Lumber Company.--- Now in full operation and situated in Falls City is one of the largest lumber manufacturing plants in the West. The capacity of the mill when in full operation is about 100,000 feet of finished lumber per day. Mr. Lucas, one of the firm, is a native of the state of Michigan. He came to this part of the coast thirteen years ago and engaged in the manufacture of lumber, which business he has followed successfully. During the past year Mr. Lucas formed a company (namely the Bryan-Lucas Lumber Company) which has installed one of the largest and most complete lumbering manufacturing establishments in the Pacific Northwest. Mr. Bryan, the late partner of the firm, has for several years been one of Dallas' most enterprising merchants. A few months ago he moved his store to Falls City. Mr. Bryan says that he is well pleased with his new enterprise and that it is only a question of time when Falls City will be one of the leading cities in the state. Its pure water, central location and abundant water power is causing many enterprising citizens to investigate its resources. The Bryan-Lucas Lumber Company is fast becoming to the front. The constant demand for Oregon pine is much greater than the output of the mill. Cars cannot be secured fast enough for delivery, most of the lumber manufactured at this mill is shipped to California. Mr. Lucas states that it is not unusual to cut from 10,000 to 20,000 feet of lumber from one tree, and that trees such as are sawed into lumber. The saw mill of the Bryan-Lucas Company is located four miles above Falls City in the Coast Range mountains and is surrounded by the best timber that can be found. The trees are felled, cut into logs and conveyed to the mill. After being sawed into rough lumber of different styles and sizes, it is floated down to the finishing mill---a distance of four miles---by means of a flume constructed in a V shape for this purpose, and is received on the main dock of the lower mill. This mill is equipped with dry kiln, saws and planers, where the lumber is finished ready for building purposes. The railroad has extended a spur track to this mill so that all cars may be loaded direct from the planer, thus saving the expense of rehauling and reloading. A large number of men are employed in connection with this enterprise." (Statesman Journal)
October 2, 1903: "The Bryan-Lucas Lumber Company have put in a chopper in their planing mill. Get your feed chopped. It will go one-third further." (Polk County Observer)
January 8, 1904: "The Bryan-Lucas Company is busy invoicing the mill and store. They shipped over a million feet of flooring last season, and have over 200,000 feet in the sheds ready for shipment at the present time." (Polk County Observer)
January 15, 1904: "A new switch is being built into the yard of the Bryan-Lucas Lumber Company." "The Bryan-Lucas Lumber Company has over 1,500,000 feet of lumber in the yard." (Polk County Observer)
April 8, 1904: "Johnnie McCoy, who was hurt by falling from the Bryan-Lucas flume a few days ago, is much better, and is able to be out again." "Eld. A. H. Dodd, while working in the planer of the Bryan-Lucas Company, had his foot caught and badly wrenched between two cars in the mill. He is able to be around by using a cane." (Polk County Observer)
April 29, 1904: "The Bryan-Lucas Lumber Company gave all their men tickets for the chicken dinner at the Christian church last Saturday. The kindness was greatly appreciated." (Polk County Observer)
May 20, 1904: "The Bryan-Lucas Company have erected a new and through telephone line from the large store building to all the mills of the company." (Polk County Observer)
August 5, 1904: "R. E. Bryan, president of the Bryan-Lucas Lumber Company, has returned to Falls City from a business trip to California." (Polk County Observer)
August 19, 1904: "The forest fire which has been raging in the mountains southwest of Falls City, and which threatened for a time to destroy the barn of the Bryan-Lucas Lumber Company, is now well under control and it is believed that no further damage will result." (Polk County Observer)
March 3, 1905: "The Bryan-Lucas mill is running again. Our town brightens up when the mills begin to whistle." (Polk County Observer)
September 1, 1905: "It is reported that the Bryan-Lucas partnership at Falls City has been dissolved." (Polk County Observer)
July 27, 1906: "Bryan-Lucas Lumber Co. to Falls City Lumber Co., sawmill, timber, water rights, etc., $74,000." (Dallas Polk County Observer)