CALIFORNIA FRUIT CANNERS ASSOC.
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Klamath County - Shippington - AKA Great Northern Box Company
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January 14, 1909: “Ward Dwight, of the Dwight Lumber Company, and W. I. Clarke, of the California Fruit Canning Association, who have been in the city the past four days, left Sunday for San Francisco. These gentlemen have been here looking over the site and making arrangements for the building of their box factory on the Upper Lake. They have placed their order for the sawing of the material for the factory which is to be 80 by 150 feet. The contract which was given to the Long Lake Company was doubled on account of the expected big demand for boxes the coming year and the certainty of having shipping facilities over the railroad.” (Klamath Republican)
July 8, 1909: “About all the piling for the new box factory are driven, and the building will be rushed to completion as rapidly as material can be had.” (Klamath Republican)
July 28, 1909: “The box factory that is in course of erection on Upper Klamath Lake, adjoining the mill of the Long Lake Lumber company, will be completed early in August and be in operation about the 10th of that month. The factory is being erected by the Great Northern Box company, and will be in charge of Superintendent Charles McGowan. It will have a daily capacity of about 40,000 feet, and will furnish employment for about thirty-five men.
The starting of this plant will mark the real beginning of the development of the lumber industry of this county, for it is a well-known fact that Klamath is in possession of more box pine than all the rest of the Coast combined. It is only a matter of time before many other plants will be in operation in this city, furnishing employment to hundreds of men and creating a payroll for the city of thousands of dollars per month.” The Evening Herald)
The starting of this plant will mark the real beginning of the development of the lumber industry of this county, for it is a well-known fact that Klamath is in possession of more box pine than all the rest of the Coast combined. It is only a matter of time before many other plants will be in operation in this city, furnishing employment to hundreds of men and creating a payroll for the city of thousands of dollars per month.” The Evening Herald)
August 19, 1909: “The big box factory is expected to start up on Monday. This, with the starting of the new pressed brick and tile works, will add greatly to out diversified industries on the Upper lake.” (Klamath Republican)
August 19, 1909: “The box factory at Shippington will commence running steadily on Wednesday next, as soon as the belting ordered from San Francisco arrives.” (Klamath Falls Express)
August 24, 1909: "During the past week the steamer Winema brought 100,000 feet of lumber from Odessa to the California box factory." (The Evening Herald)
August 26, 1909: “One of the largest concerns on the coast, the California Fruit Canners' association, with headquarters at San Francisco, has practically taken over the management of the Long Lake Lumber company, and from this time on the scene of their operations on the Upper lake at Shippington will be all astir with business. Major C. E. Worden and Fred Melhase have retired from the active management of this company, and the new personnel of the company will be as follows: Roscoe Cantrall, president and treasurer; B. S. Grisby, vice president, and W. O. Huson, secretary.
W. I. Clarke, manager of the box department of the California Fruit Canners' association, is the man who put this deal through, and he has appointed Charles McGowan as superintendent of the box factory. Mr. Clarke, who left Sunday morning for San Francisco, in an interview with a representative of this paper, stated:
The California Fruit Canners' association has practically taken over the management of the Long Lake Lumber company, and we will begin at once on the improvement of this property. We will build twelve or fourteen additional houses to take care of the employees and their families, and more as the occasion requires. There will be employed in the box factory about sixty men and at the saw mill about thirty, which means quite a payroll for your city. It is our desire to ship out about 300 carloads of lumber a year, and this is made possible by the large supply required to take care of the wants of the California Fruit Canners' association alone, as they will take the entire output. This latter concern ships east every year about 5,000 carloads of canned fruits, so you can judge that it takes some boxes to supply their demands. This city can congratulate itself on this company engaging the field here, as it will doubtless be an opening wedge which other large concerns will take advantage of by establishing similar plants adjacent to your city on the Upper lake.”
C. E. Worden, who was interviewed in regard to the above transaction, stated: “The California Fruit Canners' association has practically taken over the management of the Long Lake Lumber company, and Mr. Melhase and myself have retired. I consider this as one of the most important happenings in the history of Klamath Falls, for, first of all, it is the starting point of a payroll system, of which this town is in need, and then again, it means the opening up of the Upper lake country to other manufacturers, and it all being contiguous to our city, we will reap the harvest. It is the intention of the company to put up additional houses for the employees, and they are also taking up the matter of the erection of a new school house there. This latter matter is now being taken up with the town board, and will be decided upon this afternoon.”” (Klamath Republican)
W. I. Clarke, manager of the box department of the California Fruit Canners' association, is the man who put this deal through, and he has appointed Charles McGowan as superintendent of the box factory. Mr. Clarke, who left Sunday morning for San Francisco, in an interview with a representative of this paper, stated:
The California Fruit Canners' association has practically taken over the management of the Long Lake Lumber company, and we will begin at once on the improvement of this property. We will build twelve or fourteen additional houses to take care of the employees and their families, and more as the occasion requires. There will be employed in the box factory about sixty men and at the saw mill about thirty, which means quite a payroll for your city. It is our desire to ship out about 300 carloads of lumber a year, and this is made possible by the large supply required to take care of the wants of the California Fruit Canners' association alone, as they will take the entire output. This latter concern ships east every year about 5,000 carloads of canned fruits, so you can judge that it takes some boxes to supply their demands. This city can congratulate itself on this company engaging the field here, as it will doubtless be an opening wedge which other large concerns will take advantage of by establishing similar plants adjacent to your city on the Upper lake.”
C. E. Worden, who was interviewed in regard to the above transaction, stated: “The California Fruit Canners' association has practically taken over the management of the Long Lake Lumber company, and Mr. Melhase and myself have retired. I consider this as one of the most important happenings in the history of Klamath Falls, for, first of all, it is the starting point of a payroll system, of which this town is in need, and then again, it means the opening up of the Upper lake country to other manufacturers, and it all being contiguous to our city, we will reap the harvest. It is the intention of the company to put up additional houses for the employees, and they are also taking up the matter of the erection of a new school house there. This latter matter is now being taken up with the town board, and will be decided upon this afternoon.”” (Klamath Republican)
September 2, 1909: “With a capacity of 40,000 box shooks a day this city starts its career as the center of the box-making industry of the Pacific coast. The Great Northern Box company is the first company to engage exclusively in this business in this city. It has established a plant on the Upper lake that is the most complete on the coast. The machines installed are the very latest pattern, and the plant is operated entirely by electricity.
When nearly two years ago the Long Lake company started to manufacture box shooks the wiseacres in the city shook their heads and willingly volunteered the information that box shooks could not be manufactured in this city in competition with other places. The work went on quietly, and it was soon seen that someone was buying them. Then it became known that a factory was to be erected, devoted exclusively to the manufacture of box shooks. This was deemed the utmost folly. But the tune is changing, and those who saw nothing but disaster in the undertaking have come to the conclusion that there are other wise heads in this old world aside from their own.
Only soft pine shooks will be manufactured here. They will be marketed throughout the fruit packing districts of California, and are destined to play an important part in the war that is now being waged in the Golden State between the trust and the independent manufacturers.
When this city is on the main line it will be in an excellent position for the supply of box lumber, as the almost unlimited supply in this section is practically untouched. This will mean but one thing---that Klamath Falls will be the center of the box making industry of the Pacific coast. The value of this is evident when it is remembered the Great Northern Box company will employ close to fifty men and boys in their plant. It will require no great amount of figuring to convince any skeptic that it will not take many such establishments to make a good showing in the payroll line.
Arrangements have been made for the erection of cottages for the accommodation of the employees of the factory. Already a number has been built, and the new ones contracted for will meet all requirements for the present. These are modern in style and construction, and are superior to similar structures to be found in proximity to the box factories throughout the coast region.
Ackley Bros. Are going to engage quite extensively in the manufacture of shooks this fall and winter, and will add another link in the chain that will strengthen the business welfare of the city.” (Klamath Republican)
When nearly two years ago the Long Lake company started to manufacture box shooks the wiseacres in the city shook their heads and willingly volunteered the information that box shooks could not be manufactured in this city in competition with other places. The work went on quietly, and it was soon seen that someone was buying them. Then it became known that a factory was to be erected, devoted exclusively to the manufacture of box shooks. This was deemed the utmost folly. But the tune is changing, and those who saw nothing but disaster in the undertaking have come to the conclusion that there are other wise heads in this old world aside from their own.
Only soft pine shooks will be manufactured here. They will be marketed throughout the fruit packing districts of California, and are destined to play an important part in the war that is now being waged in the Golden State between the trust and the independent manufacturers.
When this city is on the main line it will be in an excellent position for the supply of box lumber, as the almost unlimited supply in this section is practically untouched. This will mean but one thing---that Klamath Falls will be the center of the box making industry of the Pacific coast. The value of this is evident when it is remembered the Great Northern Box company will employ close to fifty men and boys in their plant. It will require no great amount of figuring to convince any skeptic that it will not take many such establishments to make a good showing in the payroll line.
Arrangements have been made for the erection of cottages for the accommodation of the employees of the factory. Already a number has been built, and the new ones contracted for will meet all requirements for the present. These are modern in style and construction, and are superior to similar structures to be found in proximity to the box factories throughout the coast region.
Ackley Bros. Are going to engage quite extensively in the manufacture of shooks this fall and winter, and will add another link in the chain that will strengthen the business welfare of the city.” (Klamath Republican)
September 2, 1909: “The box factory will begin operations this week.” (Klamath Republican)
September 16, 1909: Chas. J. O'Connor, lumber grader and checker for the Great Northern Box Company, has resigned his position to accept a foremanship with a Portland firm. Mr. O'Connor is a thoroughly experienced lumberman and has inspected lumber for the largest mill companies on the coast. We regret O'Connor's departure." (Klamath Falls Express)
September 18, 1909: "The demand for fruit boxes is very heavy and the large factory located at Shippington, near Klamath Falls, central Oregon, is running day and night, turning out about 10,000 feet of box shooks daily for the California market. The railroad company is building a spur to the factory to facilitate the handling of the output." (American Lumberman)
September 23, 1909: "The Northern Box company ships three car of shook this morning." (Klamath Falls Express)
October 28, 1909: "Chas. McGowan, superintendent of the Great Northern Box factory at Shippington, was in the city yesterday. He reports business rushing, day and night shifts being employed." (Klamath Falls Express)
November 4, 1909: “The big box factory has, like the mill, been painted red; also W. O. Huson's dwelling house; also the man that did the painting.” (Klamath Republican)
November 9, 1909: "Check No. 154, issued by the Great Northern Box company and payable to the Southern Pacific company, has been lost in transit. The check was drawn for $310.21, and signed by Chas. McGowan for the box company. The public is warned not to cash the check." (The Evening Herald)
November 18, 1909: "The box factory at Shippington is temporarily closed down, while larger power wires are being put in." (Klamath Falls Express)
December 2, 1909: “The box factory will probably shut down for a short time till the new dry-house is completed, as the lumber is most too wet to be utilized for boxes.” (Klamath Republican)
December 23, 1909: "W. I. Clarke, general manager of the Great Northern Box company, who has been looking over things at Shippington for a few days, returned to his home in Oakland Monday morning." (Klamath Falls Express)
December 30, 1909: "Since the roads were frozen the box factory has several teams hauling shook to Klamath Falls for shipping." (Klamath Falls Express)
January 1910: "The Long Lake Lumber Co. has contracted with Great Northern Box Co., of San Francisco, for not less than four million feet a year for 5 years at $13.00 for everything below No. 1 shop. They are located as also box factory, a mile north of this town on Upper Lake." (The Timberman, Vol. 11)
January 6, 1910: “The box factory is running and work on the dry house is progressing. It is a little cold for the carpenters, but it's got to be done, as the house is badly needed.” (Klamath Republican)
March 22, 1910: "The Great Northern Box Company's plant will start this week and about sixty men will be employed. A large dry kiln is now in operation. Navigation is open to the upper lake and enough logs have been cut to supply the plant's full capacity for a year." (The Sacramento Bee)
March 24, 1910: "The starting of the Box factory has been delayed on account of the gearing for the band saw not being finished, but it is expected to start Monday." (Klamath Falls Express)
March 31, 1910: "The box factory and mill at Shippington started up Tuesday with a full force of about sixty men." (Klamath Republican)
March 31, 1910: "The box factory of the Great Northern Box company has commenced the season's operations. New men are being put on every day at wages ranging from $2.25 up. Today at noon the sawmill of the Long Lake Lumber Co. will also start up." (Klamath Falls Express)
August 11, 1910: "A break in the planer at the Great Northern box factory necessitated the shutting down of that institution for a while yesterday." (Klamath Republican)
September 1, 1910: "The spur track from the Southern Pacific track to the Great Northern box factory at Shippington has just been completed, and cars will be running over it in a few days.
The workmen began laying the ties and rails yesterday, and finished the work this morning about 11:30.
The box factory produces about two cars of box shook a day, and since the spur track is completed will be able to handle their output expeditiously. Heretofore they have been handicapped by having been compelled by having been compelled to load their shooks on a barge and haul them across the lake where they were transferred to a spur that ran to the water's edge.
The work of ballasting the track will begin within a few days." (Klamath Republican)
The workmen began laying the ties and rails yesterday, and finished the work this morning about 11:30.
The box factory produces about two cars of box shook a day, and since the spur track is completed will be able to handle their output expeditiously. Heretofore they have been handicapped by having been compelled by having been compelled to load their shooks on a barge and haul them across the lake where they were transferred to a spur that ran to the water's edge.
The work of ballasting the track will begin within a few days." (Klamath Republican)
September 8, 1910: "John Braken, an employe of the Great Northern Box company, had the misfortune to fall from a pile of lumber, causing a fracture of several ribs." (Klamath Falls Express)
September 15, 1910: "An addition is being built along one side and end of the Great Northern Box factory at Shippington, to be used as a storage room. Since the spur track has been finished the product of the mill can be handled much more expeditiously and the addition is being built to have a stock on hand ready for hurry hurry up orders when they come in. The mill is turning out a high grade of box shooks, and the product is much in demand." (Klamath Republican)
December 15, 1910: "Fred Libby, representing the California Fruit Packers Association, arrived in the city Monday from San Francisco. This Association is the owner of the box factory at Shippington." (Klamath Republican)
January 21, 1911: "It is reported that the California Fruit Canners' Association has been negotiating for the purchase of a tract of fine timber near Klamath Falls, with the intention of erecting a mill at a point on the Southern Pacific road for the manufacture of lumber suitable for box shooks." (American Lumberman)
March 23, 1911: "Charles McGowan, superintendent of the Great Northern box factory, who has been making an extended trip to Florida, is expected home in a few days, after an absence of several months. Frank Nehrbas, the machinist at the plant, who has been in California for the past three months, has returned, and when Mr. McGowan gets here things will begin to hum." (Klamath Republican)
April 13, 1911: "The California Fruit Canners' Association started the box factory at Shippington at noon Thursday. They employ a crew of thirty-seven men, and expect to run the factory steady from now until the 1st or 15th of December." (Klamath Republican)
December 21, 1911: "Charles McGowan, Shippington and manager for the California Fruit Canners' association's box factory at Shippington, announces that on next Saturday night two-thirds of the crew of forty-five men will be laid off, and on the following Saturday night the remainder of the crew will be dispensed with.
The mill will on the latter date shut down for the winter season, to reopen March 1st. Ordinarily the quiet period has been for three months until April 1st, but the fact that there are more lumber mills in the district now makes it easier for the company to procure material out of which to make its boxes, which are all shipped to San Francisco.
Mr. McGowan says the past season has been a very busy one, shipments of 210 cars of boxes being made, against little over half that number last year, when it was harder to get material. The canners could use more boxes if the mill could turn them out, so that the coming season, if no hitch occurs, the industry will be at high tide. The reason the factory does not operate in the winter months is because pf the lack of facilities for getting its raw material in condition and keeping it so.
The size of the boxes made at the factory varies, sometimes a freight car being filled with 4,000, while at other times it will take 20,000 boxes to store a car to capacity, the boxes being of smaller dimensions." (Klamath Republican)
The mill will on the latter date shut down for the winter season, to reopen March 1st. Ordinarily the quiet period has been for three months until April 1st, but the fact that there are more lumber mills in the district now makes it easier for the company to procure material out of which to make its boxes, which are all shipped to San Francisco.
Mr. McGowan says the past season has been a very busy one, shipments of 210 cars of boxes being made, against little over half that number last year, when it was harder to get material. The canners could use more boxes if the mill could turn them out, so that the coming season, if no hitch occurs, the industry will be at high tide. The reason the factory does not operate in the winter months is because pf the lack of facilities for getting its raw material in condition and keeping it so.
The size of the boxes made at the factory varies, sometimes a freight car being filled with 4,000, while at other times it will take 20,000 boxes to store a car to capacity, the boxes being of smaller dimensions." (Klamath Republican)
December 23, 1911: "The Great Northern Box Company of the California Fruit Canners' Association, which is located in Klamath Falls at the southern end of the big lake, closed down for the Winter to-day, and will open again March 1st, when the ice leaves the lake and the other sawmills start operations. Ordinarily the quiet season has been for three months, unto April 1st, but the fact that there are more lumber mills in the district now makes it easier for the company to procure materials. The plant turned out over twice as many boxes in 1911 as in any former year, and the demand was not supplied." (The Sacramento Bee)
February 29, 1912: "Charles McGowan, manager of the Shippington box factory of the California Fruit Canners' Association said this afternoon that if the people of Klamath Falls would donate a free site of about five acres within the city limits the association will build here a much larger factory than the one which it has at Shippington the past three years.
San Francisco and other localities said Mr. McGowan, are considering the matter, and if Klamath Falls dies not take advantage of the opportunity right away the association will locate elsewhere.
The Shippington factory will be no longer operated by the association.
When the Shippington factory began operations in the hands of the association three years ago it was to be for three years with the option of two more, the Long Lake Lumber company to buy it at an appraised value at the end of three years if the association did not plan to operate any longer. It has been determined by the association to build a larger plant or quit the local field, so that the option for two more years on the Shippington plant will not be exercised by it.
The association has communicated with acting president William S. Fish, of the Klamath Chamber of Commerce, relative to the situation, and no doubt the Chamber of Commerce will get busy at once on the proposition.
We propose to have a bigger factory and more people, and want to give them every advantage possible. Shippington has not proved convenient for those wishing to rent houses as they could get very little choice of places to live. In the city they can have some variety in that line.
It will cost the association from $15,000 upwards to put up the sort of factory that it intends to build and equip, while the payroll will be $5,000 or more per month, against $3,000 which has been the rule so far. We have had a contract with the Long Lake Lumber company to supply material, but with our own factory, being free to make what contracts we please for the raw pine, we can make a contract when and where we please, especially as we will want more than we have been buying.
We would work the factory from 11 to 11 1/2 months in the year....." (Klamath Republican)
San Francisco and other localities said Mr. McGowan, are considering the matter, and if Klamath Falls dies not take advantage of the opportunity right away the association will locate elsewhere.
The Shippington factory will be no longer operated by the association.
When the Shippington factory began operations in the hands of the association three years ago it was to be for three years with the option of two more, the Long Lake Lumber company to buy it at an appraised value at the end of three years if the association did not plan to operate any longer. It has been determined by the association to build a larger plant or quit the local field, so that the option for two more years on the Shippington plant will not be exercised by it.
The association has communicated with acting president William S. Fish, of the Klamath Chamber of Commerce, relative to the situation, and no doubt the Chamber of Commerce will get busy at once on the proposition.
We propose to have a bigger factory and more people, and want to give them every advantage possible. Shippington has not proved convenient for those wishing to rent houses as they could get very little choice of places to live. In the city they can have some variety in that line.
It will cost the association from $15,000 upwards to put up the sort of factory that it intends to build and equip, while the payroll will be $5,000 or more per month, against $3,000 which has been the rule so far. We have had a contract with the Long Lake Lumber company to supply material, but with our own factory, being free to make what contracts we please for the raw pine, we can make a contract when and where we please, especially as we will want more than we have been buying.
We would work the factory from 11 to 11 1/2 months in the year....." (Klamath Republican)
March 14, 1912: "With a crew of 41 men, the California Fruit Canners' Association's box factory at Shippington is going the same gate on its last lap that it did during the height of last season. June 1st the factory is to be turned back to the control of the Long Lake Lumber company, and while the canners' organization is running it it proposes to have a whirlwind finish, and turn out all the product that it can. Manager Charles McGowan stated last night that last week the factory turned out eight cars of box shook. It looks as though this city would not get the new box factory that the company proposes to build, he said, as up to this time there has been nothing tangible offered to the company in the way of a site, which it requires to be given if it is to stay in the local field. He stated that he would go with the company wherever the new factory is located." (Klamath Republican)
March 21, 1912: "R. B. Cameron, who has just recently arrived here from Roseburg, is expecting to occupy a position with the Great Northern box factory." (Klamath Republican)
April 1912: "California Fruit Canners' Association operates a modern plant with a cutting up capacity of 45,000 feet daily. It is presided over by Charles McGowan, its able superintendent." (The Timberman, Vol. 13)
April 4, 1912: "Owing to something going wrong with the motor which is used by the Shippington box plant of the California Fruit Canners' Association the plant was shut down all day today. It was expected to get things in working order for tomorrow." & "The Shippington box factory of the California Fruit Canners' Association was expected to resume operations this afternoon after fixing the motor. The mechanism was overloaded, which fact was discovered by the workmen in time to stop operations without the fuse burning out. (Klamath Republican)
June 1912: "Northern Box Co. is operating a box factory at Shippington, on the upper lake. The California Fruit Canners' Association owns this plant." (The Timberman, Vol. 13)
Continued to: Klamath Manufacturing Company