COAST RANGE LUMBER COMPANY
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Polk County - Falls City
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May 1, 1903: "The Coast Range Lumber Company are rushing their repair work as fast as possible, so as to be ready to run full blast by the time the railroad is here." (Polk County Observer)
May 15, 1903: "The Coast Range Lumber Company's whistle is now heard every day. The company is sawing lumber to repair the section of flume that washed out last winter." (Polk County Observer)
May 29, 1903: "The Coast Range Lumber Company's flume is nearly completed, and inj a few days their planing mill will be started." (Polk County Observer)
October 1, 1903: "The Coast Range Lumber Company.---A little above Falls City is located the Coast Range Lumber Company, owned and operated by Watkins & Son. The capacity of this mill is a little less than 30,000 feet of lumber per day. A dry kiln, planing mill and all necessary machinery are in full operation, turning out all kinds of finished materials for building purposes." (Statesman Journal)
December 18, 1903: "The Coast Range Lumber Company have their new locomotive at the mill, and expect to start the mills next Monday." (Polk County Observer)
December 25, 1903: "The new locomotive for the Coast Range Lumber Company is in operation now, and the way the logs are coming to the mill is not slow." (Polk County Observer)
February 19, 1904: "The Coast Range Lumber Company sawed a bill of lumber last week for the new Fuller livery barn in Dallas." (Polk County Observer)
May 13, 1904: "The jury in the damage suit of Joe Guthrie vs. the Coast Range Lumber Company returned a verdict for $500, at 10:30 o'clock last night. Mr. Guthrie sued for $20,000." (Polk County Observer)
August 14, 1904: "Dallas, Or., Aug. 13.---Forest fires of alarming proportions are raging about the mills of the Coast Range Lumber Company, near Falls City. The entire force of the mills and logging camp is fighting to save the mills and timber. Eighty men are making ditches to save the mill property, with good prospect of success." (Statesman Journal)
February 3, 1905: "The Coast Range Lumbering Company's sawmill in the mountains west of Falls City was destroyed by fire shortly after 12 o'clock Saturday night. The building and machinery are almost a total loss, but the greater part of the lumber on the yard escaped the ravages of the fire. The mill was valued at $30,000, and the loss will probably amount to two-thirds of this sum. No insurance was carried on the property. The origin of the fire is not known. The blaze was discovered by the night watchman in the interior of the building shortly after midnight. The flames were at that time eating their way through the upper floor of the mill between the boiler room and the edger. The watchman made a heroic effort to reach the fire hose in the upper story of the building, but was driven back by the intense heat. The flames spread rapidly and the building was soon destroyed.
The mill was one of the best of its size in Western Oregon, being equipped with first-class machinery throughout. It was built by E. H. Watkins & Son, of Portland, and was operated by them on a large scale, the lumber finding a ready sale in the Eastern and California markets. The lumber was flumed to Falls City, where the company's planer and dry kilns were located, and was there loaded on the cars for shipment. The building of the mill and flume involved the expenditure of a large sum of money, and the owners recently found it necessary to make an assignment of the property for the benefit of their creditors. The entire plant was accordingly turned over to George T. Gerlinger as trustee.
Mr. Gerlinger at once decided to continue the operation of the mill, and was in Portland making arrangements to carry out his plans when the disastrous fire occurred. Receiving a message notifying him of the loss, he returned to Dallas, Sunday, and left immediately for Falls City.
It is not yet known whether the mill will be rebuilt, and the matter will not be decided until Mr. Gerlinger confers with all parties interested in the property. The industry was of great commercial importance to Falls City, and, in fact, to all of Polk county, ant it is earnestly hoped that a new mill will be put up on the old site. Mr. Gerlinger is a successful sawmill man, and it is the general opinion that under his management, the business would soon be placed on a profitable basis." (Polk County Observer)
The mill was one of the best of its size in Western Oregon, being equipped with first-class machinery throughout. It was built by E. H. Watkins & Son, of Portland, and was operated by them on a large scale, the lumber finding a ready sale in the Eastern and California markets. The lumber was flumed to Falls City, where the company's planer and dry kilns were located, and was there loaded on the cars for shipment. The building of the mill and flume involved the expenditure of a large sum of money, and the owners recently found it necessary to make an assignment of the property for the benefit of their creditors. The entire plant was accordingly turned over to George T. Gerlinger as trustee.
Mr. Gerlinger at once decided to continue the operation of the mill, and was in Portland making arrangements to carry out his plans when the disastrous fire occurred. Receiving a message notifying him of the loss, he returned to Dallas, Sunday, and left immediately for Falls City.
It is not yet known whether the mill will be rebuilt, and the matter will not be decided until Mr. Gerlinger confers with all parties interested in the property. The industry was of great commercial importance to Falls City, and, in fact, to all of Polk county, ant it is earnestly hoped that a new mill will be put up on the old site. Mr. Gerlinger is a successful sawmill man, and it is the general opinion that under his management, the business would soon be placed on a profitable basis." (Polk County Observer)
February 17, 1905: "Independence---The saw mill belonging to the Coast Range Lumber company at Falls City, which was burned recently, will be rebuilt at once. It is thought the mill will be in running order in six weeks. The pay roll of this mill amounted to several thousand dollars per month." (Corvallis Gazette)