H. E. CRANE LUMBER COMPANY
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Klamath Falls - Swan Lake
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March 26, 1920: "Three carloads of sawmill equipment, a complete milling outfit, purchased by H.E. Crane near Eugene, are on the way and should arrive in a few days. The cars will be sent over the Strahorn road to the mill site in the Swan Lake district and it is expected to have the plant up and running within 30 or 40 days after arrival.
The mill will have a daily capacity of 40,000 feet. Mr. Crane controls about 15,000,000 feet of timber in the Swan Lake district that will be manufactured as rapidly as possible.
There is much activity in lumbering in the territory along the Strahorn line and a number of mills are being built, or enlargements made on old ones. It is estimated that the Strahorn road will handle 2,000 carloads of lumber this season as the combined output of the mills in the territory it serves." (The Evening Herald)
The mill will have a daily capacity of 40,000 feet. Mr. Crane controls about 15,000,000 feet of timber in the Swan Lake district that will be manufactured as rapidly as possible.
There is much activity in lumbering in the territory along the Strahorn line and a number of mills are being built, or enlargements made on old ones. It is estimated that the Strahorn road will handle 2,000 carloads of lumber this season as the combined output of the mills in the territory it serves." (The Evening Herald)
August 16, 1920: "Fire, suspected of being incendiary in origin, yesterday destroyed H. E. Crane's mill on the Rahn ranch at Swan Lake. The loss is estimated at $20,000, covered by $12,000 insurance. The mill was entirely destroyed.
The fire started between 12 noon and 1 o'clock, in the center of the mill. There were five employes on the premises, including the watchman who had left the mill and joined the others at dinner. It was about one o'clock when the fire was discovered.
Attempts to save the plant were handicapped by lack of water, and it was later discovered that the pipe line that supplies the mill had been disconnected about a quarter of a mile from the plant. The flames had gained such headway when discovered, however, that the small force of fire fighters would have been unable to have quenched them, had the water been running.
One of the employees of the plant stated that he saw a man running from the spot where the pipe line was disconnected, keeping under cover of a fence. He says he recognized the fugitive.
The mill was built this season and recently started operating. It had just reached good running order and was turning out about 20,000 feet daily. None of the sawed lumber was destroyed, not were any logs burned." (The Evening Herald)
The fire started between 12 noon and 1 o'clock, in the center of the mill. There were five employes on the premises, including the watchman who had left the mill and joined the others at dinner. It was about one o'clock when the fire was discovered.
Attempts to save the plant were handicapped by lack of water, and it was later discovered that the pipe line that supplies the mill had been disconnected about a quarter of a mile from the plant. The flames had gained such headway when discovered, however, that the small force of fire fighters would have been unable to have quenched them, had the water been running.
One of the employees of the plant stated that he saw a man running from the spot where the pipe line was disconnected, keeping under cover of a fence. He says he recognized the fugitive.
The mill was built this season and recently started operating. It had just reached good running order and was turning out about 20,000 feet daily. None of the sawed lumber was destroyed, not were any logs burned." (The Evening Herald)
August 28, 1920: "Asserting that the affairs of the Crane Lumber company are involved condition, and that the action of defendants is prejudicial to the interests of all parties concerned, H. E. Crane, in a suit filed in the circuit court against Louis N. and Edith Rahn, asks that the partnership between himself and defendants be dissolved, and a receiver be appointed to take charge of the property.
Under an agreement executed on March 8 last, Crane built a mill to manufacture lumber on the Rahn ranch at Swan Lake. Defendants were to furnish the timber and plaintiff was to mill and sell it, the profits to be divided.
On August 15 the mill burned, leaving on hand 300,000 feet of sawed lumber, and 350,000 feet of logs. The lumber has been sold, plaintiff says, to the Crater Lake Box company for $1,600, but defendants have taken possession of it and locked gates and taken other means to prevent plaintiff making delivery.
Defendants have threatened arrest of plaintiff and threatened arrest of loggers employed before the fire, and because of their conduct, plaintiff asserts, work has been hampered, employees have filed labor liens, the fire insurance company cancelled the insurance on the mill because it was an extra hazardous risk, and no insurance for its loss can be collected, and the concern is threatened with insolvency.
Heavy indebtedness exists in many quarters, plaintiff alleges, and unless a receiver is appointed at once none of the creditors will be able to collect anything on their accounts." (The Evening Herald)
Under an agreement executed on March 8 last, Crane built a mill to manufacture lumber on the Rahn ranch at Swan Lake. Defendants were to furnish the timber and plaintiff was to mill and sell it, the profits to be divided.
On August 15 the mill burned, leaving on hand 300,000 feet of sawed lumber, and 350,000 feet of logs. The lumber has been sold, plaintiff says, to the Crater Lake Box company for $1,600, but defendants have taken possession of it and locked gates and taken other means to prevent plaintiff making delivery.
Defendants have threatened arrest of plaintiff and threatened arrest of loggers employed before the fire, and because of their conduct, plaintiff asserts, work has been hampered, employees have filed labor liens, the fire insurance company cancelled the insurance on the mill because it was an extra hazardous risk, and no insurance for its loss can be collected, and the concern is threatened with insolvency.
Heavy indebtedness exists in many quarters, plaintiff alleges, and unless a receiver is appointed at once none of the creditors will be able to collect anything on their accounts." (The Evening Herald)
September 3, 1920: "The Crater Lake Box company has filed suit against H. E. Crane and Louis and Edith Rahn, to replevin 300,000 feet of sawed lumber, which it is alleged defendants are withholding from Plaintiff, in violation of a contract for its delivery. A value of $9,000 is placed on the lumber, and plaintiff asks for either the lumber or money.
In a suit of Crane against Rahn, filed recently, the former alleged he was willing to deliver the lumber, wanted to badly in fact, but the Rahns had taken possession of it and refused to allow him on the premises." (The Evening Herald)
In a suit of Crane against Rahn, filed recently, the former alleged he was willing to deliver the lumber, wanted to badly in fact, but the Rahns had taken possession of it and refused to allow him on the premises." (The Evening Herald)
September 16, 1920: "Allen C. Sloan today took charge of the property and assets of the Crane Lumber company at Swan lake, under appointment by Judge D. V. Kuykenhall yesterday in the foreclosure action filed by the Oregon Life Insurance company, which asserts that it holds a mortgage on the Rahn ranch, the site of the Crane mill, of which $18,000 is unpaid. The timber, claims the mortgagee, was part of the premises that secured the loan and was cut contrary to its wishes and knowledge.
The appointment of the receiver is merely to protect and conserve the assets. Many claimants have set up demands for share in a division, but this is likely to follow involved litigation for the establishment of the priority of claims.
One set of claims that will probably be recognized at par value are the labor liens, which total $2,800. The Crater Box company claims some $1,600 and damages for non-delivery of lumber of contract. There is a second mortgage, held by San Francisco parties, on the land and Judge N. J. Chapman had a mortgage on the mill, which burned recently. The company that constructed the mill has also entered a claim.
Creditors who are likely to be badly squeezed are local merchants who advanced supplies. The total bills of this class will run to $7,000, it is said.
Until the receiver has made an inventory the assets will not be fully known. Broadly speaking there is $12,000 insurance, but some deduction will probably be made for salvage. Lumber, claimed by the Crater Lake Box company under its delivery contract, and about a quarter million feet of logs are other items." (The Evening Herald)
The appointment of the receiver is merely to protect and conserve the assets. Many claimants have set up demands for share in a division, but this is likely to follow involved litigation for the establishment of the priority of claims.
One set of claims that will probably be recognized at par value are the labor liens, which total $2,800. The Crater Box company claims some $1,600 and damages for non-delivery of lumber of contract. There is a second mortgage, held by San Francisco parties, on the land and Judge N. J. Chapman had a mortgage on the mill, which burned recently. The company that constructed the mill has also entered a claim.
Creditors who are likely to be badly squeezed are local merchants who advanced supplies. The total bills of this class will run to $7,000, it is said.
Until the receiver has made an inventory the assets will not be fully known. Broadly speaking there is $12,000 insurance, but some deduction will probably be made for salvage. Lumber, claimed by the Crater Lake Box company under its delivery contract, and about a quarter million feet of logs are other items." (The Evening Herald)
September 29, 1920: "Further complications in the litigation that surrounds the Crane Lumber company, whose mill on the Rahn ranch at Swan Lake burned several months ago, are revealed in attachment suits started by three more creditors, Garich Grocery company, C. G. Lorenz and the Klamath Hardware company. The suits are directed against H. E. Crane, Louis and Edith Rahn and others and are to recover alleged debts incurred through the furnishing of supplies and services to the mill.
The Garich Grocery company claims $3,357.92; Lorenz for supplies and plumbing $470.30, and Klamath Hardware company, $641.16.
Attachments have been levied on all available property. The affairs of the Crane concern were recently placed in the hands of Allen Sloan as receiver. He was appointed on petition of one of the numerous creditors." (The Evening Herald)
The Garich Grocery company claims $3,357.92; Lorenz for supplies and plumbing $470.30, and Klamath Hardware company, $641.16.
Attachments have been levied on all available property. The affairs of the Crane concern were recently placed in the hands of Allen Sloan as receiver. He was appointed on petition of one of the numerous creditors." (The Evening Herald)
October 1, 1920: "Labor liens aggregating more than $2500, with attorneys fees and costs totaling $600 more, are sought to be foreclosed in a suit filed in the circuit court by T. C. Fair against Louis Rahn and wife, H.E. Crane, the Crane Lumber company and others. Fair presents his own labor claim for $239.25 and ten other claims assigned by persons he alleges were employed at various times last summer by the Crane Lumber company at Swan Lake. The assigned claims range in the amount from $61 to $1188, the letter being the lien filed by E. J. Jenkins, foreman of the plant.
Allen Sloan, receiver, and a number of creditors of the Crane company are named as co-defendants, the plaintiff asking that the labor liens be adjudged predominant claims and recognized as taking precedence of all others in final settlement of the affairs of the company." (The Evening Herald)
Allen Sloan, receiver, and a number of creditors of the Crane company are named as co-defendants, the plaintiff asking that the labor liens be adjudged predominant claims and recognized as taking precedence of all others in final settlement of the affairs of the company." (The Evening Herald)
April 13, 1921: "E.C. Wright, who was superintendent of the Crane saw mill which burned in Swan Lake valley last season has purchased the Weston mill at Hildebrand.
Before coming to the Crane mill, Mr. Wright has years of lumbering experience in the fir belt of the upper Willamette valley." (The Evening Herald)
Before coming to the Crane mill, Mr. Wright has years of lumbering experience in the fir belt of the upper Willamette valley." (The Evening Herald)
October 11, 1921: "The State Industrial Accident commission has filed suit in the circuit court against Hunter E. Crane, alleging violation of Section 19 of the Workmen's Compensation act, because Crane failed to pay the sum of $195.70 to the state under the act. Crane is alleged to have employed workmen to dismantle and erect sawmills and machinery during the period from March to August, 1920, making no return under the compensation act." (The Evening Herald)