DEAN & COMPANY NO.2 (LOBREE)
Aaronville
June 5, 1884: “E. B. Dean of San Francisco made a flying trip to the bay by last steamer and returned by the same steamer. Presumably his business up was in connection with the purchase of the Lobree mill property, which will pass into the hands of Dean & Co. after the logs at the mill have been sawed into lumber, which will require some 30 days, for which time Mrs. Lobree has practically leased the mill that she has just sold.” (The Coast Mail)
June 26, 1884: “Dean & Co. will take possession of the Lobree mill next Tuesday.” (The Coast Mail)
July 3, 1884: “E. B. Dean & Co. took possession of the Lobree mill yesterday. The only change to be made to the crew at present is with the cook. Peterson, a white man, succeeds the Chinaman.” (The Coast Mail)
September 11, 1884: “Lyman Noble is cutting piles from Merchant's land along the Empire road, near the picnic grounds. The piles will be conveyed to the bay across Judge Dyer's land and they will be used at the Coos river booms and in the improvements Dean & Co. are making at their mill No. 2.” (The Coast Mail)
September 25, 1884: “The schooner C. H. Merchant brought up six boilers, 3 ½ by 24 feet, and a new gang-edger of ten saws, for Dean & Co's mill No. 2.” (The Coast Mail)
October 14, 1884: "The work of improving and enlarging the capacity of Dean & Co's mill No. 2 (the Lobree mill) goes on, but with only a limited force of men, the proprietors not manifesting a disposition to hurry the work in the face of the present dullness of the lumber trade. When the proposed improvements to this mill have been perfected it will have a cutting capacity of 60,000 feet per day, and the improved machinery being put in will enable the mill to manufacture lumber at least 50 cents per thousand cheaper than the mill at this place is now doing. All the refuse at mill No. 2 will be carried away by machinery and the number of men necessary to run the mill will be about a half dozen less than the number employed at the mill here.---Mail." (Southwest Oregon Recorder)
October 9, 1884: “The work of improving and enlarging the capacity of Dean & Co's mill No. 2 (the Lobree mill) goes on, but with only a limited force of men, the proprietors not manifesting a disposition to hurry the work in the face of the present dullness of the lumber trade. When the proposed improvements to this mill have been perfected it will have a cutting capacity of 60,000 feet per day, and the improved machinery being put in will enable the mill to manufacture lumber at least 50 cents per thousand cheaper than the mill at this place is now doing. All of the refuse at mill No. 2 will be carried away by machinery and the number of men necessary to run the mill will be about a half dozen less than the number employed at the mill here.” (The Coast Mail)
April 23, 1885: “A report was circulated last week that Dean & Co's mill No. 2—the Lobree mill—would be started this week and that the proprietors would run it and the mill at this place on full time. There was no truth in it. When No. 2 starts up for business No. 1 will be shut down. At present workmen are engaged in putting a 40-foot addition to the northern end of No. 2. The mill could be started at once if the owners wanted to start it, but they appear to be in no hurry to do do as long as the old mill will answer their purpose until they get the new one fixed as they intend to fix it.” (The Coast Mail)
July 2, 1885: “The throttle-valve of the large engine at Dean & Co's mill No. 2 bursted last Monday, which accident frustrated the intention to run the machinery this week, that everything might be got in good order to start the mill to cutting lumber next week. Another throttle-valve was at hand and the damage has been repaired for at least another week. The chains and cables for this mill for which there has been some waiting, arrived by the Arago, and now there is no doubt that it will soon start, and when it does the mill at this place will stop, temporarily.” (The Coast Mail)
July 2, 1885: “In course of time Dean & Co. will erect a number of houses at Aaronville for the accommodation of the men that will be employed at their mill.” (The Coast Mail)
August 6, 1885: “As Dean & Co's new mill at Aaronville nears completion, the old mill at this place is doing better work than it ever did before. It would seem the inanimate institution don't want to give up the ghost and be deserted, for last month it averaged 49,000 feet of lumber per day, and one day it cut 73,000 feet. When the vessels now at the mill are loaded it is probable that it will be shut down and the crew carried over to start the Aaronville mill.” (The Coast Mail)
August 20, 1885: “They Have had steam up at Dean & Co's Aaronville mill this week, which looks as if it may start off with a full crew any day.” (The Coast Mail)
August 27, 1885: “Dean & Co's mill at this place ceased running last Saturday night. Their mill No. 2, at Aaronville, is now in full and successful operation. The crew from the old mill here, with the exception of C. W. Fletcher, filer, went to the new mill, where D. A. Daily is filer.” (The Coast Mail)
September 3, 1885: “Last Friday afternoon C. H. Merchant met with a severe accident at Dean & Co's mill No. 2, at Aaronville. He was standing near where a man named Jas. McIntosh was using a maul in driving stakes or something of that kind, when the maul, weighing 30 or 40 pounds, flew from the handle and struck him on the left temple, knocking him insensible for a time. He was picked up cared for and made comfortable as possible at the mill until the Myrtle reached there on her way to this place, and when he was brought down, in a dazed condition, conveyed to his residence and Dr. Tower called to attend him. The doctor found Mr. Merchant suffering from a slight concussion of the brain, but no fracture of the skull. Next day he was better, and by Monday he was able to sit up some. He is now steadily improving and after a few days rest he will be able to again attend to business.” (The Coast Mail)
September 10, 1885: “John W. Noah says he has bought the timber on the Norman and Davis land across the bay, convenient to Dean & Co's mill No. 2, and he is making arrangements to move his family to town, where the children can go to school while he is removing the timber from the aforesaid land.” (The Coast Mail)
September 10, 1885: “The planers have been moved from Dean & Co's mill at this place to their mill at Aaronville.” (The Coast Mail)
November 19, 1885: “Capt. Allen of the schooner Emma Utter had the big toe of his right foot severely mashed at Dean & Co's upper mill the other day by a heavy piece of timber that fell on the foot, and that's why he walks with a cane and wears a big boot on that foot.” (The Coast Mail)
December 3, 1885: “George Davis is engaged in moving a couple of houses belonging to Dean & Co. from this side over to Bay City, where they will be occupied by the workmen in the mill. Davis is the boss by long odds when it comes to moving houses, and he can snake a house away from one place and put it up in another quicker than any man we ever saw.” (The Coast Mail)