GARDNER-WILKINSON LUMBER COMPANY
Seven miles northwest of Bend
February 9, 1917: "March 5 is the date that has been set for the beginning of operations of the Gardner-Wilkinson Lumber Company's sawmill, situated seven miles northwest of Bend, which is now nearing completion. With ideal weather in which to do construction the logging and building operations have been rushed for the last three months.
The mill will have a capacity of 75,000 feet daily, operating on one shift and will employ about 50 men. The company has a contract in force to supply seven million feet of lumber and it will begin filling this order as soon as it begins cutting. It will probably take until May 1 to complete this order, after which a night shift may be put on, which will mean virtually doubling the capacity of the mill and the addition to 25 men to the pay roll. The main mill building is 140 feet long and 36 feet wide, operates one eight-foot band saw with other auxiliary machinery. As yet it has not been definitely decided on the location of the planer. This feature will be settled as soon as hauling is begun.
While the construction of the mill has been going on a large crew of men and teams were engaged in logging on the land close to the mill site, and now 1,250,000 feet of logs are decked in the basin for the logging pond just below the mill. When the logging pond basin is filled with water from the Wimer ditch it will cover approximately three acres of land will be held back by a dam of heavy plank construction, 275 feet long at the crest and 30 feet high at the center. The pond ordinarily will hold about 750,000 feet of logs. Theodore Aune has the contract for logging. The dam was constructed by M. J. Danielson.
The Gardner-Wilkinson Lumber Company has selected an ideal location for their mill. Although not on a running stream it has been afforded logging facilities which few inland mill have. The mill, yards and camps are situated on a high level piece of ground above the gulch partly occupied by the logging pond. The logs can be easily conveyed from the pond to the mill with the timber close at hand. Although considered a small mill, it is complete in every detail, with new machinery. Approximately 10 acres have been cleared north of the mill, and the lumber will be piled there for air drying before it is hauled to Bend for shipment.
Some of the details relative to shipping the cut to the railroad have not yet been completed. As soon as hauling is begun, 20 four horse teams will be used to convey lumber to tracks from the planer, the location of which has not been determined. Mr. Wilkinson said yesterday that the company is willing to expend approximately $2,000 for the improvement of the road from the mill to the yards of the Bend Brick & Lumber Co., and will ask the county to assist in the improvement of the road from the brick yard to town. The total cost would approximate $4000.
At it immediate command the Gardner-Wilkinson Lumber Company has approximately 25 million feet of timber within easy reach of the mill.
The plant will be under the management of Ray Wilkinson, of Bend, junior member of the firm. Mr. Wilkinson has been in the lumber and timber business for the last 20 years. Most of his experience has been in the west, having operated mills in Oregon and California. In 1907 Mr. Wilkinson engaged in extensive cruising work for the Shevlin interests and in 1914 took charge of the Griffin mill for the creditors putting it on a paying basis for them. Mr. Gardner, whose residence is in Portland, has been actively engaged in the timber business for many years, and is now of the firm of The R. R. Gardner Company." (The Bend Bulletin)
The mill will have a capacity of 75,000 feet daily, operating on one shift and will employ about 50 men. The company has a contract in force to supply seven million feet of lumber and it will begin filling this order as soon as it begins cutting. It will probably take until May 1 to complete this order, after which a night shift may be put on, which will mean virtually doubling the capacity of the mill and the addition to 25 men to the pay roll. The main mill building is 140 feet long and 36 feet wide, operates one eight-foot band saw with other auxiliary machinery. As yet it has not been definitely decided on the location of the planer. This feature will be settled as soon as hauling is begun.
While the construction of the mill has been going on a large crew of men and teams were engaged in logging on the land close to the mill site, and now 1,250,000 feet of logs are decked in the basin for the logging pond just below the mill. When the logging pond basin is filled with water from the Wimer ditch it will cover approximately three acres of land will be held back by a dam of heavy plank construction, 275 feet long at the crest and 30 feet high at the center. The pond ordinarily will hold about 750,000 feet of logs. Theodore Aune has the contract for logging. The dam was constructed by M. J. Danielson.
The Gardner-Wilkinson Lumber Company has selected an ideal location for their mill. Although not on a running stream it has been afforded logging facilities which few inland mill have. The mill, yards and camps are situated on a high level piece of ground above the gulch partly occupied by the logging pond. The logs can be easily conveyed from the pond to the mill with the timber close at hand. Although considered a small mill, it is complete in every detail, with new machinery. Approximately 10 acres have been cleared north of the mill, and the lumber will be piled there for air drying before it is hauled to Bend for shipment.
Some of the details relative to shipping the cut to the railroad have not yet been completed. As soon as hauling is begun, 20 four horse teams will be used to convey lumber to tracks from the planer, the location of which has not been determined. Mr. Wilkinson said yesterday that the company is willing to expend approximately $2,000 for the improvement of the road from the mill to the yards of the Bend Brick & Lumber Co., and will ask the county to assist in the improvement of the road from the brick yard to town. The total cost would approximate $4000.
At it immediate command the Gardner-Wilkinson Lumber Company has approximately 25 million feet of timber within easy reach of the mill.
The plant will be under the management of Ray Wilkinson, of Bend, junior member of the firm. Mr. Wilkinson has been in the lumber and timber business for the last 20 years. Most of his experience has been in the west, having operated mills in Oregon and California. In 1907 Mr. Wilkinson engaged in extensive cruising work for the Shevlin interests and in 1914 took charge of the Griffin mill for the creditors putting it on a paying basis for them. Mr. Gardner, whose residence is in Portland, has been actively engaged in the timber business for many years, and is now of the firm of The R. R. Gardner Company." (The Bend Bulletin)