GRAND RONDE LUMBER COMPANY
Union County - Perry
April 18, 1896: "The lumber manufacturing industry in the Blue mountains is rapidly reviving. The Grand Ronde Lumber Company's mill at Perry was started up Saturday." (Cottage Grove Echo=Leader)
December 5, 1901: “The Grand Ronde Lumber Co., with mills at Perry, is constructing a $10,000 dam for floating logs in the Grand Ronde river.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
August 10, 1902: "Dan Ackley, who has been in the employ of the Grande Ronde Lumber Company, has moved back to La Grande. Mr. Ackley met with a very painful accident a few days ago by having a heavy slab of wood fall on his fingers, the result of which is a badly swollen hand." (La Grande Observer)
October 3, 1902: "The Grande Ronde Lumber Company has sold its entire system of mills, timber lands and all property in Eastern Oregon, to Nibley & Stoddard, for approximately $500,000. It is the largest deal ever made in Eastern Oregon, and one of the largest ever consummated in Oregon.
The Grande Ronde Lumber Company has a fine plant at Perry, on the main line of the O. R. & N., between La Grande and Pendleton in the Blue Mountains. It also holds immense tracts of timber land in the country tributary and has done an enormous business.
The purchase combines the two most extensive lumbering concerns east of the mountains under the control of Nibley & Stoddard." (The Oregon Daily Journal)
The Grande Ronde Lumber Company has a fine plant at Perry, on the main line of the O. R. & N., between La Grande and Pendleton in the Blue Mountains. It also holds immense tracts of timber land in the country tributary and has done an enormous business.
The purchase combines the two most extensive lumbering concerns east of the mountains under the control of Nibley & Stoddard." (The Oregon Daily Journal)
March 17, 1905: "Owing to the light fall of snow in the Blue Mountains the past winter and the uncertainty of the volume of water in the Grande Ronde river and its tributaries, the Grande Ronde Lumber company at Perry is contemplating building a narrow gauge logging road some 30 miles up the river, where the company has a large amount of logs cut, and which it will be unable to float to their mill. The road will be built solely for the use of the mill." (Corvallis Gazette)
January 24, 1906: "An employe of the Grande Ronde Lumber company by the name of Clark was brought down from Camp No. 3, Saturday evening, suffering from severe injuries sustained at that place.
Clark was on one side of a huge load of logs trying to loosen the load, his companion on the other side hammered the hook on his side loose and the logs rolled off on Clark's side, striking him and bearing him to the ground. He was brought down and taken to Drs. Bacon & Halls where the wounds were dressed. He was then taken to his home in Union. Dr. Bacon has since heard from him that he is resting easy. At present his injuries cannot be determined as to how serious they are, although they are not thought to be fatal.---La Grande Observer." (East Oregonian)
Clark was on one side of a huge load of logs trying to loosen the load, his companion on the other side hammered the hook on his side loose and the logs rolled off on Clark's side, striking him and bearing him to the ground. He was brought down and taken to Drs. Bacon & Halls where the wounds were dressed. He was then taken to his home in Union. Dr. Bacon has since heard from him that he is resting easy. At present his injuries cannot be determined as to how serious they are, although they are not thought to be fatal.---La Grande Observer." (East Oregonian)
November 15, 1907: “The Grand Ronde Lumber company, at Perry, has shut down its plant for several weeks. One reason assigned is the high railroad rates, which have cause many coast mills to close.” (The Glendale News)
August 16, 1911: "The Grande Ronde Lumber company's box factory department is running on one and a quarter time or twelve hours daily to supply orders for boxes from Colorado. The Perry mills have a year's contract from Colorado fruit concerns and lately they have been compelled to sublet a part of the contract to the Nibley-Mimnaugh company at Wallowa and to Stoddard Brothers in Baker City." (The Oregon Daily Journal)
December 24, 1912: "The new sawmill of the Grande Ronde Lumber company, at Perry, is running steadily and will cut about eight million feet this year. The old mill was burned in April and Manager George Stoddard had the new mill running in August despite the usual delays in securing machinery. The mill frame is 50 x 140, of very strong construction, on cement foundation, and is equipped with a detached power house 48 x 50 of slow burning construction, in which are installed a battery of six Muskegon Iron Works 16 x 66 boilers, generating 500 horsepower, with automatic feed. The stack is 6 1/2 feet in diameter, 141 feet high. The engine room contains a 500 horse power Filer & Stowell Corliss type engine. The sawdust and shaving are carried by conveyors to the fuel room where they are mixed before being fed to the furnaces. Manager Stoddard says better results are obtained by this plan.
The mill is equipped with two 8-foot Diamond Iron Works band mills; A double edger, steel carriage operated by 38-foot shotgun feed; with automatic trimmers and slashers. The sorting table is 720 feet long; operated with wire rope conveyors. The filing room is well lighted and equipped with modern filing room machinery. The main driving belt is 155 feet long and four feet wide. The mill is designed to cut lumber very economically; in fact, this is George Stoddard's long suit, and is probably the best mill he has yet designed, and the number has not been few. A brilliant coat of red paint adorns the exterior. The basement floor of the mill is to be cemented to insure ease in cleaning and freedom from collection of dust, which is responsible for most of the saw-mill conflagrations.
The company operates a modern planing mill and box factory, which were not destroyed when the mill burned; and which has operated steadily, shipping out about fifteen million feet of stock while the sawmill was being rebuild.
The company operates twelve miles of logging railroad, using Heisler & Shay locomotives. The Shay operates on the road and the Heisler does the switching and assembles the loads. Manager Stoddard states that his company are not booking many orders as their order book is filled to overflowing. In the management of this good plant, Manager Stoddard is ably assisted by W. Y. Stoddard, mill superintendent and Leon Stoddard, as office manager. The company find a market for their stock as far east as the Atlantic seaboard." (La Grande Observer)
The mill is equipped with two 8-foot Diamond Iron Works band mills; A double edger, steel carriage operated by 38-foot shotgun feed; with automatic trimmers and slashers. The sorting table is 720 feet long; operated with wire rope conveyors. The filing room is well lighted and equipped with modern filing room machinery. The main driving belt is 155 feet long and four feet wide. The mill is designed to cut lumber very economically; in fact, this is George Stoddard's long suit, and is probably the best mill he has yet designed, and the number has not been few. A brilliant coat of red paint adorns the exterior. The basement floor of the mill is to be cemented to insure ease in cleaning and freedom from collection of dust, which is responsible for most of the saw-mill conflagrations.
The company operates a modern planing mill and box factory, which were not destroyed when the mill burned; and which has operated steadily, shipping out about fifteen million feet of stock while the sawmill was being rebuild.
The company operates twelve miles of logging railroad, using Heisler & Shay locomotives. The Shay operates on the road and the Heisler does the switching and assembles the loads. Manager Stoddard states that his company are not booking many orders as their order book is filled to overflowing. In the management of this good plant, Manager Stoddard is ably assisted by W. Y. Stoddard, mill superintendent and Leon Stoddard, as office manager. The company find a market for their stock as far east as the Atlantic seaboard." (La Grande Observer)
February 12, 1913: "Geo. Stoddard, while examining a small engine here at the plant of the Grande Ronde Lumber company, recently unluckily got his first finger of his left hand in the working parts of the engine and very seriously crushing bruising the flesh, although the bone was not broken." (La Grande Observer)
August 2, 1913: "Jack Emerson, an employe of the Grande Ronde Lumber company, was brought in from the logging camp yesterday being seriously cut in the back with an axe blade. It appears that some one had stuck an axe in a tree quite high in order to keep it away from teams passing by. This man was sitting by the tree under the axe and when he got up the jar probably loosened the axe and it fell, the blade driving itself into the man's back just above his kidneys. It was a severe wound and he was taken to the hospital for the necessary treatment." (La Grande Observer)
August 2, 1913: "Jack Emerson, an employe of the Grande Ronde Lumber company, was brought in from the logging camp yesterday being seriously cut in the back with an axe blade. It appears that some one had stuck an axe in a tree quite high in order to keep it away from teams passing by. This man was sitting by the tree under the axe and when he got up the jar probably loosened the axe and it fell, the blade driving itself into the man's back just above his kidneys. It was a severe wound and he was taken to the hospital for the necessary treatment." (La Grande Observer)
July 18, 1914: "After several hours' deliberation, the jury in the case of Peter Morgan vs. the Grande Ronde Lumber company, for damages for personal injuries claimed to have been sustained by him as a result of jumping from a runaway work train of the company as it was proceeding down a mountain in the woods after the engineer had lost control of the engine and two cars making up the train, late yesterday afternoon returned into court a verdict in favor of Morgan for $5000.00 damages. The verdict of the jury was nine to 3, the minority of the jury being understood to have claimed that the instructions of the court, Morgan was not entitled to recover at all.
The case has been on trial all this week and has been a very hard fought one. The case of the plaintiff was made up largely of testimony of Greek laborers, who testified through an interpreter. Practically all of the train crew testified as witnesses during the trial." (La Grande Observer)
The case has been on trial all this week and has been a very hard fought one. The case of the plaintiff was made up largely of testimony of Greek laborers, who testified through an interpreter. Practically all of the train crew testified as witnesses during the trial." (La Grande Observer)
October 20, 1914: "The case if Peter Evansen against the Grande Ronde Lumber company is still up before the circuit court today. Evanson, as administrator for the estate of Andrew Broderscrift, deceased, is suing the Grande Ronde Lumber company for $7,500 alleging that the company was responsible in that amount for the death of Broderscrift who lost his life while on duty on the company's logging train last December 22nd." (La Grande Observer)
December 19, 1914: "William Herrer, logger, crushed to death at Grande Ronde Lumber company's camp on Whiskey creek." (La Grande Observer)
May 14, 1915: "Early next week the Grande Ronde Lumber company, of Perry, will obtain its chief log supply from the Looking Glass country where the Palmer people have fed their mills for a number of years. Practically all details looking toward the change have been enacted and there remains but the arrival of logging cars such as the Palmer mill uses, to permit the O.-W. to commence hauling logs. Notwithstanding that a crew of about 60 men will be sent to Looking Glass, the operations on Rock Creek are not to cease entirely. The company will continue to operate its own train service up Rock Creek above Perry, but only to clean up such logs as are now cut. The timber is not exhausted at that point by any means, and in future years the company will clean up its Rock Creek holdings.
The belt of timber owned by the Grade Ronde Lumber company both north and south of Looking Glass, a few miles north of Elgin, is sufficient in size to feed the Perry mills for a period of five or six years.
To begin with the company will use Palmer Junction postoffice, at the mouth of Looking Glass, as its mail office, and the camps will be placed just north of there. Ed. Bean, for many years Rock Creek camp foreman, will have charge. During the summer months especially, the company will maintain its bunk and cook houses on wheels, and for the present will not need to construct steel arteries into the timber, for operations will begin at the very edge of the railroad tract. As the cutting progresses, it will eventually become necessary to extend the rails back into the timber and at the same time move the camps back, but this is not a matter of immediate concern.
Horses, camp equipment and men have already been sent to Looking Glass, and just as soon as ample cars arrive of the type needed to convey and dump logs, the cutting of this splendid belt of timber, and the hauling thereof will be started.
Although the Palmer people have ceased main operations in the Palmer Junction territory, there is still some logging going on there by individuals for the company to clean up the holdings, but with the commencement of the operations by the Perry concern, it means that Palmer Junction will continue to be a center of logging operations for several years to come." (La Grande Observer)
The belt of timber owned by the Grade Ronde Lumber company both north and south of Looking Glass, a few miles north of Elgin, is sufficient in size to feed the Perry mills for a period of five or six years.
To begin with the company will use Palmer Junction postoffice, at the mouth of Looking Glass, as its mail office, and the camps will be placed just north of there. Ed. Bean, for many years Rock Creek camp foreman, will have charge. During the summer months especially, the company will maintain its bunk and cook houses on wheels, and for the present will not need to construct steel arteries into the timber, for operations will begin at the very edge of the railroad tract. As the cutting progresses, it will eventually become necessary to extend the rails back into the timber and at the same time move the camps back, but this is not a matter of immediate concern.
Horses, camp equipment and men have already been sent to Looking Glass, and just as soon as ample cars arrive of the type needed to convey and dump logs, the cutting of this splendid belt of timber, and the hauling thereof will be started.
Although the Palmer people have ceased main operations in the Palmer Junction territory, there is still some logging going on there by individuals for the company to clean up the holdings, but with the commencement of the operations by the Perry concern, it means that Palmer Junction will continue to be a center of logging operations for several years to come." (La Grande Observer)
December 18, 1915: "The old-fashioned log drive is to be in vogue again down the river to Perry this coming spring. The Grande Ronde Lumber company has a big crew at work in the Jordan Creek section and large quantities of logs are being banked at the river near the old Langley place. These logs which will probably amount to between two and three million feet, perhaps more, will be driven down to Perry during the high water season in the spring. It has been several years since logs were brought in large quantities down the river in this way, in fact there has been but little delivery in that way since the Perry company started their logging railway up Rock creek.
The Grande Ronde Lumber company is also receiving rail shipments of logs from the branch line as well as from their own railway in the districts south and west of Perry. In addition they will have for the coming year a very large quantity by means of the old-time drive." (La Grande Observer)
The Grande Ronde Lumber company is also receiving rail shipments of logs from the branch line as well as from their own railway in the districts south and west of Perry. In addition they will have for the coming year a very large quantity by means of the old-time drive." (La Grande Observer)
December 21, 1915: "Contentions over construction of a logging road through timber land owned by the Mt. Emily Timber company in the Rock Creek district, have lead to circuit court litigation. The Mt. Emily Timber company has brought suit for $500 damages against the Grande Ronde Lumber company of Perry, claiming in their complaint filed by attorney John Hodgin, counsel, in circuit court that the defendant company built a logging road through their property, 'destroying timber and meadowland' to a value of $500. The answer of the defendant company sets out that but four acres were crossed when the Grande Ronde people built an extension to tap a large belt of timber otherwise inclosed and shut out from transportation; that the surface of the soil only was leveled off a distance eight feet wide, and that suit for condemnation has already been begun in which the plaintiff company would be paid value for damages done.
A temporary injunction was granted recently by Judge Knowles restraining the Grande Ronde Lumber company officials or employes from using the new road, but a few days ago this injunction was dissolved, and while the matter is in court, the road is open to use by the company in hauling out logs from the Rock Creek timber belt." (La Grande Observer)
A temporary injunction was granted recently by Judge Knowles restraining the Grande Ronde Lumber company officials or employes from using the new road, but a few days ago this injunction was dissolved, and while the matter is in court, the road is open to use by the company in hauling out logs from the Rock Creek timber belt." (La Grande Observer)
January 21, 1916: "At 11 o'clock Thursday A. Henry Penny, while driving a drag sled hauling logs for the Grande Ronde Lumber company at Perry, skidded off a precipice 1600 feet high. Fortunately, Penny fell in such a way that he was not taken clear down the hill, but the drag-sled and team crashed on down the mountain side, landing on the frozen mill pond.
One horse was killed outright and the other died soon after. The sleigh was demolished and the logs scattered in all directions.
Penny was working for two contractors delivering logs to the mill pond. He drew his load near the edge of the precipice ready to skid them down the mountain side, when the sleigh and load got away and shot down to the bottom of 1500 feet below." (The Oregon Daily Journal)
One horse was killed outright and the other died soon after. The sleigh was demolished and the logs scattered in all directions.
Penny was working for two contractors delivering logs to the mill pond. He drew his load near the edge of the precipice ready to skid them down the mountain side, when the sleigh and load got away and shot down to the bottom of 1500 feet below." (The Oregon Daily Journal)
March 5, 1917: "James H. Mimnaugh of Wallowa was named as general manager of the Grande Ronde Lumber company by the board of directors in meeting here this morning. Joseph Stoddard of Baker was named a director and vice-president of the company. Before his death George E. Stoddard was general manager, a director and vice-president of the Grande Ronde Lumber company. Elmer Stoddard of La Grande, son of George E. Stoddard, was selected as assistant general manager of the Grande Ronde Lumber company. J. F. Ravenscroft of Wallowa, treasurer of the Nibley-Mimnaugh company, will succeed James H. Mimnaugh as general manager of the Wallowa company." (La Grande Observer)
March 10, 1917: "Earl Stoddard has been named sales manager of the Grande Ronde Lumber company. This is the second son of the late George E. Stoddard to be given a responsible position in the Grande Ronde Lumber company. Elmer Stoddard is assistant general manager of the company. James H. Mimnaugh is general manager of both the Nibley-Mimnaugh company at Wallowa and the Grande Ronde Lumber company. Joseph Stoddard of Baker, is now vice-president of the Nibley-Mimnaugh company." (La Grande Observer)
July 30, 1920: "Contradicting statements made by C. W. Nibley, president of the Grande Ronde Lumber company, that no fraudulent timber deals has been made since he purchased the mill, Assistant United States Attorney John C. Veatch Friday morning said:
'About half of the fraudulent cases mentioned in the complaint come from entries made after the Nibleys and Frank S. Murphy purchased the mill. Out of 153 alleged fraudulent entries charged in the complaint, 74 are said to have been made since 1902. The Nibleys and Murphy bought the mill in February, 1902.
'The complaint also shows,' said Veatch, 'that Alexander Nibley and his wife and Frank S. Murphy and his wife made final proof upon their timber claims on February 12, 1902, and that they transferred the titles to the Grande Ronde Lumber company nine days later. The company not only paid them for the land, but also paid filing fees.'
Veatch filed a suit for the government last Tuesday to recover $685, 943 damages for the government from the company." (The Oregon Daily Journal)
'About half of the fraudulent cases mentioned in the complaint come from entries made after the Nibleys and Frank S. Murphy purchased the mill. Out of 153 alleged fraudulent entries charged in the complaint, 74 are said to have been made since 1902. The Nibleys and Murphy bought the mill in February, 1902.
'The complaint also shows,' said Veatch, 'that Alexander Nibley and his wife and Frank S. Murphy and his wife made final proof upon their timber claims on February 12, 1902, and that they transferred the titles to the Grande Ronde Lumber company nine days later. The company not only paid them for the land, but also paid filing fees.'
Veatch filed a suit for the government last Tuesday to recover $685, 943 damages for the government from the company." (The Oregon Daily Journal)
November 5, 1926: "Perry, Ore., with a population of some 350 persons, located four miles west of La Grande, will be literally wiped off the map next spring.
This became assured late yesterday when Elmer L. Stoddard, president of the Grande Ronde Lumber company, around which Perry has been built since 1890 declared that the mills would be moved to Medical Springs, 85 miles southeast of here, next spring. The move is planned to gain access to the company's timbered land and because the country near Perry has been practically logged out. A logging road, nearly completed, will connect Medical Springs with the O. W. R. R. and N. company's main line. Work of building the new plant will begin immediately.
While Perry will suffer because of the change, Medical Springs, little more than a community, will blossom into a town. Its distance from any other town makes it necessary for workers to establish residences there.
La Grande will remain headquarters for the lumber company." (The Eugene Guard)
This became assured late yesterday when Elmer L. Stoddard, president of the Grande Ronde Lumber company, around which Perry has been built since 1890 declared that the mills would be moved to Medical Springs, 85 miles southeast of here, next spring. The move is planned to gain access to the company's timbered land and because the country near Perry has been practically logged out. A logging road, nearly completed, will connect Medical Springs with the O. W. R. R. and N. company's main line. Work of building the new plant will begin immediately.
While Perry will suffer because of the change, Medical Springs, little more than a community, will blossom into a town. Its distance from any other town makes it necessary for workers to establish residences there.
La Grande will remain headquarters for the lumber company." (The Eugene Guard)
February 18, 1927: "Perry---Grande Ronde Lumber Co. cut 20,000,000 feet of lumber here last year, with 250 men." (Ashland American)
April 1927: "Grand Ronde Lumber Co., Perry, has completed 48 cottages at its new mill site at Medical Springs, where the company will move its entire operations this season. The new mill frame is completed." (The Timberman)