HARRIS PINE MILLS
Umatilla County - Pendleton
December 27, 1939: "The recently completed Harris pine mills here are now in operation, with a daily cut of 60,000 feet expected.
A shift of 50 men went to work yesterday, while a storage of 4 million feet is reported in the log pond on Camas creek." (La Grande Observer)
A shift of 50 men went to work yesterday, while a storage of 4 million feet is reported in the log pond on Camas creek." (La Grande Observer)
March 15, 1940: "The Harris pine mills plant went into full operation today with completion of the box factory, last of the firm's units.
The box factory is operating at 25 per cent capacity, due to the amount of dry lumber available, but operations are expected to reach 100 per cent by May 1." (La Grande Observer)
The box factory is operating at 25 per cent capacity, due to the amount of dry lumber available, but operations are expected to reach 100 per cent by May 1." (La Grande Observer)
August 27, 1940: "Mrs. Leah Cole of Ukiah was killed and her husband, E. N. Cole, seriously injured when their car and a Harris Pine Mills logging truck driven by Dale Williams collided late yesterday near Battle Mountain state park, on the Three Flags highway." (Medford Mail Tribune)
April 14, 1941: "The Milton Box company formerly operated by the Harris Pine Mills of Pendleton has been reopened on a small scale to fill local firms' orders for boxes during the 1941 shipping season." (Medford Mail Tribune)
January 13, 1943: "The Harris Pine Mills, Inc., of Pendleton plans to cut 15 million board feet of government timber in the Camas creek district this year, C. H. Harris, president, said today. Equipment was received last week to widen and improve a road into that section." (Herald and News)
October 4, 1945: "Harris pine mills at Pendleton will build a $70,000 furniture manufacturing plant near the company's box factory..." (Herald and News)
December 4, 1945: "The first articles of furniture at the new furniture factory constructed at the Harris Pine Mills have been made, to serve as models for volume production to come, and the product---of Ponderosa pine from the Harris holdings---is of a quality that will compete with any of its kind in the entire nation." (La Grande Evening Observer)
April 8, 1946: "Promising to 'build houses until Pendleton doesn't need anymore,' Clyde Harris of Harris Pine Mills and the building firm of Collier and Harris, today announced plans to build up to 150 residences in the $2,500 to $3,000 price bracket here.
Harris said that he will seek OPA priority for the building and will offer houses first to veterans. Buildings will be four room frame dwellings on half-lot or slightly larger tracts. Ten of the new homes are now under construction, he said.
The Harris firm is also developing a new addition here where they plan to build about sixty homes at greater cost." (The Eugene Guard)
Harris said that he will seek OPA priority for the building and will offer houses first to veterans. Buildings will be four room frame dwellings on half-lot or slightly larger tracts. Ten of the new homes are now under construction, he said.
The Harris firm is also developing a new addition here where they plan to build about sixty homes at greater cost." (The Eugene Guard)
January 8, 1953: "Harold Brown, 31, Joseph, was instantly killed Tuesday while working with a crew of the Harris Pine Mills at Harl Butte.
Witnesses to the accident, James C. Simmons and Elmer Dougherty, said Brown had crawled out from under his truck, and as he raised up, a log which had rolled off his truck hit him, killing him instantly." (La Grande Observer)
Witnesses to the accident, James C. Simmons and Elmer Dougherty, said Brown had crawled out from under his truck, and as he raised up, a log which had rolled off his truck hit him, killing him instantly." (La Grande Observer)
January 28, 1953: "The owner of the huge Harris Pine Mills, Inc., Wednesday announced he had given his Multi-million dollar business to the Seventh Day Adventist Church.
A church official was named assistant general manager and will take charge as soon as he has learned the business.
The gift---biggest ever received by the denomination---includes the pine mills, the timber stands, and furniture assembly plants at Chicago heights, Ill., Alexandria, Va., and Cleburne, Tex. Value of the gift from Clyde H. Harris was not given but is believed to be about 10 million dollars. The plant here is one of the country's largest producers of unfinished furniture. It also sells about five million fruit boxes a year." (The News-Review)
A church official was named assistant general manager and will take charge as soon as he has learned the business.
The gift---biggest ever received by the denomination---includes the pine mills, the timber stands, and furniture assembly plants at Chicago heights, Ill., Alexandria, Va., and Cleburne, Tex. Value of the gift from Clyde H. Harris was not given but is believed to be about 10 million dollars. The plant here is one of the country's largest producers of unfinished furniture. It also sells about five million fruit boxes a year." (The News-Review)
August 24, 1955: "A log fell as his truck was being loaded at a mill pond here and fatally crushed Ivan Brown, 22, Gaston, Monday night.
Brown, a driver for Harris Pine Mills, is survived by the parents, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Brown of Gaston." (Statesman Journal)
Brown, a driver for Harris Pine Mills, is survived by the parents, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Brown of Gaston." (Statesman Journal)
August 30, 1955: "Albert Aronson, Algona, Wash., was bitten by a rattler this morning while working as a choker setter for the Harris Pine Mills.
His physician said the man's condition was serious but that he was out of danger. A limited quantity of serum was on hand but not enough for full treatment, the physician said." (The World)
His physician said the man's condition was serious but that he was out of danger. A limited quantity of serum was on hand but not enough for full treatment, the physician said." (The World)
December 30, 1955: "A verdict for $26,860 recovered by Laura Johnson Parker against the Harris Pine Mills, Inc., in Umatilla county, for breaches of certain provisions in a timber deal, was reversed and the case remanded for a new trail. She claimed that the manner in which logging operations were conducted by the company interfered with her use of the land for grazing but the Supreme court held that certain of the testimony concerning damages was based on conjecture and speculation.
Associate Justice Walter L. Tooze, who wrote the opinion said that the evidence showed Mrs. Parker did run some livestock on the land and therefore was not entirely deprived of its use." (The Capital Journal)
Associate Justice Walter L. Tooze, who wrote the opinion said that the evidence showed Mrs. Parker did run some livestock on the land and therefore was not entirely deprived of its use." (The Capital Journal)
February 28, 1957: "The Harris pine mills will boost hourly wages and go on a five day week effective tomorrow, Charles C. Nagele, general manager of the local plant, announced.
Hourly employes will get a five cent an hour pay rise in all four of Harris' plants, three of which are located outside Oregon." (La Grande Observer)
Hourly employes will get a five cent an hour pay rise in all four of Harris' plants, three of which are located outside Oregon." (La Grande Observer)
December 21, 1957: "Harris Pine Mills and others vs. Guilda Davidson and others, appellants Appeal from Wallowa County. Opinion by Justice Charles Woodrich. Judge Lyle R. Wolff, affirming a decree reforming a deed by granting plaintiff a 50-year timber reservation on 960 acres of land." (The Capital Journal)
April 3, 1958: "Harris Pine Mills here have announced wage increases ranging wage increases ranging from 5 to 10 cents an hour for some 500 employees in mill and forest operations.
C. J. Nagele, vice president and general manager, said the increases were effective as of April 1. Since the lumber market will not stand price increases at present, the firm is absorbing the additional costs, Nagele said. Harris mills are now cutting on an overtime basis." (Medford Mail Tribune)
C. J. Nagele, vice president and general manager, said the increases were effective as of April 1. Since the lumber market will not stand price increases at present, the firm is absorbing the additional costs, Nagele said. Harris mills are now cutting on an overtime basis." (Medford Mail Tribune)
June 25, 1958: "Reuben R. Figuhr, Washington D. C., world president of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church Tuesday was elected chairman of the board of directors of Harris Pine Mills, Pendleton, Ore." (Medford Mail Tribune)
April 18, 1959: "The Senate Taxation Committee approved a House-passed bill that would levy corporation income taxes against businesses which are owned by churches and other such non-profit organizations.
The committee said the bill is aimed at taxing such businesses as Harris Pine Mills at Pendleton, which is owned by the Seventh Day Adventist Church." (Statesman Journal)
The committee said the bill is aimed at taxing such businesses as Harris Pine Mills at Pendleton, which is owned by the Seventh Day Adventist Church." (Statesman Journal)
July 22, 1960: "The Harris Pine Mills of Pendleton has purchased 9,700,000 board feet of timber in the Umatilla National Forest. The Forest Service, in announcing the sale, said the purchase price was $199,018." (Register-Guard)
July 27, 1960: "The body of a man who vanished from the Eastern Oregon Hospital was found in a mill pond here Monday.
The coroner's office said the body of John Planek, 51, rose to the surface as workers dumped logs into the pond of the Harris Pine Mills." (The Capital Journal)
The coroner's office said the body of John Planek, 51, rose to the surface as workers dumped logs into the pond of the Harris Pine Mills." (The Capital Journal)
October 30, 1964: "Cord A. Scriven, president of the Seventh Day Adventists North Pacific Union Conference, died Wednesday in a local hospital.
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Monday. Scriven also was chairman of the operating board of Harris Pine Mills, Pendleton, and chairman of the board of trustees of Walla Walla College, Wash." (Albany Democrat-Herald)
Funeral will be at 2 p.m. Monday. Scriven also was chairman of the operating board of Harris Pine Mills, Pendleton, and chairman of the board of trustees of Walla Walla College, Wash." (Albany Democrat-Herald)
February 24, 1970: "A bulldozer operator building a spur logging road was killed Monday when a bank gave way and the machine tumbled 1,000 feet down an embankment. He was James Halsey, 57, Pendleton, an employe of Harris Pine Mills.
The accident was on Oriental Creek near the crossing of U. S. 395 over the north fork of the John Day River, about 75 miles south of Pendleton." (The Capital Journal)
The accident was on Oriental Creek near the crossing of U. S. 395 over the north fork of the John Day River, about 75 miles south of Pendleton." (The Capital Journal)
December 6, 1986: "Harris Pine Mills, a nationwide lumber products company, filed for liquidation of its assets Friday with the U. S. Bankruptcy Court in Portland.
Chapter 7 bankruptcy involves liquidation of the company's assets, if there are any, and distribution of the proceeds to the creditors, said Lindsey Ray of the U. S. Bankruptcy Court.
'The next thing that will happen is there will be a meeting of creditors in 45-60 days,' Ray said.
Pendleton Mayor Joe McLaughlin expressed shock at the unexpected closure of the company, which employs about 300 in Pendleton and hundreds more in other states. McLaughlin said he has called a meeting for 4 p.m. Monday in Pendleton City Hall of officials of the city, the Chamber of Commerce, the Round-Up City Development Corp. and other interested parties.
'I'm in a state of shock,' McLaughlin said in a statement issued Friday 'I still can't believe what is happening. Harris Pine has been a good steady employer in the Pendleton area for 46 years and good citizens in the community.' he added." (Corvallis Gazette-Times)
Chapter 7 bankruptcy involves liquidation of the company's assets, if there are any, and distribution of the proceeds to the creditors, said Lindsey Ray of the U. S. Bankruptcy Court.
'The next thing that will happen is there will be a meeting of creditors in 45-60 days,' Ray said.
Pendleton Mayor Joe McLaughlin expressed shock at the unexpected closure of the company, which employs about 300 in Pendleton and hundreds more in other states. McLaughlin said he has called a meeting for 4 p.m. Monday in Pendleton City Hall of officials of the city, the Chamber of Commerce, the Round-Up City Development Corp. and other interested parties.
'I'm in a state of shock,' McLaughlin said in a statement issued Friday 'I still can't believe what is happening. Harris Pine has been a good steady employer in the Pendleton area for 46 years and good citizens in the community.' he added." (Corvallis Gazette-Times)
December 20, 1986: "Harris Pine Mills, Inc. was generating about $55 million in sales annually before it declared bankruptcy, according to the bankruptcy court trustee, John Mitchell of Portland.
Mitchell, who decided last week to convert Chapter 7 liquidation proceedings to Chapter 11 proceedings to reorganize under the protection of the court, said he did so because of the mill's inventory.
'There was way too much in process inventory, and it was worth virtually nothing in the state it was in,' he said. 'I thought it was worthwhile to convert the inventory to finished goods and continue to operate.'
In an interview at the Harris Pine office, Mitchell said a $500,000 fund has been created to pay all employees who were not paid or whose checks were not accepted by the bank.
'We want to get those people paid as fast as we can,' he said.
Mitchell said he is now evaluating the company's operation and 'trying to figure out what's wrong.'
Thirty-two people are now working at the Pendleton plant, which was once the town's largest employer, with about 300 workers.
Although the timber owned by Harris Pine Mills is valued at about $10 million, Mitchell said no timber is being harvested but some government contracts are being studied," (Statesman Journal)
Mitchell, who decided last week to convert Chapter 7 liquidation proceedings to Chapter 11 proceedings to reorganize under the protection of the court, said he did so because of the mill's inventory.
'There was way too much in process inventory, and it was worth virtually nothing in the state it was in,' he said. 'I thought it was worthwhile to convert the inventory to finished goods and continue to operate.'
In an interview at the Harris Pine office, Mitchell said a $500,000 fund has been created to pay all employees who were not paid or whose checks were not accepted by the bank.
'We want to get those people paid as fast as we can,' he said.
Mitchell said he is now evaluating the company's operation and 'trying to figure out what's wrong.'
Thirty-two people are now working at the Pendleton plant, which was once the town's largest employer, with about 300 workers.
Although the timber owned by Harris Pine Mills is valued at about $10 million, Mitchell said no timber is being harvested but some government contracts are being studied," (Statesman Journal)
March 20, 1987: "Louisiana-Pacific Corp. has outbid a smaller Portland wood-products company, WTD Industries Inc., to buy the Pendleton sawmill formerly operated by Harris Pine Mills.
L-P also obtained the mill's log inventory and its timber contracts with the U. S. Forest Service for a total of $3.475 million, $25,000 more than WTD's bid offered at an auction Wednesday.
Officials of the huge wood products company said they had not decided whether they will reopen the mill, which has been closed under a reorganization of Harris Pine in U. S. Bankruptcy Court at Portland.
'The (Bankruptcy Court) trustee accepted $25,000 more even though we promised that we would definitely run the mill,' Alan Guggenheim, vice-president of WTD, said Thursday. 'In the earlier stages, we were led to believe that whether or not a buyer would run the mill would be taken into account. It was not.'
John Mitchell, court trustee in charge of the Harris Pine reorganization, said the court didn't have the option of favoring a company that promised to reopen the mill.
'L-P has a whole lot more wherewithal than WTD...L-P has a presence here now and I don't think they paid just for fun,' Mitchell said.
L-P also operates mills in nearby Pilot Rock and Walla Wallaz, Wash.
Gugenheim said WTD had planned to hire about 100 workers by May 1 to operate the mill, which had employed about 60 people when Harris Pine operated it.
WTD offered $2.2 million in February for the mill and timber holdings. L-P objected to WTD's proposal just before last week's deadline set by the court, and prompted the auction by making a higher offer." (Albany Democrat-Herald)
L-P also obtained the mill's log inventory and its timber contracts with the U. S. Forest Service for a total of $3.475 million, $25,000 more than WTD's bid offered at an auction Wednesday.
Officials of the huge wood products company said they had not decided whether they will reopen the mill, which has been closed under a reorganization of Harris Pine in U. S. Bankruptcy Court at Portland.
'The (Bankruptcy Court) trustee accepted $25,000 more even though we promised that we would definitely run the mill,' Alan Guggenheim, vice-president of WTD, said Thursday. 'In the earlier stages, we were led to believe that whether or not a buyer would run the mill would be taken into account. It was not.'
John Mitchell, court trustee in charge of the Harris Pine reorganization, said the court didn't have the option of favoring a company that promised to reopen the mill.
'L-P has a whole lot more wherewithal than WTD...L-P has a presence here now and I don't think they paid just for fun,' Mitchell said.
L-P also operates mills in nearby Pilot Rock and Walla Wallaz, Wash.
Gugenheim said WTD had planned to hire about 100 workers by May 1 to operate the mill, which had employed about 60 people when Harris Pine operated it.
WTD offered $2.2 million in February for the mill and timber holdings. L-P objected to WTD's proposal just before last week's deadline set by the court, and prompted the auction by making a higher offer." (Albany Democrat-Herald)
April 9, 1987: "Boise Cascade Corp. bid $2.1 million to acquire timber and logging rights formerly held by Harris Pine Mills Inc., a furniture manufacturing company that declared bankruptcy in December.
Monday's auction was believed to be the largest single offering of timberlands and cutting rights in Oregon history.
The auction brought in $2.9 million to be used to pay Harris Pine creditors." (Statesman Journal)
Monday's auction was believed to be the largest single offering of timberlands and cutting rights in Oregon history.
The auction brought in $2.9 million to be used to pay Harris Pine creditors." (Statesman Journal)
December 24, 1987: "Officials of one of two groups trying to purchase the bankrupt Harris Pine Mills Inc. said Wednesday they plan to keep the company operating with the current number of employees, and intend eventually to hire more workers.
John A. Hanson, president of Ligna Technology of Issaquah, Wash., said the planned increase in employment would be substantial, but he would not say how many workers would be hired.
Harris Pine, a Pendleton-based furniture manufacturing company for 47 years, filed for liquidation under Chapter 7 of the Federal Bankruptcy Act last December.
Bankruptcy court trustee John Mitchell later converted the case to a reorganization under Chapter 11.
Ligna has joined with Ferrostaal AG, of Essen, West Germany and a Toronto-based investment banking firm in filing a reorganization plan.
Ligna is an engineering firm with extensive experience in the wood products industry. Ferrostaal AG is an exporter of various steel products." (Corvallis Gazette-Times)
John A. Hanson, president of Ligna Technology of Issaquah, Wash., said the planned increase in employment would be substantial, but he would not say how many workers would be hired.
Harris Pine, a Pendleton-based furniture manufacturing company for 47 years, filed for liquidation under Chapter 7 of the Federal Bankruptcy Act last December.
Bankruptcy court trustee John Mitchell later converted the case to a reorganization under Chapter 11.
Ligna has joined with Ferrostaal AG, of Essen, West Germany and a Toronto-based investment banking firm in filing a reorganization plan.
Ligna is an engineering firm with extensive experience in the wood products industry. Ferrostaal AG is an exporter of various steel products." (Corvallis Gazette-Times)
April 27, 1988: "A federal bankruptcy judge has approved the sale of most of the assets of Harris Pine Mills, Inc. to a holding company formed by Ligna Technology of Issaquah, Wash.
The approval by Judge Elizabeth L. Perris, granted Monday after last minute negotiations, is subject to several requirements.
Harris Pine, a Pendleton based furniture manufacturing company, is owned by the General Conference Corp. of Seventh-day Adventists and has been operating under Chapter 11 of the federal bankruptcy code for more than a year." (Statesman Journal)
The approval by Judge Elizabeth L. Perris, granted Monday after last minute negotiations, is subject to several requirements.
Harris Pine, a Pendleton based furniture manufacturing company, is owned by the General Conference Corp. of Seventh-day Adventists and has been operating under Chapter 11 of the federal bankruptcy code for more than a year." (Statesman Journal)
April 18, 1990: "Walco Inc. has offered $5.9 million for the assets of Harris of Pendleton Inc., the former furniture making arm of Harris Pine Mills.
Walco, a new Portland corporation, may face competition from Ligna Technologies and other potential purchasers at an auction later this month.
Ligna Technologies, of Issaquah, Wash., tried to buy Harris a year ago and consider making a new offer for the company." (Statesman Journal)
Walco, a new Portland corporation, may face competition from Ligna Technologies and other potential purchasers at an auction later this month.
Ligna Technologies, of Issaquah, Wash., tried to buy Harris a year ago and consider making a new offer for the company." (Statesman Journal)