HEPPNER LUMBER COMPANY
Morrow County - Heppner
November 3, 1939: "Fire starting at 2 a.m. today destroyed the Heppner Lumber company sawmill but the Heppner fire department, using chemicals, and a hundred volunteers dipping water from the log pond saved the sheds and piled lumber. The loss was put at $25,000, insured,
The plant is owned by H.O. Wray and Orville Smith of Yakima, Wash. It was believed the machinery could be salvaged and restored to use." (The News-Review)
The plant is owned by H.O. Wray and Orville Smith of Yakima, Wash. It was believed the machinery could be salvaged and restored to use." (The News-Review)
April 17, 1940: "The Heppner Lumber company mill will open within 30 days on the site of the old Wray Smith mill which was destroyed by fire.
The new plant will produce between 35,000 and 40,000 board feet per day and employ between 80 to 100 men." (Statesman Journal)
The new plant will produce between 35,000 and 40,000 board feet per day and employ between 80 to 100 men." (Statesman Journal)
February 5, 1943: "The Heppner Lumber company's sawmill was destroyed by fire early this morning but considerable stacked lumber as well as the planing plant and other machinery were saved.
The mill, of approximately 50,000 board foot daily capacity, was insured." (Herald and News)
The mill, of approximately 50,000 board foot daily capacity, was insured." (Herald and News)
October 26, 1950: "A quarter-million-dollar mill installation was smoldering ashes today after fire hit at 10:15 p.m. yesterday.
The Heppner Lumber company's box factory, planer shed and partly completed new planer shed were destroyed.
Four boxcars of lumber, ready for shipment, were destroyed as the flames licked over the tracks.
Orville Smith, manager, said the fire apparently started in a blower motor in the planer shed. He estimated loss at about $250,000 but said that was a tentative figure.
The box factory and planer shed were in a combination structure 96 feet by 240 feet. The new planer shed was 80 feet by 100 feet.
Saved from the flames were the sawmill, dry kiln, repair shop, garage, and most of the stacked lumber in the yards.
The Heppner Lumber company is the major mill installation in the John Day country. Most of its output goes to the eastern markets.
Smith said about 35 men, working on two shifts, would be idled. rebuilding is expected, he said." (Herald and News)
The Heppner Lumber company's box factory, planer shed and partly completed new planer shed were destroyed.
Four boxcars of lumber, ready for shipment, were destroyed as the flames licked over the tracks.
Orville Smith, manager, said the fire apparently started in a blower motor in the planer shed. He estimated loss at about $250,000 but said that was a tentative figure.
The box factory and planer shed were in a combination structure 96 feet by 240 feet. The new planer shed was 80 feet by 100 feet.
Saved from the flames were the sawmill, dry kiln, repair shop, garage, and most of the stacked lumber in the yards.
The Heppner Lumber company is the major mill installation in the John Day country. Most of its output goes to the eastern markets.
Smith said about 35 men, working on two shifts, would be idled. rebuilding is expected, he said." (Herald and News)
February 7, 1952: "An alert but unidentified motorist and a quick-thinking stationmaster were credited today with saving the little town of Ione in Oregon's Morrow county from possible damage when two railroad freight cars ran wild down a long grade.
The cars broke loose from a switch engine at the Heppner Lumber company here late Wednesday and started downgrade toward Ione, about 20 miles away.
The motorist spotted the unmanned cars and began racing with them down a parallel highway.
But it was a futile effort, he said later, because the cars flashed past him at a top speed of more than 80 miles an hour.
Then Stationmaster William Pering was warned by telegraph that the cars and the frantic motorist had been seen speeding down the grade.
Pering threw a switch that derailed the cars and their loads of lumber with a roar onto an isolated siding. Even the wheels cracked off the cars as they overturned---safely away from buildings." (Albany Democrat-Herald)
The cars broke loose from a switch engine at the Heppner Lumber company here late Wednesday and started downgrade toward Ione, about 20 miles away.
The motorist spotted the unmanned cars and began racing with them down a parallel highway.
But it was a futile effort, he said later, because the cars flashed past him at a top speed of more than 80 miles an hour.
Then Stationmaster William Pering was warned by telegraph that the cars and the frantic motorist had been seen speeding down the grade.
Pering threw a switch that derailed the cars and their loads of lumber with a roar onto an isolated siding. Even the wheels cracked off the cars as they overturned---safely away from buildings." (Albany Democrat-Herald)
September 25, 1952: "Purchase of two Elgin, Oregon lumber mills and their timber holdings in that area by the Heppner Lumber company was announced this week by Orville Smith, head of the Heppner company.
The two Elgin operations are the Pondosa Pine Lumber company consisting of a planing mill and dry kilns and the Hanford-Reed Lumber company sawmill. They are located adjacent to each other and will be operated as a unit, Smith said. The timber holdings of the two concerns were also purchased and while no cruise has yet been made, a substantial amount of timber is included. Also purchased is a new 25,000 foot sawmill now being built by Jack Eckstein.
Heppner Lumber company will take over operation of the Pondosa plant on November 1 and the Hanford-Reed mill on December 1. The sawmill has a capacity of 45,000 feet a day, and a total of about one and one-half million feet per month will be handled by the combined operation there.
Manager of the Elgin plant which will be called the Elgin Branch of the Heppner Lumber company, will be Galen Sanner, Pendleton, who has been connected with the Heppner Lumber company for more than 10 years. Willis Spoo will operate the sawmill and oversee the logging operation.
Smith said as soon as everything gets into operation at Elgin a total of about 65 persons will be employed on a year-around basis. The only work being done there now is some logging and cold decking of logs. Employment at the Heppner plant averages about 115 persons." (Heppner Gazette-Times)
The two Elgin operations are the Pondosa Pine Lumber company consisting of a planing mill and dry kilns and the Hanford-Reed Lumber company sawmill. They are located adjacent to each other and will be operated as a unit, Smith said. The timber holdings of the two concerns were also purchased and while no cruise has yet been made, a substantial amount of timber is included. Also purchased is a new 25,000 foot sawmill now being built by Jack Eckstein.
Heppner Lumber company will take over operation of the Pondosa plant on November 1 and the Hanford-Reed mill on December 1. The sawmill has a capacity of 45,000 feet a day, and a total of about one and one-half million feet per month will be handled by the combined operation there.
Manager of the Elgin plant which will be called the Elgin Branch of the Heppner Lumber company, will be Galen Sanner, Pendleton, who has been connected with the Heppner Lumber company for more than 10 years. Willis Spoo will operate the sawmill and oversee the logging operation.
Smith said as soon as everything gets into operation at Elgin a total of about 65 persons will be employed on a year-around basis. The only work being done there now is some logging and cold decking of logs. Employment at the Heppner plant averages about 115 persons." (Heppner Gazette-Times)
December 12, 1953: "Orville Smith, President of the Heppner Lumber Company, was in Elgin this week on business in connection with the Elgin branch of his company. He was accompanied by Lew Becker, Sales manager of the company. Becker is a licensed pilot and the couple flew in to La Grande from Heppner in the company's private airplane."
"Laurel Witty, employee of the Heppner Lumber Company, was taken to the doctor Wednesday to have a particle of unknown substance removed from his eye." (La Grande Observer)
"Laurel Witty, employee of the Heppner Lumber Company, was taken to the doctor Wednesday to have a particle of unknown substance removed from his eye." (La Grande Observer)
March 17, 1954: "The Heppner Lumber company took delivery of a new Hyster lift truck Monday, delivered to them by truck from Portland." (La Grande Observer)
May 1, 1955: "The Oregon Supreme court has reversed a Morrow county decision by Judge William Wells which had favored the Heppner Lumber company in a case involving title to 3,300,000 feet of timber.
The high court overturned the Circuit Court decision and found in favor of Mabel A. Hughes and others who are fee owners of the land. They sought to quiet their title against Heppner Lumber company's claim to the timber." (Medford Mail Tribune)
The high court overturned the Circuit Court decision and found in favor of Mabel A. Hughes and others who are fee owners of the land. They sought to quiet their title against Heppner Lumber company's claim to the timber." (Medford Mail Tribune)