MATLOCK & MILLER ALDER MILL
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Lane County - North Fork Siuslaw
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October 5, 1928: “The shingle milling machinery is being torn out of the old Porter mill at the North Fork bridge and the plant remodeled to accommodate the manufacture of alder timber for furniture use.
Elmer C. Miller and A. M. Matlock of Veneta are the owners, acquiring the site and what equipment they can use, and Mr. Miller is now here superintending the installation of the new machinery and the erection of a dry shed.
The output will all be steam dried and it is said will command a better price than fir, being much better fitted for the manufacture of furniture. There is an abundance of alder all along the North Fork.
The new plant will cut only about 8,000 feet per day and will employ six or seven men. The logging will not be done by the company at present. The location of the mill makes it quite possible to deliver the logs either by water or truck.” (The Siuslaw Oar)
Elmer C. Miller and A. M. Matlock of Veneta are the owners, acquiring the site and what equipment they can use, and Mr. Miller is now here superintending the installation of the new machinery and the erection of a dry shed.
The output will all be steam dried and it is said will command a better price than fir, being much better fitted for the manufacture of furniture. There is an abundance of alder all along the North Fork.
The new plant will cut only about 8,000 feet per day and will employ six or seven men. The logging will not be done by the company at present. The location of the mill makes it quite possible to deliver the logs either by water or truck.” (The Siuslaw Oar)
October 12, 1928: “The new alder mill received a car load of lumber Monday to be used in construction work about the plant.” (The Siuslaw Oar)
October 19, 1928: “The new North Fork alder mill has a telephone just installed. The number is 34F3.” (The Siuslaw Oar)
October 26, 1928: “Within another week the wheels will be turning at the new alder mill of Matlock & Miller, if all goes well, according to Elmer C. Miller who is in charge of the work of reconstruction.
A goodly portion of the first material to be cut up will be used in completing the plant. It will not be long, however, until the output will be all alder, and within a month it is expected that at least two car loads a week will be shipped from the plant.
New buildings being erected are a steam dry kiln 11 x 50 and a storage shed 26 x 50. A dock 80 feet long will also be covered so that all mill workers will be in the dry. Mr. Miller intimated that other units may be added from time to time as the business prospered.
Several ranchers along the North Fork are already cutting alder logs for the mill. The first to start the work, however is W. A. Gray at Siboco. Frank Drew up the North Fork was the first in his vicinity.
As an indication of the demand for alder wood a request was recently received by the firm for information on supplying material for a million coat hangers.
There are many small items of this kind could be manufactured here, in the opinion of Mr. Miller.” (The Siuslaw Oar)
A goodly portion of the first material to be cut up will be used in completing the plant. It will not be long, however, until the output will be all alder, and within a month it is expected that at least two car loads a week will be shipped from the plant.
New buildings being erected are a steam dry kiln 11 x 50 and a storage shed 26 x 50. A dock 80 feet long will also be covered so that all mill workers will be in the dry. Mr. Miller intimated that other units may be added from time to time as the business prospered.
Several ranchers along the North Fork are already cutting alder logs for the mill. The first to start the work, however is W. A. Gray at Siboco. Frank Drew up the North Fork was the first in his vicinity.
As an indication of the demand for alder wood a request was recently received by the firm for information on supplying material for a million coat hangers.
There are many small items of this kind could be manufactured here, in the opinion of Mr. Miller.” (The Siuslaw Oar)
November 2, 1928: “William Boring, Julius Nute, Fred Nute and Andy Machy are working for contractor W. H. Brady of Cushman getting out alder trees for the Miller & Matlock alder mill near Florence.” (The Siuslaw Oar)
November 30, 1928: “Ralph Peterson has rigged up his truck for hauling alder logs. He began work Wednesday.” (The Siuslaw Oar)
December 14, 1928: “Ray Wilcox of Veneta is a new sawyer at the alder mill.” (The Siuslaw Oar)
December 14, 1928: “Funk & Swearingen (North Fork) took down their first raft of alder to the mill Monday.” (The Siuslaw Oar)
December 21, 1928: “The local alder mill shipped its first car load of kiln dried alder last Saturday and another car went out yesterday, both going to Portland. The dry kiln, according to Elmer Miller, manager, works perfectly. In fact the whole equipment is doing the best of work. The one and only trouble is that the woodsmen are not delivering logs fast enough to keep the mill running.” (The Siuslaw Oar)
January 4, 1929: “The alder mill experiences much delay because of lack of logs. Elmer Miller, manager, says he expects to organize this end of the work under a head directly responsible to the mill. Heretofore small crews, each working independent, have been cutting logs and frequent lay-offs among the men curtail production, causing the mill to close down.” (The Siuslaw Oar)