L. B. MENEFEE LUMBER COMPANY
University Park
January 7, 1915: "It was announced today that the three shingle mills operated by the L. B. Menefee Lumber company, after being closed down for the past 60 days, will resume operations January 18. The decision to resume will mean the return to work of about 150 men.
Of the three mills one is at Milwaukie, another at University Park, and the third at Kalama, the University Park plant being the largest.
The mills were closed down because of the poor condition of the shingle market throughout the country, and in the announcement of resumption of operations it is stated that the company has decided to resume operations not because of any decided improvement in the demand but in order to give employment to the men.
It is believed, however, that the shingle trade will open up fairly well in the spring in keeping with the lumber market which is already showing signs of improvement, prices having advanced 50 cents all around during the past month." (The Oregon Daily Journal)
Of the three mills one is at Milwaukie, another at University Park, and the third at Kalama, the University Park plant being the largest.
The mills were closed down because of the poor condition of the shingle market throughout the country, and in the announcement of resumption of operations it is stated that the company has decided to resume operations not because of any decided improvement in the demand but in order to give employment to the men.
It is believed, however, that the shingle trade will open up fairly well in the spring in keeping with the lumber market which is already showing signs of improvement, prices having advanced 50 cents all around during the past month." (The Oregon Daily Journal)
February 18, 1915: "An attempt was made to burn the University Park shingle mill, at the foot of Olin street, owned by the L. B. Menefee Lumber company, Tuesday about 6:30 p.m.
Hugh Priest and Thomas Pattison, employes at the mill, were arrested last night by Detectives Goltz and Abbott, and it is said will be charged with arson as the men who made the attempt.
Following the reopening of the mill February 1 with a reduced wage scale, there was dissatisfaction, and a strike resulted. Although the strike was settled 10 days ago, and everything apparently was working smoothly, it is believed that the attempt to burn the mill was the result of bad feeling due to the strike.
Fire began almost simultaneously in five places, but was extinguished by the watchman, H. Minkowitz, before it made headway.
Minkowitz burned one of his hands slightly and made him remember that he had seen one of the men trying to put out a small fire in his hands, which Minkowitz has presumed was due to the ignition of a bunch of matches. An empty bottle which apparently had contained liquid phosphorus, was found near by and the police, for that reason, believe this was what Minkowitz saw afire in the man's hands.
Both Priest and Pattison denied any knowledge of the incendiarism. Each had a pair of brass knuckles, but said that they carried them for fear they would be assaulted by union men.
The homes of both men are at Port Angeles, Wash. Priest is married, with seven children. Pattison has a wife and two children.
Jack Clifford and P. Olson, members of the strike committee of Shingle Weaver's union, Local No. 38, visited police headquarters this afternoon and denied emphatically that either of the two men under arrest is a union man. They charged, on the other hand, that Priest and Pattison were strikebreakers imported from Port Angeles, Wash." (The Oregon Daily Journal)
Hugh Priest and Thomas Pattison, employes at the mill, were arrested last night by Detectives Goltz and Abbott, and it is said will be charged with arson as the men who made the attempt.
Following the reopening of the mill February 1 with a reduced wage scale, there was dissatisfaction, and a strike resulted. Although the strike was settled 10 days ago, and everything apparently was working smoothly, it is believed that the attempt to burn the mill was the result of bad feeling due to the strike.
Fire began almost simultaneously in five places, but was extinguished by the watchman, H. Minkowitz, before it made headway.
Minkowitz burned one of his hands slightly and made him remember that he had seen one of the men trying to put out a small fire in his hands, which Minkowitz has presumed was due to the ignition of a bunch of matches. An empty bottle which apparently had contained liquid phosphorus, was found near by and the police, for that reason, believe this was what Minkowitz saw afire in the man's hands.
Both Priest and Pattison denied any knowledge of the incendiarism. Each had a pair of brass knuckles, but said that they carried them for fear they would be assaulted by union men.
The homes of both men are at Port Angeles, Wash. Priest is married, with seven children. Pattison has a wife and two children.
Jack Clifford and P. Olson, members of the strike committee of Shingle Weaver's union, Local No. 38, visited police headquarters this afternoon and denied emphatically that either of the two men under arrest is a union man. They charged, on the other hand, that Priest and Pattison were strikebreakers imported from Port Angeles, Wash." (The Oregon Daily Journal)
March 23, 1915: "Hugh Priest and Thomas Patterson, convicted Saturday of arson, were sentenced to 5 to 15 years each in the penitentiary by Circuit Judge Davis.
The two men were accused of setting fire to the L. B. Menefee Lumber company's shingle mill at University Park, February 16." (The Oregon Daily Journal)
The two men were accused of setting fire to the L. B. Menefee Lumber company's shingle mill at University Park, February 16." (The Oregon Daily Journal)
May 13, 1916: "Eight or 10 shingle weavers employed by the L. B. Menefee Lumber company at University Park are idle today as a result of differences of opinion over the wage schedule. Officials of the company said today the men were simply paid off and dismissed as a precaution to the agitation of labor troubles similar to those that have caused a demoralization of the shingle mills around Everett.
Some of the men, on the other hand, referred to the conditions as a strike. Horace W. Tevis, manager of the company said the disaffection apparently had been caused by a labor union delegate who attempted to organize a local union for the increase of wages.
'Shingle weavers earn about $6 a day,' said Mr. Tevis, 'They are getting 13 1/2 cents per 1000, and they turn out from 45,000 to 50,000 a day. We understand the wage demand was to be for 16 cents per thousand. Rather than risk any trouble, we merely let out the eight or 10 men who were involved so far, found others to take their places and are now running as usual.'
Mr. Tevis said the Menefee company employs about 75 men at University Park." (The Oregon Daily Journal)
Some of the men, on the other hand, referred to the conditions as a strike. Horace W. Tevis, manager of the company said the disaffection apparently had been caused by a labor union delegate who attempted to organize a local union for the increase of wages.
'Shingle weavers earn about $6 a day,' said Mr. Tevis, 'They are getting 13 1/2 cents per 1000, and they turn out from 45,000 to 50,000 a day. We understand the wage demand was to be for 16 cents per thousand. Rather than risk any trouble, we merely let out the eight or 10 men who were involved so far, found others to take their places and are now running as usual.'
Mr. Tevis said the Menefee company employs about 75 men at University Park." (The Oregon Daily Journal)
June 26, 1916: "If his future conduct is good, Charles McDaniels, who was convicted of participating in the attempt to burn the University shingle mills, owned by the L. B. Menefee Lumber company, in February, 1915, will not join his partners in crime behind the bars of the state penitentiary. Judge Henry E. McGinn, after sentencing McDaniels to a term of one and a half to five years in the penitentiary, today paroled him to W. G. McLaren, superintendent of the Prisoners' Aid society.
'Your conduct has been perfidious throughout,' said the judge to McDaniels. 'The conduct of Priest and Patterson shines by comparison with yours.' (The Oregon Daily Journal)
'Your conduct has been perfidious throughout,' said the judge to McDaniels. 'The conduct of Priest and Patterson shines by comparison with yours.' (The Oregon Daily Journal)
May 15, 1919: "Fire of undetermined origin, which for a time threatened the entire property, this morning destroyed 5,000,000 shingles stored in four dry kilns at the University Park mill of the L. B. Menefee Lumber company and caused the company a loss estimated at $40,000. The damages will force the mill to remain idle until new dry kilns are erected.
The blaze was discovered at 6:45 this morning by T. M. Crane, day fireman, when he started his daily inspection. Flames were shooting from the ventilator on a dry kiln and rapidly spread to other kilns. McCrane turned on an automatic sprinkler system and blew the mill fire whistle, which called a corps of 25 students from the Columbia university on the heights above the mill. The students with employes of the mill fought the fire as best they could until engine companies 13, 14 and 24, and the city fire boats arrived.
At 4 o'clock Wednesday afternoon the dry kilns were inspected and were in good condition. When and how the fire started is unknown, but is assumed by company officials and firemen to have been caused by spontaneous combustion. The mill has had no labor troubles, although it is conducted as an open shop industry, and agitators are not blamed by the officials. The oldest shingles in the destroyed kilns had been stored only five days, but were in 160 degrees of heat at all times, it is said.
The 90 men employed at the mill turn out nearly 550,000 shingles daily, and this output will be eliminated until the damage from the fire is corrected by the construction of new kilns.
Fire department officers said today that the burning shingles will smoulder for at least two days. M. Laudenklos, assistant fire chief, is given much credit for effectively directing the firefighters." (The Oregon Daily Journal)
The blaze was discovered at 6:45 this morning by T. M. Crane, day fireman, when he started his daily inspection. Flames were shooting from the ventilator on a dry kiln and rapidly spread to other kilns. McCrane turned on an automatic sprinkler system and blew the mill fire whistle, which called a corps of 25 students from the Columbia university on the heights above the mill. The students with employes of the mill fought the fire as best they could until engine companies 13, 14 and 24, and the city fire boats arrived.
At 4 o'clock Wednesday afternoon the dry kilns were inspected and were in good condition. When and how the fire started is unknown, but is assumed by company officials and firemen to have been caused by spontaneous combustion. The mill has had no labor troubles, although it is conducted as an open shop industry, and agitators are not blamed by the officials. The oldest shingles in the destroyed kilns had been stored only five days, but were in 160 degrees of heat at all times, it is said.
The 90 men employed at the mill turn out nearly 550,000 shingles daily, and this output will be eliminated until the damage from the fire is corrected by the construction of new kilns.
Fire department officers said today that the burning shingles will smoulder for at least two days. M. Laudenklos, assistant fire chief, is given much credit for effectively directing the firefighters." (The Oregon Daily Journal)