MODOC LUMBER COMPANY |
Klamath County - Aspgrove
|
January 8, 1921: "J. O. Goldthwaite reported that a crew is working on the logging road to tap the new unit of timber purchased on the reservation recently. There are 21 miles of road to build and it will tap 600,000,000 feet of timber in the government purchase and 250,000,000 feet adjoining that was previously owned.
Installation of the first unit of the 1200 kilowatt power plant which will change the Modoc mill from a steam to electrically driven plant is started.
With the big body of timber available it is essential that the plant be increased and Mr. Goldthwaite stated definitely that a new mill, with two band and a gang saw, yearly capacity 50,000,000 feet, would be built. The construction plan is not so far advanced that he would say that it would be built this year, but he indicated that if conditions are rapidly readjusted, that it was possible that the plant would be erected this summer.
The present mill has a yearly capacity of 34,000,000 feet. It will continue to operate, so that the expansion plan will give the company a milling capacity of easily 80,000,000 feet a year, and the logging road will give access to 850,000,000 feet of fine timber." (The Evening Herald)
Installation of the first unit of the 1200 kilowatt power plant which will change the Modoc mill from a steam to electrically driven plant is started.
With the big body of timber available it is essential that the plant be increased and Mr. Goldthwaite stated definitely that a new mill, with two band and a gang saw, yearly capacity 50,000,000 feet, would be built. The construction plan is not so far advanced that he would say that it would be built this year, but he indicated that if conditions are rapidly readjusted, that it was possible that the plant would be erected this summer.
The present mill has a yearly capacity of 34,000,000 feet. It will continue to operate, so that the expansion plan will give the company a milling capacity of easily 80,000,000 feet a year, and the logging road will give access to 850,000,000 feet of fine timber." (The Evening Herald)
January 29, 1921: "Geo. Chastain, who has charge of the commissary department of the Modoc Lumber company at Pine Ridge, was an arrival on today's train. Mr. Chastain will be accompanied by his family on his return to Pine Ridge, where they will make their home." (The Evening Herald)
March 11, 1921: "Mr. and Mrs. Jack Goldthwaite of the Modoc Lumber company, were passengers on this mornings train to Portland, and other northern points where they will remain several days attending to matters of business." (The Evening Herald)
February 1, 1922: "Immediate resumption of the Modoc Lumber company sawmills at Chiloquin, with a 14 mile extension of the logging road to tap a new body of timber, was announced here by J. O. Goldwaithe, president of the company. The sawmill suspended early last year. Dry kilns and a planer will be added to the mill, increasing the capacity to 135,000 feet a shift. Two shifts will be worked and 400 men will be employed in the mill and camps, not including a large railroad construction force.
Goldwaithe predicts a heavy demand for lumber this year at fair prices, and that all mills in this region will operate to capacity." (Ashland Weekly Tidings)
Goldwaithe predicts a heavy demand for lumber this year at fair prices, and that all mills in this region will operate to capacity." (Ashland Weekly Tidings)
October 9, 1922: "Construction of 10 new dry kilns will be started at once by the Modoc Lumber Company, it was announced today by W. C. Van Emon. The total cost will be over $50,000.
The contract has been let to Louis K. Porter." (The Evening Herald)
The contract has been let to Louis K. Porter." (The Evening Herald)
December 13, 1922: "The Modoc Lumber company, near Chiloquin, is planning on cutting all winter. A new dry kiln is being erected and 40 men are employed at present. This will be finished about Christmas." (Ashland Weekly Tidings)
November 23, 1923: "Operations at Calimus camp of the Modoc Lumber company is about closed for the winter. The locomotive and other machinery is being moved from the camp this week." (The Klamath News)
February 1, 1924: "The lath mill will start operating Friday morning after a ten day shut down. R. C. Miller will be in charge as usual." (The Klamath News)
February 22, 1924: "J. E. Valiere, woods superintendent for the Modoc Lumber company and Charles Sevits, caterpillar mechanic took a trip to Calimus camp Monday afternoon."
"Bill James was down from Calimus camp Wednesday to get teams to haul ties to the Modoc Lumber company's logging railroad." (The Klamath News)
"Bill James was down from Calimus camp Wednesday to get teams to haul ties to the Modoc Lumber company's logging railroad." (The Klamath News)
February 29, 1924: "E. S. Swanson, Hartford steam boiler inspector, was here Wednesday inspecting locomotive and mill boilers for the Modoc Lumber company." (The Klamath News)
March 7, 1924: "Charlie Moorhouse and Byron Randolph, caterpillar drivers for the Modoc Lumber company, are back here to take their old positions as soon as work starts in the woods." (The Klamath News)
March 21, 1924: "Dick Varnum had his foot very badly crushed while staking a car on the railroad track with the caterpillar Monday. He was removed to a Klamath Falls hospital but no report of his condition has been received." (The Klamath News)
March 25, 1924: "H. Calkins of Chiloquin is doing some acetylene welding on the logging locomotive here for the Modoc Lumber company." (The Klamath News)
April 1, 1924: "Charles Sevits left Monday for Modoc Lumber company to be caterpillar man. He spent 10 days with his family in Klamath Falls before going." (The Klamath News)
April 4, 1924: "F. M. Loosley of Klamath Falls is electric welding the flues in the logging locomotive here for the Modoc Lumber company." (The Klamath News)
May 23, 1924: "C. R. Miller is moving his lath mill machinery to Shippington where he intends to manufacture curtain roll stock." (The Klamath News)
October 9, 1924: "The officials of the Shevlin-Hixon Lumber company of Bend were here on business for several days last week."
"V. L. Beach of the Menefee Lumber company of Portland Ore., was here on business last week for three days." (The Klamath News)
"V. L. Beach of the Menefee Lumber company of Portland Ore., was here on business last week for three days." (The Klamath News)
May 5, 1925: "The Modoc lumber mill at Pine Ridge was completely destroyed within an hour after fire broke out in the mill's boiler room yesterday afternoon at 4 o'clock. The building and equipment, valued at nearly $125,000 is a total loss, only half of which is covered by insurance.
Sawdust in the boiler room, ignited through a hot box, is believed to have caused the fire, which spread with alarming rapidity. The fire whistle was sounded immediately when the fire was discovered, but already it was making rapid headway. More than a hundred mill workers barely had time to escape with their lives. Many who, above the din of the mill machinery, did not hear the whistle, were too late to make the doorways, made their escape from the upper story by jumping to a millwright's shed below to safety.
All available hose was utilized to prevent the fire from spreading to the company offices and the stored lumber. Efforts of the several hundred men were successful with the exception of 30,000 feet of lumber and 50 lumber buggies, which were destroyed in the mill yards.
All Chiloquin rushed to the scene to aid in the work of prevention. Fire fighters on the opposite bank of the Williamson river were seriously hampered when the Modoc bridge became ignited by flying sparks. Quick action, however, saved the bridge, although it is regarded as unsafe for heavy traffic to cross.
The mill itself burned like tinder, despite the only moderate wind. Scarcely an hour had passed from the time to alarm was sounded until it was enveloped in flames. It was plainly apparent that there was no hope for the mill itself. Efforts were directed solely to prevent the fire from spreading. A hose cordon was formed around the mill, and a continual stream of water was played on surrounding structures and the lumber yards. The blaze continued until dusk. Mill employes were furnished, while they worked, with food by women of the camp.
By dusk the fire had spent itself. Throughout the night men were constantly on the lookout for sparks from the dying embers. By midnight the old mill was a heap of smouldering ruins save for a sporadic burst of flame from the ill-fated structure.
Several men were reported missing early in the evening, but a careful check-up revealed no serious casualties.
Over 100 men will be thrown out of work immediately through the burning of the mill. A wire for $10,000 was sent last night to Portland, for paying off the workers.
The mill which had been operating with one shift, is the property of L. B. Menefee and company of Portland.
A deal whereby the mill would be sold to an eastern lumbering outfit, was nearly completed despite reports to the contrary. It is believed that Shevlin-Hixon may again dicker for the purchase of the mill site. They have, it is understood, expressed themselves as wanting the site, but not the mill itself, as it would be inadequate for a company of their magnitude." (The Klamath News)
Sawdust in the boiler room, ignited through a hot box, is believed to have caused the fire, which spread with alarming rapidity. The fire whistle was sounded immediately when the fire was discovered, but already it was making rapid headway. More than a hundred mill workers barely had time to escape with their lives. Many who, above the din of the mill machinery, did not hear the whistle, were too late to make the doorways, made their escape from the upper story by jumping to a millwright's shed below to safety.
All available hose was utilized to prevent the fire from spreading to the company offices and the stored lumber. Efforts of the several hundred men were successful with the exception of 30,000 feet of lumber and 50 lumber buggies, which were destroyed in the mill yards.
All Chiloquin rushed to the scene to aid in the work of prevention. Fire fighters on the opposite bank of the Williamson river were seriously hampered when the Modoc bridge became ignited by flying sparks. Quick action, however, saved the bridge, although it is regarded as unsafe for heavy traffic to cross.
The mill itself burned like tinder, despite the only moderate wind. Scarcely an hour had passed from the time to alarm was sounded until it was enveloped in flames. It was plainly apparent that there was no hope for the mill itself. Efforts were directed solely to prevent the fire from spreading. A hose cordon was formed around the mill, and a continual stream of water was played on surrounding structures and the lumber yards. The blaze continued until dusk. Mill employes were furnished, while they worked, with food by women of the camp.
By dusk the fire had spent itself. Throughout the night men were constantly on the lookout for sparks from the dying embers. By midnight the old mill was a heap of smouldering ruins save for a sporadic burst of flame from the ill-fated structure.
Several men were reported missing early in the evening, but a careful check-up revealed no serious casualties.
Over 100 men will be thrown out of work immediately through the burning of the mill. A wire for $10,000 was sent last night to Portland, for paying off the workers.
The mill which had been operating with one shift, is the property of L. B. Menefee and company of Portland.
A deal whereby the mill would be sold to an eastern lumbering outfit, was nearly completed despite reports to the contrary. It is believed that Shevlin-Hixon may again dicker for the purchase of the mill site. They have, it is understood, expressed themselves as wanting the site, but not the mill itself, as it would be inadequate for a company of their magnitude." (The Klamath News)
May 6, 1925: "L. B. Menefee, owner of the Modoc company mill, which burned Monday night near Klamath Falls, left Tuesday for that city to make arrangements for rebuilding the mill.
'We intend to replace the plant with a larger mill,' Menefee said today. 'How much larger will not be decided until we go over the matter thoroughly on the ground.' " (The Klamath News)
'We intend to replace the plant with a larger mill,' Menefee said today. 'How much larger will not be decided until we go over the matter thoroughly on the ground.' " (The Klamath News)
May 15, 1925: "The Modoc mill near Chiloquin, recently burned to the ground will be rebuilt sometime this summer, according to V. D. Beach, manager of that concern. The question of rebuilding, which has been doubtful since the mill was destroyed several weeks ago was settled with this announcement. Mr. Beach could not state as just what date reconstruction work would start. A report was circulated in Chiloquin yesterday that ground was already being broken for the new structure. Mr. Beach, however, denied this." (The Klamath News)