OWEN-OREGON LUMBER COMPANY
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Jackson County - Medford
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May 3, 1924: "Consummation of a timber deal whereby the Oregon-Owen Timber company secures possession of the holdings of the Olds-Brownlee company was concluded Tuesday afternoon, when the final papers in the transaction were signed.
While no definite figures have been announced, the amount involved is 'well over a million dollars.'
The deal includes the purchase of 11,000 acres of timber in the Butte Falls district, 5000 acres being under a government cutting contract; the Pacific and Eastern railroad, a line 50 miles long, tapping the timber, the Brownlee mill in this city (Medford), with a capacity for cutting 125,000 feet a day, and all logging camp equipment,
The Owen interests yesterday took charge of the sawmill.
The deal is one of the largest in the history of the Oregon lumber industry and places directly under control of the Oregon-Owen company 60,000 ares of timber in the Butte Falls district.
Negotiations for the sale have been under way for the last eighteen months." (Triplicate)
While no definite figures have been announced, the amount involved is 'well over a million dollars.'
The deal includes the purchase of 11,000 acres of timber in the Butte Falls district, 5000 acres being under a government cutting contract; the Pacific and Eastern railroad, a line 50 miles long, tapping the timber, the Brownlee mill in this city (Medford), with a capacity for cutting 125,000 feet a day, and all logging camp equipment,
The Owen interests yesterday took charge of the sawmill.
The deal is one of the largest in the history of the Oregon lumber industry and places directly under control of the Oregon-Owen company 60,000 ares of timber in the Butte Falls district.
Negotiations for the sale have been under way for the last eighteen months." (Triplicate)
January 22, 1925: “The Owen-Oregon Lumber company has started its Medford mill plant on a double shift, thus furnishing additional employment to nearly 150 men. Later the plant will run three shifts.” (The Drain Enterprise)
September 29, 1925: "Medford---Owen-Oregon Lumber Co. plans to sped $500,000 in enlarging plant, to cut 500,000 feet daily." (The News-Review)
January 21, 1926: "A budget calling for the expenditure of approximately $900,000 for improvements on their local plant, has been approved by the executive committee of the Owen-Oregon Lumber company, according to an announcement made by Manager J. H. Owen of Medford.
Of this amount, $300,000 is for the building of a modern, electrically equipped mill, with a daily capacity, double shift, of 320,000 feet. This improvement is still in abeyance, and a final decision will be made within the next two weeks. Plans for the new mill have been drawn.
The increase in the size of the mill's payroll is of especial interest to Central Point, as there are approximately 40 families living here, the heads of which are mill employes. The mill being located on the northern outskirts of Medford, those living here find it conveneint to drive to work. This number indicates that people are realizing the advantages to be gained from living in Central Point because of the much cheaper living facilities as regards, rent, taxes, general living expenses, and the education of their children.
The local merchants sell at better prices because of this lower rent and taxes. True, there are towns with more stores, but few with larger stocks or stocks that are turned more often." (Central Point American)
Of this amount, $300,000 is for the building of a modern, electrically equipped mill, with a daily capacity, double shift, of 320,000 feet. This improvement is still in abeyance, and a final decision will be made within the next two weeks. Plans for the new mill have been drawn.
The increase in the size of the mill's payroll is of especial interest to Central Point, as there are approximately 40 families living here, the heads of which are mill employes. The mill being located on the northern outskirts of Medford, those living here find it conveneint to drive to work. This number indicates that people are realizing the advantages to be gained from living in Central Point because of the much cheaper living facilities as regards, rent, taxes, general living expenses, and the education of their children.
The local merchants sell at better prices because of this lower rent and taxes. True, there are towns with more stores, but few with larger stocks or stocks that are turned more often." (Central Point American)
January 21, 1926: "Mrs. Donald Ross has joined her husband at their home in Camp No. 1. above Butte Falls, where their work is connected with the Owen-Oregon Lumber company." (Central Point American)
February 11, 1926: "Work will be started in a few days by the Owen-Oregon Lumber company, to construct a new $500,000 sawmill upon its land near Medford. The new mill will be 90x288 feet in dimension, electrically operated throughout and modern in every respect. The increased capacity will mean the employment of 250 more men." (Central Point American)
February 25, 1926: "Owen-Oregon Lumber Co. starts work on second $500,000 sawmill. New electric mill will cut 165,000 feet a shift." (Central Point American)
March 4, 1926: "C. G. Cochran, superintendent of the Owen-Oregon Lumber Company, has been put in charge of the sales department in California with headquarters in Sacramento. J. L. Jackson, of Portland, is the new superintendent here. Mr. Jackson has been interested in lumber milling in the south and west for eighteen years." (Central Point American)
March 18, 1926: "Owen-Oregon Lumber company buys powerful electric lumber crane." (Central Point American)
November 1926: "Owen-Oregon Lumber Co., Medford, Ore., is installing the machinery in the new sawmill. Peter Swan, sawmill engineer, designed the mill. W. Holmberg is superintendent of construction. The mill is equipped with Allis band mills. On the sawing floor are located two nine-foot bands and 48x15 Wickes gang, 10x84 Portland Iron Works edger, 10x66 Prescott edger, six-saw 26-foot slasher, two 26-foot trimmers and a lath mill. In the remanufacturing plant 6x48 Portland Iron Works edger and an Allis six-foot resaw will be located. Seattle Boiler Works erected the 80-foot air-cooled burner. The main sawmill frame is 88x330 feet, lower floor having 16-foot posts. Allis motors are used throughout. The boiler house contains two P. S. M. D. Sterling type water tube boilers with Dutch oven settings, developing 1000 horsepower. Two 1000 K. W. generators will supply current. Two steel 20-inch I-beams 48 feet in length support the filing-room and reduce vibration. These beams also provide the travel for the crane, which handles cants from the headrigs to the gang. Sumner reducers are used.
The sorting table is 360 feet in length. Lumber is pulled off in units, picked up with P & H monorails 600 feet in length, located on each side of the table. The monorail drops the package onto yard trucks, which are propelled to the yard with an electric locomotive. On the left side of log deck a Simondson & Hill nigger is located. On the right side a Hill nigger is provided. The remanufacturing plant is 30x129 feet. The lath mill is 36x86 feet, trimmer unit 24x142 feet.
The new mill will be in operation early in the year. The present mill will cut 55,000,000 feet this year. Manager J. S. Owen's operating staff consists of General superintendent, J. L. Jackson; sawmill superintendent, B. A. Purcell; day mill foreman, D. C. Clark; yard and planing mill superintendent, C. A. Thomas; planing mill foreman, Mr. English; dry kiln grader, O. G. Morrow; sawyers, Clyde Hammach, Charles Oswald, W. Eastman and F. Kempke; head filer, H. McClusky; dry kiln engineer, O. B. Hagler.
Owen-Oregon Lumber Co. has an employes' relief fund, which is made up by each employe contributing one hour overtime. The relief committee has designated the second Tuesday of each month as a date on which all employes are to contribute one hour overtime. The funds are used to help deserving employes. The idea is an excellent one and could very well be emulated by every manufacturing plant. Following is the relief committee: C. A. Thomas, B. I. Nutting, W. P. Stewart, C. P. Bartlett, J. R. Comstock, N. P. Tucker and J. A. Holland. The slogan is, 'The reward of charity is in the giving.'" (The Timberman)
The sorting table is 360 feet in length. Lumber is pulled off in units, picked up with P & H monorails 600 feet in length, located on each side of the table. The monorail drops the package onto yard trucks, which are propelled to the yard with an electric locomotive. On the left side of log deck a Simondson & Hill nigger is located. On the right side a Hill nigger is provided. The remanufacturing plant is 30x129 feet. The lath mill is 36x86 feet, trimmer unit 24x142 feet.
The new mill will be in operation early in the year. The present mill will cut 55,000,000 feet this year. Manager J. S. Owen's operating staff consists of General superintendent, J. L. Jackson; sawmill superintendent, B. A. Purcell; day mill foreman, D. C. Clark; yard and planing mill superintendent, C. A. Thomas; planing mill foreman, Mr. English; dry kiln grader, O. G. Morrow; sawyers, Clyde Hammach, Charles Oswald, W. Eastman and F. Kempke; head filer, H. McClusky; dry kiln engineer, O. B. Hagler.
Owen-Oregon Lumber Co. has an employes' relief fund, which is made up by each employe contributing one hour overtime. The relief committee has designated the second Tuesday of each month as a date on which all employes are to contribute one hour overtime. The funds are used to help deserving employes. The idea is an excellent one and could very well be emulated by every manufacturing plant. Following is the relief committee: C. A. Thomas, B. I. Nutting, W. P. Stewart, C. P. Bartlett, J. R. Comstock, N. P. Tucker and J. A. Holland. The slogan is, 'The reward of charity is in the giving.'" (The Timberman)
December 10, 1926: "Almost before one's thoughts can be accommodated to a change of scene we are entering Medford and in the midst of the operations of the Owen0Oregon Lumber company, a modern electric drive mill cutting 125,000 feet on one shift, and now operating two shifts per day. It is true that great stands of timber are visible on the distant hills, but the agricultural character of the valley seems at first to discount the possibility of the existence of any other kind of industry. The Medford logging railroad leads off to Jacksonville to the west. The former was built as part of the Hill line activities in southern Oregon a few years ago; the latter not operating at present." (Central Point American)
August 23, 1927: "Medford---Owen-Oregon Lumber company starts 200 men on night shift in mill." (The Ashland Register)
June 14, 1928: "The Owen-Oregon Lumber company cut a tall fir tree near one of its logging camps which was transported to the Medford children's playground to serve as a flag pole. It is 200 feet long and only 18 inches in diameter at the butt." (Halsey Enterprise)
September 20, 1928: "A monster yellow pine tree was felled recently in the Butte Falls district by the Owen-Oregon Lumber company in their logging operation in the timber, which cut 11,000 board feet of lumber." (Halsey Enterprise)
December 6, 1928: "The Owen-Oregon Lumber company, employing 700 men in its sawmill and railway at Butte Falls, operating uninterruptedly the past two years, will close down for the winter this year." (Halsey Enterprise)
December 31, 1931: "The Chamber of Commerce committee seeking to smooth out conditions so as to re-establish the payroll of the Owen-Oregon Lumber company, expects to confer again with James H. Owen, general manager, this week, a further discussion. The committee is composed of W. H. Gore, Ben Harder, O. C. Boggs, Earl C. Gaddis, L. E. Wakefield and Earl Fehl.
One of the adjustments to be made concerns tax levies. Any change therein will have to wait until next year, as the levies for this year have been made up. This will be a large task, and involves the state tax commission, the county assessor and the next budget committee.. It is understood that the lumber company desires assurances that in the future they will not be subjected to what they class an unfair taxation.
The Butte Falls school district, one of the chief tax thorns and one of the chief beneficiaries of the lumber operations, lopped $9,000 off its levy.
W. H. Gore, one of the main workers for the re-establishment of the mill payroll, said that he wanted the public to understand that it was the committee's purpose 'not to settle any private differences, but to do all humanly possible for the benefit of the community as a whole.' Mr. Gore holds that the employment of 250 men would reflect helpfully in the business life of the community, and at the same time reduce emergency relief work costs made necessary by the times.
Papers for the reorganization of the Owen-Oregon company, as recently effected, will be filed at Salem early next week." (The American)
One of the adjustments to be made concerns tax levies. Any change therein will have to wait until next year, as the levies for this year have been made up. This will be a large task, and involves the state tax commission, the county assessor and the next budget committee.. It is understood that the lumber company desires assurances that in the future they will not be subjected to what they class an unfair taxation.
The Butte Falls school district, one of the chief tax thorns and one of the chief beneficiaries of the lumber operations, lopped $9,000 off its levy.
W. H. Gore, one of the main workers for the re-establishment of the mill payroll, said that he wanted the public to understand that it was the committee's purpose 'not to settle any private differences, but to do all humanly possible for the benefit of the community as a whole.' Mr. Gore holds that the employment of 250 men would reflect helpfully in the business life of the community, and at the same time reduce emergency relief work costs made necessary by the times.
Papers for the reorganization of the Owen-Oregon company, as recently effected, will be filed at Salem early next week." (The American)
June 9, 1932: "Formation of a co-operative, profit-sharing plan between James H. Owen, general manager of the Owen-Oregon Lumber company of Medford, and ex-logging camp workers started operations last week, was announced recently." (The American)
June 23, 1932: "Employes of the Owen-Oregon Lumber Sales company met Tuesday night, and took steps for the formation of an organization among themselves to further the sale of their own labor in Jackson county and tributary territory. When the permanent organization is affected next week, steps will be taken for co-operation with the home products campaign.
Bernard Nutting, at the Tuesday night meeting was named temporary chairman, William Tucker, secretary, and committees on organization, rules and by-laws and publicity appointed. The organization will comprise in the neighborhood of 200 men employed in the sawmill, planing, and logging camps of the company.
It is now planned to start the sawmill next Monday, June 27 with a force of 75 men. There are 125 men now employed in the planing mill and timber.
Spokesmen for the workers this morning said that the movement was one of self-helpfulness, both for themselves and the community, and it was 'a worker's proposition.' The spokesmen further stated:
'It has gotten to the point where it is imperative that home buyers purchase home labor products and aid us and themselves. More lumber is shipped into Jackson county than necessary from upstate points. Every carload of lumber shipped in means three or four days work for some local home owner and worker. We are asking that local people buying lumber insist on a local product. Wed don't care what lumber they buy, as long as it is manufactured in Jackson county by Jackson county labor. What helps one, helps all. They should insist that it be milled in this county. Buying lumber milled at Eugene or Cottage Grove, helps work there and adds a bit to the unemployment here.
'About 80 cents out of every dollar, received for lumber, goes for labor. Conditions are at the point where it is imperative that home products be given preference to the end that home workers benefit. We spend our money here and ask that reciprocity be given by purchasers of lumber. We will help those who help us.'
The publicity committee further said that if 'lumber used in the county was home manufactured, it would lessen the unemployment more than you think.'
James H. Owen, general manager of the lumber company, said Wednesday morning, that plans had been about completed for the starting of the sawmill next Monday morning." (The American)
Bernard Nutting, at the Tuesday night meeting was named temporary chairman, William Tucker, secretary, and committees on organization, rules and by-laws and publicity appointed. The organization will comprise in the neighborhood of 200 men employed in the sawmill, planing, and logging camps of the company.
It is now planned to start the sawmill next Monday, June 27 with a force of 75 men. There are 125 men now employed in the planing mill and timber.
Spokesmen for the workers this morning said that the movement was one of self-helpfulness, both for themselves and the community, and it was 'a worker's proposition.' The spokesmen further stated:
'It has gotten to the point where it is imperative that home buyers purchase home labor products and aid us and themselves. More lumber is shipped into Jackson county than necessary from upstate points. Every carload of lumber shipped in means three or four days work for some local home owner and worker. We are asking that local people buying lumber insist on a local product. Wed don't care what lumber they buy, as long as it is manufactured in Jackson county by Jackson county labor. What helps one, helps all. They should insist that it be milled in this county. Buying lumber milled at Eugene or Cottage Grove, helps work there and adds a bit to the unemployment here.
'About 80 cents out of every dollar, received for lumber, goes for labor. Conditions are at the point where it is imperative that home products be given preference to the end that home workers benefit. We spend our money here and ask that reciprocity be given by purchasers of lumber. We will help those who help us.'
The publicity committee further said that if 'lumber used in the county was home manufactured, it would lessen the unemployment more than you think.'
James H. Owen, general manager of the lumber company, said Wednesday morning, that plans had been about completed for the starting of the sawmill next Monday morning." (The American)
June 30, 1932: "The sawmill section of the Owen-Oregon Lumber Sales company, started operations today with approximately 75 old employees engaged.
The Owen-Oregon workers held a meeting last night, and decided among themselves working plans, which are to be followed, the matter being entirely in their hands, General Manager James H. Owen said today.
Repairs and replacements were made today, and a test run of the mill will be made.
The co-operative, profit-sharing plan recently inaugurated in the Butte Falls logging district, is working satisfactorily alike to workers and operators. The mill pond is full of logs." (The American)
The Owen-Oregon workers held a meeting last night, and decided among themselves working plans, which are to be followed, the matter being entirely in their hands, General Manager James H. Owen said today.
Repairs and replacements were made today, and a test run of the mill will be made.
The co-operative, profit-sharing plan recently inaugurated in the Butte Falls logging district, is working satisfactorily alike to workers and operators. The mill pond is full of logs." (The American)
March 29, 1934: "The Owen-Oregon Lumber and Sales company will start its sawmill about April 15, General Manager James H. Owen said today.
Timber fallers will be sent into the Butte Falls district the first of next week, to start falling timber.
Fifty men now engaged in repairing the Medford Logging company tracks, railroad equipment and logging machinery.
The sawmill will operate on a one shift of eight hours basis. Approximately 300 men will be employed in the various departments. These will be old employes for the most part. Many are local home-owners and have been employes of the lumber company for years. Applications for work from out of the county have been rejected. Length of the mill run depends on trade and market conditions, and lumber prices.
Work has been under way for the past twp weeks in putting the plant in shape for operation.
Operation of the mill will take up considerable of the labor slack in this section during the summer, along with seasonal work, road work and other projects." (The American)
Timber fallers will be sent into the Butte Falls district the first of next week, to start falling timber.
Fifty men now engaged in repairing the Medford Logging company tracks, railroad equipment and logging machinery.
The sawmill will operate on a one shift of eight hours basis. Approximately 300 men will be employed in the various departments. These will be old employes for the most part. Many are local home-owners and have been employes of the lumber company for years. Applications for work from out of the county have been rejected. Length of the mill run depends on trade and market conditions, and lumber prices.
Work has been under way for the past twp weeks in putting the plant in shape for operation.
Operation of the mill will take up considerable of the labor slack in this section during the summer, along with seasonal work, road work and other projects." (The American)
April 25, 1934: "The sawmill unit of the Owen-Oregon Lumber company started operations this week, and is now running on an eight-hour day, under the NRA lumber code. Employment is furnished by the company to close to 300 men---the largest number to be employed by the organization since 1930.
The first train of logs from the logging camps of the company in the Butte Falls district is scheduled to be hauled the end of the week. Repairs to the trestles and track of the Medford Logging company are completed and the logging crew has a supply on hand.
Present operations of the sawmill are on about a million feet of logs in the mill pond.
At present 75 men are employed in the Butte Falls district logging camps, and the balance in the other departments of the plant.
Starting of the sawmill lessens the labor tension in this county and is another chapter in the improving conditions. All the mill employees are former workers and residents of this city and county.
The sawmill operations are contingent upon lumber market conditions, now brightening." (Medford Mail Tribune)
The first train of logs from the logging camps of the company in the Butte Falls district is scheduled to be hauled the end of the week. Repairs to the trestles and track of the Medford Logging company are completed and the logging crew has a supply on hand.
Present operations of the sawmill are on about a million feet of logs in the mill pond.
At present 75 men are employed in the Butte Falls district logging camps, and the balance in the other departments of the plant.
Starting of the sawmill lessens the labor tension in this county and is another chapter in the improving conditions. All the mill employees are former workers and residents of this city and county.
The sawmill operations are contingent upon lumber market conditions, now brightening." (Medford Mail Tribune)