PALMER LUMBER COMPANY
LaGrande
June 15, 1906: “The LaGrande Commercial club is attempting to raise $8,000 for the purchase of a site to be offered to the Palmer Lumber company as an inducement for the location of its new mill here. About $6,000 has been subscribed. A site of 73 acres on the river northwest of town has been secured by option.” (The Glendale News)
August 7, 1907: "The Palmer sawmill which has been in course of construction at La Grande for the past three months, was completed Monday afternoon and turned over to the proprietors by the contractors for a test run and in a short time will be started in operation. The mill will employ about 200 men constantly and is one of the greatest industries tributary to La Grande. The Observer says of the completion of the plant:
August 5 will be a date that will long be remembered by the stockholders of the George Palmer Lumber company, as well as by the 5000 residents of La Grande.
This afternoon, after many months of activity, the best equipped sawmill in Oregon was turned over and given a trial test, which resulted to the greatest satisfaction of all who were present, and who have assisted in bringing it about.
This large sawmill has been visited during the past few months by many of the leading lumbermen on the coast who have one and all pronounced it the most complete and up-to-date plant in every respect on the coast.
This morning the large boilers were fired, the belts all attached and this afternoon in the presence of the president of the company, George Palmer, W. A. Wilkinson, engineer in charge; M. P. Donahue, secretary; Chief Engineer Grant Benham, A. P. Palmer, D. R. Tanner, a guest, who is connected with the Adams Lumber company of Shuswat, B. C., and others, including several ladies, a large piece of timber, which had been placed in the pond, was drawn up the gangway and ran through the mill, and converted into lumber." (Eagle Valley News)
August 5 will be a date that will long be remembered by the stockholders of the George Palmer Lumber company, as well as by the 5000 residents of La Grande.
This afternoon, after many months of activity, the best equipped sawmill in Oregon was turned over and given a trial test, which resulted to the greatest satisfaction of all who were present, and who have assisted in bringing it about.
This large sawmill has been visited during the past few months by many of the leading lumbermen on the coast who have one and all pronounced it the most complete and up-to-date plant in every respect on the coast.
This morning the large boilers were fired, the belts all attached and this afternoon in the presence of the president of the company, George Palmer, W. A. Wilkinson, engineer in charge; M. P. Donahue, secretary; Chief Engineer Grant Benham, A. P. Palmer, D. R. Tanner, a guest, who is connected with the Adams Lumber company of Shuswat, B. C., and others, including several ladies, a large piece of timber, which had been placed in the pond, was drawn up the gangway and ran through the mill, and converted into lumber." (Eagle Valley News)
May 7, 1908: "A new train schedule has gone into effect between here (La Grande) and Elgin, which means doubled service for these two cities. The regular trains will make daily trips, carrying way freight and logs for the George Palmer mill." (The Estacada News)