PATTISON LUMBER COMPANY
Linn County - Harrisburg
September 20, 1917: “J. Al Pattison, president of the Pattison Lumber Co. dealers in native and imported hardwoods, with head offices in Portland, spent a few days in Harrisburg this week, inspecting an ideal mill-site in this city, looking over several tracts of nearby hardwood timber and making preliminary arrangements for the establishment of a hardwood sawmill at this place with a capacity of from 20,000 to 30,000 feet per day. It is also probable that this mill will be equipped to manufacture boxes from balm and white fir lumber, there being large tracts of this timber near at hand. Mr. Pattison will return to Harrisburg this weekend when it is expected a lease on the mill-site will be secured and contracts signed for the hardwood timber recently cruised by agents of the company. In the event that these contracts are signed this week, machinery for the new mill will be shipped to Harrisburg at once and will be installed as soon as the framework for the mill can be erected.
This is an ideal location for such a manufacturing plant, there being both river and railroad transportation facilities for handling logs and lumber and large tracts of hardwood timber in the river bottom both north and south of Harrisburg.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
This is an ideal location for such a manufacturing plant, there being both river and railroad transportation facilities for handling logs and lumber and large tracts of hardwood timber in the river bottom both north and south of Harrisburg.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
September 27. 1917: “Last week's Bulletin gave the information in advance concerning negotiations for a saw mill site at Harrisburg for the Pattison Lumber Co. of Portland, dealers in native and imported hardwoods. At that time J. Al Pattison, president of the company, was personally negotiating for an ideal mill site, yards and natural pond for booming logs on the lagoon just outside the Harrisburg city limits on the north and on the macadam river road. Since that time the lease and other contracts have all been signed up and the big boiler, engine and other machinery has arrived and is now on the ground. The frame work for the mill will be put up as rapidly as possible and it is expected that the plant will be in operation in a comparatively short time. It will have a capacity of from 25,000 to 30,000 feet of hardwood per day and will employ quite a number of men the year round. It is reported that a complete box factory will be added next season to work up white fir and balm timber into boxes. This is the most valuable acquisition to Harrisburg in some years with the possible exception of the new creamery-cheese factory, also secured this season. With these new industries others are sure to come, with Harrisburg's favorable location on the river and two railroads. Mr. Pattison informed the Bulletin yesterday that he may use electric instead of steam power at the mill the big boiler to supply steam for kiln-drying. He expects to have the plant in operation in thirty days and says it will employ about fifteen men to begin with and probably more later.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
September 27, 1917: “J. Al Pattison, of the Pattison Lumber Co., Portland, was in Harrisburg this week personally supervising the unloading and placing of the new sawmill machinery on the newly acquired mill site in north Harrisburg. The Bulletin was favored with a friendly call.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
October 4, 1917: “Work is progressing on the new saw mill plant in this city.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
October 11, 1917: “J. Al Pattison, of the Pattison Lumber Co. was in Harrisburg from Portland Tuesday and informed the Bulletin that the mill plant for Harrisburg will all be on the ground in a few days and ready for installation as soon as the frame is raised. We understand that it is mainly through the enterprise and business foresight of two prominent local citizens, Marion Hyde and Geo. J. Wilhelm that this important manufacturing plant was brought to Harrisburg. We are informed that the Pattison Lumber Co.'s attention was directed to the fine mill site in north Harrisburg by Mr. Hyde and so liberal was his inducements to the company to locate a sawmill plant thereon that after a brief investigation of this ideal mill-site and the available hardwood timber, they immediately decided upon locating here. Therefore, this fine little industrial enterprise, which promises to grow into an institution of importance when a box factory and other contemplated additions are made from time to time, will become a lasting and fitting monument to the business acumen, foresight and enterprise of Marion Hyde, while the part of Mr. Wilhelm has taken in securing this manufacturing plant here, closely associates him with Mr. Hyde and entitles him to no small share of the credit and commendation for the public spirit and enterprise manifested in promoting the interests of the community by working energetically for a pay roll for Harrisburg, and a market for the owners of nearby hardwood timber tracts.
The foundation sills and heavy framework material for the new saw mill arrived Wednesday by Oregon Electric freight from Salem.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
The foundation sills and heavy framework material for the new saw mill arrived Wednesday by Oregon Electric freight from Salem.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
October, 18, 1917: “Construction work is progressing at the new saw mill plant.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
November 15, 1917: “J. Al Pattison, head of the Pattison Lumber Co., was in Harrisburg Wednesday and announced that the new saw mill of the company at this place would be ready to begin operations next week, some delay having been occasioned in getting started owing to difficulty in securing some of the machinery. A logging camp on the river a few miles south of town was put in active operation today with Lew Hathaway as foreman, 12 men already being at work under him. Logs have been coming to the mill for the past ten days and no trouble will be experienced in providing logs from now on to keep the mill running on full time. The logs are oak, ash, and maple, hard wood timber exclusively.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
November 22, 1917: “The Bulletin man visited the new saw mill plant a short distance north of Harrisburg Tuesday and found Foreman Gillette and his force of carpenters and machinists engaged in the installation of the remaining machinery. The big 100-horse power electric dynamo has been installed, the main saws, carriage, rollers and planer, but some of the carriers and shafting was yet to be installed and the mill plant put up. Linemen have the holes nearly all dug for the big cedar poles which are already on the ground. It is thought the power line will be completed by the time the remaining machinery is installed and ready for operations, which will be several days yet. A large number of oak and a few maple logs have been delivered to the mill. Ash and maple logs will soon begin to arrive from the logging camp which was established a few miles south of Harrisburg on the river last Friday with Lew Hathaway as foreman. Once this mill gets in operation it will be a fine industrial acquisition to Harrisburg and will no doubt be the means of building up the northern suburbs of the town.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
November 29, 1917: “The power line to the new saw mill plant will be completed this week and the mill practically ready for operation.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
December 13, 1917 “The Pattison Lumber Co. is opening a business office in the Leisy Pharmacy building.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
December 13, 1917: “The new saw mill of the Pattison Lumber Co. at this place will be running on full time by the first of the week.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
December 20, 1917: “The new Harrisburg saw mill seems to be encountering more obstacles than usually besets such an enterprise. After its completion considerable delay was occasioned by the non-arrival of the necessary cable for pulling logs into the mill. Next, a shipment of saw points or teeth came and proved to be an odd size and could not be used. Finally on Monday of this week the mill was proclaimed in good running order, but soon after being started up the big saw came in contact with an iron hinge which was imbedded in an oak log, and the saw was nearly ruined. It is thought the tree from which the log was taken had in years agone served as a gate post, and that the wound inflicted by the hinge had healed and by the constant growth of the tree become imbedded several inches under the bark. The hinge which was half an inch thick and about one and a half inches wide was completely severed by the big saw before the obstruction was discovered.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
December 27, 1917: “Miss Nora Hawk has accepted the position of stenographer in the newly opened office of the Pattison Lumber Co. in Harrisburg.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
January 3, 1918: “James O. Brown, a prominent and highly esteemed Harrisburg farmer, on Wednesday as an employee at the new saw mill of the Pattison Lumber Co. at this place, was thrown into the mill pond from some small logs upon which he attempted to walk and was drowned despite the speedy and heroic rescue work of his companions and proprietor of the mill, J. Al Pattison.
Mr. Brown, H. Hardesty and Leo Martin were driving some logs from the pond to the mill chute, when Mr. Brown attempted to walk upon some small logs which began sinking and in jumping about he finally fell into the ice cold water. Mr. Hardesty told Brown to throw his arm over a log and be quiet til he could reach him, but Brown began a struggle. By this time Martin came up and at the risk of his own life, assisted Mr. Brown in getting upon a large log and told him to remain quiet until Mr. Westerberg and J. Al Pattison could reach then with a boat or give aid from the boom. However, Mr. Brown shifted his position and the log turned over throwing both him and Leo Martin into the water. Brown seized Martin who finally succeeded in breaking away from the drowning man and swimming out, but Brown sank beneath the water, it being the opinion that his heart failed as he made no fight for his life. Mr. Pattison with a pike-pole with hook attachment assisted by Mr. Westerberg and one or two others soon hooked the body and removed it to the mill office nearby and despite the quick arrival of physicians and a pulmotor from Eugene all efforts at resuscitation were in vain.
J. O. Brown was 34 years of age and had resided in this community for some years.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
Mr. Brown, H. Hardesty and Leo Martin were driving some logs from the pond to the mill chute, when Mr. Brown attempted to walk upon some small logs which began sinking and in jumping about he finally fell into the ice cold water. Mr. Hardesty told Brown to throw his arm over a log and be quiet til he could reach him, but Brown began a struggle. By this time Martin came up and at the risk of his own life, assisted Mr. Brown in getting upon a large log and told him to remain quiet until Mr. Westerberg and J. Al Pattison could reach then with a boat or give aid from the boom. However, Mr. Brown shifted his position and the log turned over throwing both him and Leo Martin into the water. Brown seized Martin who finally succeeded in breaking away from the drowning man and swimming out, but Brown sank beneath the water, it being the opinion that his heart failed as he made no fight for his life. Mr. Pattison with a pike-pole with hook attachment assisted by Mr. Westerberg and one or two others soon hooked the body and removed it to the mill office nearby and despite the quick arrival of physicians and a pulmotor from Eugene all efforts at resuscitation were in vain.
J. O. Brown was 34 years of age and had resided in this community for some years.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
January 3, 1918: “Mrs. Nate Windom began the first of the year cooking for the crew at the Pattison logging camp south of town. The former cook having resigned.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
January 10, 1918: "James O. Brown of Harrisburg was drowned at that place Thursday. He was an employe of the Pattison Lumber company and was engaged in driving logs to the mill when the accident occurred which resulted in his death." (Halsey Enterprise)
January 17, 1918: “While engaged at work behind the edger at the new Harrisburg saw mill Wednesday morning, H. E. Kingsley was quite painfully, but not seriously injured by a short piece of board kicking back from the edger and striking him on his leg above the knee. No bones were broken, but his limb was quite severely bruised and he was taken to the Harrisburg hospital to have his injuries cared for.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
January 17, 1918: “The J. Al Pattison Lumber Co. shipped its first carload of hardwood lumber from Harrisburg this week which was consigned to a Washington point. Several small shipments of lumber have already been made by the new Harrisburg mill, but regular shipments in carload lots will be made hereafter.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
January 31, 1918: “This week the Harrisburg saw mill of the Pattison Lumber Co. made a shipment of the largest timbers to the Portland shipbuilding yards, which were ever sent out from this section of the valley. The timbers were clear oak and were 20 inches square and 10 feet in length, each containing a little over 333 board feet. This mill is at present filling a good many special government orders and has furnished a good part of the maple, oak and ash lumber for the interior cabin and other wood-work in the new Portland built ships.
This season a complete box factory equipment will be installed in this mill and a railroad siding will probably be extended to the plant from the Oregon Electric railroad yards.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
This season a complete box factory equipment will be installed in this mill and a railroad siding will probably be extended to the plant from the Oregon Electric railroad yards.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
February 21, 1918: “Eight teams are hauling logs to the Pattison Lumber Co. from the Frank Williams place.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
February 28, 1918: “Lambsburg is quite busy these days. Two camps of the Pattison Lumber Co. are located here, cutting timber for the mill.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
April 18, 1918: “By J. Al Pattison, who was here this week, it is announced that the Harrisburg mill has just booked an order for 116 carloads of hardwood lumber and some more enlargements and improvements will be made soon at the Harrisburg plant.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
April 25, 1918: “The Harrisburg saw mill is filling large orders for furniture and tent peg lumber, the latter material going to Albany.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
May 9, 1918: “The Pattison Lumber Co. of Harrisburg, has scored another 100 per cent, this time in the purchase of Liberty Loan Bonds, every man connected with the company in any capacity having subscribed for one or more Liberty Bonds of the third denomination. This speaks well for the Harrisburg sawmill and lumbermen.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
May 16, 1918: “Tommy George and Frank Hogan are employed at the Pattison sawmill hauling logs.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
May 16, 1918: “The new gasoline tow-boat for the Pattison Lumber Co. will be launched by the builder, Elmer Van Duzen, Friday. Owing to champagne being so scarce and precious, Home Brew will be substituted at the launching ceremonies.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
May 30, 1918: “J. E. Johnson, who came near amputating his left great toe by dropping a heavy board on it while at work in the Pattison saw mill at this place about two weeks ago, is able to get about without the use of crutches or a cane, but he isn't able to shake off the 'limp habit' yet.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
June 20, 1918: “The Pattison Lumber Co. is shipping an average of three carloads of hardwood lumber to Portland a week from Harrisburg.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
August 1, 1918: “The Harrisburg Saw Mill was closed down Tuesday on account of being out of logs, the low stage of water in the river making it difficult and slow work for the loggers in floating logs to the mill.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
August 15, 1918: “A very unusual accident occurred at the Harrisburg saw mill Tuesday evening. Fred Gould, arrived at the mill with a load of logs at 4 o'clock and after unloading the logs left his team standing near the mill and pond while he was shoveling some saw dust out of the way. The team becoming restless or frightened, backed the heavy logging wagon over the high embankment into the millpond which is about 12 feet deep and both horses were drowned. The horses and wagon were dragged from the water by a logging cable. The loss falls heavily upon Mr. Gould who only recently purchased the fine young team which was valued at $400.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
August 29, 1918: “On account of notification to appear before the draft board for induction into the service I respectfully request all persons having accounts against the J. Al Pattison Lumber Co. to present them in the next five days for my approval. Geo. W. Pattison.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
September 5, 1918: “Geo. Pattison of the Pattison Lumber Co. left today to enter the service as a tank driver. When George comes back and takes the steering wheel of his auto again the pedestrians will have to do some dodging, we imagine. Good luck to you George!” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
September 19, 1918: “J. Al Pattison, head of the Pattison Lumber Co. brought a big logging truck and driver in from Portland this week and now logs are being delivered at the mill at a more rapid pace.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
October 24, 1918: “Joe Sparling, L. L. Lamb and Earl Vaughn started to work for the Pattison Lumber Co. Tuesday.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
November 7, 1918: “A fine lot of oak and other hardwood logs have been received at the Pattison Lumber Co.'s, Harrisburg saw mill, enough to keep the mill running regularly for a long time.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
December 12, 1918: “A new planer building 36 x 80 feet is well under way at the J. Al Pattison Lumber Co. sawmill at Harrisburg and a new machine and blacksmith shop has just been completed on the grounds. The machinery for installation in the new planer building, which is being erected a short distance north of the main building, is at hand and will be driven by individual electric motors. This plant is being continually enlarged as its business expands, and before the close of another season, a box factory will probably be another addition. It should be gratifying to Harrisburgers to see this industry growing up in this city.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
January 16, 1919: “J. Al Pattison, well known citizen of Portland and president of the J. Al Pattison Lumber Company, also head of the Pattison Lumber Co. at Harrisburg, where a mill has been in operation the past year is in jail in default of $50,000 bail.
Pattison was arrested Monday evening on a charge of forging, altering and counterfeiting bills of lading. He is alleged to have realized large sums of money thereby.
United States authorities who caused his arrest refuse to discuss the particulars of the case until the books of a Portland bank which is said to have been defrauded, are examined by experts.
Books, papers and records in Pattison's office were seized by the federal authorities,
Before forming his company here Mr. Pattison was successively located at Aberdeen, Wash., Montesano, Wash.; was superintendent for the C. A. Smith Lumber Company, Marshfield, Ore., and buyer for the Northwest Lumber Company, of Portland. His firm is sales agent for Mitsui & Co., of Tokio, Japan.
The friends of Mr. Pattison at Harrisburg hope there is some mistake about the charges preferred against him and that he may be able to prove his innocence.” January 30, 1919(The Harrisburg Bulletin)
Pattison was arrested Monday evening on a charge of forging, altering and counterfeiting bills of lading. He is alleged to have realized large sums of money thereby.
United States authorities who caused his arrest refuse to discuss the particulars of the case until the books of a Portland bank which is said to have been defrauded, are examined by experts.
Books, papers and records in Pattison's office were seized by the federal authorities,
Before forming his company here Mr. Pattison was successively located at Aberdeen, Wash., Montesano, Wash.; was superintendent for the C. A. Smith Lumber Company, Marshfield, Ore., and buyer for the Northwest Lumber Company, of Portland. His firm is sales agent for Mitsui & Co., of Tokio, Japan.
The friends of Mr. Pattison at Harrisburg hope there is some mistake about the charges preferred against him and that he may be able to prove his innocence.” January 30, 1919(The Harrisburg Bulletin)
February 20, 1919: “The Harrisburg saw mill plant of the J. Al Pattison Lumber Co. resumed operations Tuesday after being shut down for a month or more.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
May 15, 1919: “Manager Pattison who is looking after the Pattison Saw Mill interests here, spent a day or two in Portland this week.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
July 10, 1919: “J. Al Pattison entered a plea of guilty in the federal court at Portland Tuesday to securing money fraudulently. Pattison, who operated the hardwood sawmill here was arrested early in the year.
On the stand Pattison told how disaster followed his lumber operations, through shortage of water to float his logs, through excessive freight rates which represented the difference between profit and loss, and thru the cancellation of orders by the emergency shipping board.
He explained the system of trade acceptances which was used in obtaining money from the bank and how, when the bank examiner insisted the Pattison paper be replaced, that he, Pattison put every nickle he had and every cent his father had into the bank to help straighten the tangle of finance.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
On the stand Pattison told how disaster followed his lumber operations, through shortage of water to float his logs, through excessive freight rates which represented the difference between profit and loss, and thru the cancellation of orders by the emergency shipping board.
He explained the system of trade acceptances which was used in obtaining money from the bank and how, when the bank examiner insisted the Pattison paper be replaced, that he, Pattison put every nickle he had and every cent his father had into the bank to help straighten the tangle of finance.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
July 24, 1919: “J. R. Van Winkle was up from Albany last Friday serving legal notices pertaining to the adjustment of matters in connection with the Pattison sawmill.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
September 11, 1919: “A sale of the hardwood lumber and the logs of the Pattison sawmill was pulled off last Saturday at the instigation of some of the workmen who had filed a lien on the property. The material was sold for about $400 while the value of it is said to be worth several times this amount. The fact that the Pattison Co. has gone into Bankruptcy leaves a doubt as to this sale being legally binding. At any rate the men who hold claims are not overly confident of soon getting returns.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
September 25, 1919: “The sale of the Pattison saw mill here was effected last week, when the Oregon Machinery Co. of Portland made the purchase.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
November 6, 1919: “J. Al Pattison, who pleaded guilty to aiding Jerome Mann, ex-cashier of the Bank of Linnton, in misappropriating $100,000 of bank funds, was fined $500 in the federal court by Judge Bean last Saturday. After two trials, Mann was found not guilty by jury and this fact was taken into consideration by Judge Bean in imposing the fine.
J. Al Pattison was president of the Pattison Lumber company of this place and got himself and the former bank cashier into trouble when he borrowed sums aggregating more than $120,000 in lumber bills of lading, alleged to have been fraudulent.
Bert E. Haney, United States attorney, recommended to the court that a minor fine be imposed on Pattison and that a prison sentence be omitted. Mr. Haney explained that the funds were not used for present benefits of any of the individuals concerned, but for the operation of lumber mills in which the defendants were interested. Thirty days was granted Pattison in which to pay the fine.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
J. Al Pattison was president of the Pattison Lumber company of this place and got himself and the former bank cashier into trouble when he borrowed sums aggregating more than $120,000 in lumber bills of lading, alleged to have been fraudulent.
Bert E. Haney, United States attorney, recommended to the court that a minor fine be imposed on Pattison and that a prison sentence be omitted. Mr. Haney explained that the funds were not used for present benefits of any of the individuals concerned, but for the operation of lumber mills in which the defendants were interested. Thirty days was granted Pattison in which to pay the fine.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
January 25, 1920: "Henry Klunke and O. C. Luecke of Plymouth, Wis., are installing a $50,000 hardwood sawmill at Harrisburg, Ore., and are utilizing the plant of the J. A. Pattison Lumber Co. here as a nucleus for their enlarged enterprise. Hundreds of acres of hardwood, fir and balm timber have been purchased by the Pattison hardwood mill and options have been secured on much more. The plans are all set to have the mill in operation not later than February 1." (Lumber World Review)