PORTER BROTHERS
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Lane County - Florence
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August 11, 1912: “D. M. Stuart, of Portland, who was in the city today, reports that the Stuart & Ferguson Timber Company, a number of stockholders of which reside in Astoria, has closed a deal for the sale of approximately 5000 acres of yellow fir timber in the Siuslaw River district to Johnson P. Porter, of Portland, a member of the firm of Porter Bros., who are the confidential contractors of the Hill lines. The consideration paid is $257,000.
Porter Bros. Own about 1,000,000,000 feet of timber in the Siuslaw district, as well as a sawmill near the mouth of that stream, and this purchase is simply adding to their already extensive holdings. The Stuart & Ferguson Timber Company also owns another tract there containing 304,000,000 feet of fir.” (The Sunday Oregonian)
Porter Bros. Own about 1,000,000,000 feet of timber in the Siuslaw district, as well as a sawmill near the mouth of that stream, and this purchase is simply adding to their already extensive holdings. The Stuart & Ferguson Timber Company also owns another tract there containing 304,000,000 feet of fir.” (The Sunday Oregonian)
December 13, 1912: "The large Porter Bros. mill at Florence which has not so much as tooted a whistle in a year and a half is again reported as going to start up.
Like bulletins announcing the arrival of a late train, reports at various times during the past year have had the mill going to start up next month, in two months, in the fall, at the beginning of the year.
But in spite of previous disappointments the people of Florence are taking this report seriously, for it is backed by many indications.
The Porters have bought several acres of waterfront up the river from the mill. This belonged to William Kyle & Sons, and it has for some time been known that the future of the mill depended on whether the Porters got this land. Kyle & Sons asked several thousand dollars more for this land than Porters were willing to pay, and Kyle & Sons suggested the people of Florence pay the difference, a proposition that was almost unanimously rejected.
It was then reported that the mill might possibly be removed. But last Saturday, after several weeks' negotiations, the deal for the land was closed, and recently one of the Porters said that the mill would be enlarged to a capacity of about 180,000 feet.
Logging has been steadily going on at the head of the Siuslaw all fall, several million feet being already in the river." (The Oregon Daily Journal)
Like bulletins announcing the arrival of a late train, reports at various times during the past year have had the mill going to start up next month, in two months, in the fall, at the beginning of the year.
But in spite of previous disappointments the people of Florence are taking this report seriously, for it is backed by many indications.
The Porters have bought several acres of waterfront up the river from the mill. This belonged to William Kyle & Sons, and it has for some time been known that the future of the mill depended on whether the Porters got this land. Kyle & Sons asked several thousand dollars more for this land than Porters were willing to pay, and Kyle & Sons suggested the people of Florence pay the difference, a proposition that was almost unanimously rejected.
It was then reported that the mill might possibly be removed. But last Saturday, after several weeks' negotiations, the deal for the land was closed, and recently one of the Porters said that the mill would be enlarged to a capacity of about 180,000 feet.
Logging has been steadily going on at the head of the Siuslaw all fall, several million feet being already in the river." (The Oregon Daily Journal)
December 15, 1912: “Johnson Porter, of Porter Bros., railroad contractors, has contracted for the purchase of 20 acre of tideland at Florence, at the mouth of the Siuslaw River. Porter Bros. Own a sawmill at that point and expect to begin operations at the plant January 1. The firm now owns about 42,000 acres of timber land in that district. It is believed that soon a railroad will be built into the Florence district. Mr. Porter is one of the contractors who is building the Willamette Pacific Railroad, but is investing in this property for himself, having faith in the future of the Siuslaw section now that the railroad and harbor improvement are assured. This purchase gives him several blocks of waterfront, close to the boomage facilities and is an ideal sawmill site, with great quantities of timber easily available.” (The Sunday Oregonian)
December 16, 1912: "Following close on the announcement that J. P. Porter had purchased nearby tidelands and would proceed at one to enlarge his sawmill here, recently purchased from the Oregon & California Lumber Company. Three millwrights have arrived to begin putting the mill in shape to begin work by February. Other men will arrive immediately to assist them." (Morning Oregonian)
February 26, 1913: "Lees & Son, the millwrights who have had charge of repairing and overhauling the Porter Brothers' mill here, finished their work and left Monday on the Florence-Gardiner stage. With a few more preliminaries completed, the mill will start. The superintendent is already on hand. The Speedwell, Fifield and several smaller craft will carry the lumber to San Francisco." (The Oregon Daily Journal)
March 14, 1913: "All the 'boiled shirt' employes of Porter Bros.' mill are here now on hand and consist of a superintendent, assistant superintendent, foreman, attorney and bookkeeper, a number that mildly surprised the people of Florence, who believe that if the usual ratio of brains to muscle is kept, everybody will certainly have a job." (The Coos Bay Times)
June 10, 1913: "The Tide Water Mill Co. is having a 10-inch well drilled just east of the blacksmith shop.
The pile driver was brought around into the mill pond close to the bank and a cable rigged up so as to operate the drill which had been brought by team from Gardiner. P. L. Decoto, of Oakland, California, arrived last week and is foreman of the job. The well is now down 80 feet and they expect to go down 200 feet so as to secure plenty of pure water,---Siuslaw Pilot." (The Coos Bay Times)
The pile driver was brought around into the mill pond close to the bank and a cable rigged up so as to operate the drill which had been brought by team from Gardiner. P. L. Decoto, of Oakland, California, arrived last week and is foreman of the job. The well is now down 80 feet and they expect to go down 200 feet so as to secure plenty of pure water,---Siuslaw Pilot." (The Coos Bay Times)
May 17, 1915: “Litigation ended, the Porter Bros. Sawmill on the Siuslaw is to operate.” (The Lane County News)
August 11, 1916: “Eugene---According to word reaching Eugene from Florence, the Porter Brothers' sawmill will soon begin cutting 16,000,000 feet of lumber. It is said that there are 10,000,000 feet of logs in the mill pond, to which 6,000,000 feet more will be added for the run. It is estimated that the operations will consume six months and that 100 men will be employed. The Porter Brothers' mill has not been in operation for more than two years.” (Silver Lake Leader)