W. S. POWELL SAWMILL
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Yamhill County - Dayton
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May 21, 1875: "Capt. Powell's saw mill has been thoroughly overhauled. It required a new foundation; very near, if not all the sills having rotted entirely off. Some new machinery has been added to the mill, and now we have two 'screamers' at morning, noon and night; but I believe the flouring mill gets away with the saw duster in the yell. Only one little mishap since the saw mill resumed---a value blew to fragments and the mill tried to run away with itself, but soon got out of breath and had to give up the chase." (Lafayette Courier)
March 22, 1883: "W. S. Powell has moved his planer and some of his other machinery from his mill here to the new mill near St. Joe." (Yamhill County Reporter)
November 21, 1886: "About 8 o'clock yesterday the old sawmill and the warehouse at Dayton, Or., owned by Capt. W. S. Powell, were destroyed by fire. Some days ago Capt. Powell sold the old machinery in the mill to Beyers & Wood, who were engaged last week in removing it. Part of it had been taken out of the building. The men slept in a stable close by. On Friday night they built a camp fire under the sawmill tank, and, when they retired, covered it up. A few hours after midnight they were awakened by a cry of fire, and, on getting up, saw the sawmill in flames. Soon the warehouse adjoining caught, and in a short time was reduced to ashes. Capt. Powell's loss is about $5000. Beyers & Wood loss the machinery which they had bought but not removed; also a team and wagon, which were put in the warehouse over night, and the tools with which they had been working. There was no insurance on any of the property. The fire probably caught from coals left by the men the night before, though it is believed by some to have been the work of an incendiary." (source lost)