SALVAGE BROTHERS MILL
Josephine County - Holland
April 15, 1948: "Last Monday, after two weeks shutdown while installing a new 7-foot band saw, the Salvage Brothers' Mill started operations. It took a few hours adjusting everything before the new saw started to perform as it should, but when the 'kinks' were taken out, the mill started out in good shape, cutting nearly 20,000 board feet of lumber the first day.
The mill employes 13 men and logging operations employ 11 men in the woods. The Salvage brothers, Herbert, Howard and Ross, own the mill, incorporated under the name of the Salvage Lumber company. Fred Salvage is employed by the mill as the bookkeeper.
When the mill is operating at full capacity, the company expects to cut 50,000 feet a day, and with the band saw at it is estimated that this type of saw will save about three or four per cent of the lumber cut as against the circular saws. The band saw is narrow and takes a very stingy amount of waste, but the circular saws are nearly one-half inch thick, during a season's run, this can amount to a considerable amount of lumber.
The mill is powered with a 250 h. p. diesel engine which operates the headrig and steam operates the 'nigger' and shot-gun carriage feed, conveyors, edger and trim saws." (Illinois Valley News)
The mill employes 13 men and logging operations employ 11 men in the woods. The Salvage brothers, Herbert, Howard and Ross, own the mill, incorporated under the name of the Salvage Lumber company. Fred Salvage is employed by the mill as the bookkeeper.
When the mill is operating at full capacity, the company expects to cut 50,000 feet a day, and with the band saw at it is estimated that this type of saw will save about three or four per cent of the lumber cut as against the circular saws. The band saw is narrow and takes a very stingy amount of waste, but the circular saws are nearly one-half inch thick, during a season's run, this can amount to a considerable amount of lumber.
The mill is powered with a 250 h. p. diesel engine which operates the headrig and steam operates the 'nigger' and shot-gun carriage feed, conveyors, edger and trim saws." (Illinois Valley News)
January 19, 1950: "Snow damage: Salvage mill had a green chain collapse." (Illinois Valley News)
April 18, 1952: "Starting with an explosion and flash, a $100,-150,000 fire destroyed the major portion of the Salvage Brothers mill at 10 p.m. Tuesday night.
Lumber valued at an amount exceeding the worth of the mill was saved in addition to the burner, green chain, gas pump, shop and office. The loss was partially covered by insurance.
The night man on duty reported the fire broke out with a flash in the vicinity of the switch boxes and spread rapidly. The phone operator, Mrs. Isabelle Mellow, contacted help from the other mills and the forest service. A lack of wind and small pumpers from the Oregon Caves Lumber Co. and forest service aided in saving most of the nearby stacks of lumber.
The financial loss to the mill exceeded that of any mill fire in the past 13 years, according to Harold Bowerman, district ranger. The Tuesday night fire was the fifth of its kind during that period of time.
Observers reported the Caves highway to be clogged with traffic soon after the discovery of the blaze.
Owned by Howard, Herb and Fred Salvage for the past five years, the mill employed about 30 men. Destruction of the mill affects many additional Valley including over twenty loggers with crews of three to six men, and four truck drivers.
Salvage Bros. have been shipping about 50,000 board feet of lumber daily to the Table Rock Lumber Co. of Medford.
No immediate plans for the future have been decided by the Salvages. The mill owns less than one year cutting of timber.
The Salvage mill specialized in pine timber and precision cut lumber. It was one of two bands saw mills in the district, commanding a premium price for lumber.
Included in the destroyed portion of the mill was $1000 in millwright tools, the seven-foot band saw, edger, and carriage with steam loader--all in top shape.
The Salvage Bros. purchased the mill five years ago from Sanders and Kindell after having previously run it for two years.
Aiding in fighting the fire and salvaging property was: Keith Owen who brought the Oregon Caves Lumber Co. pumper, Stevens and Brown who operated the forest service pumper, Harold, Charles and Clint Trefethen who worked the cat and helped save several truckloads of lumber, in addition to unidentified mill hands." (Illinois Valley News)
Lumber valued at an amount exceeding the worth of the mill was saved in addition to the burner, green chain, gas pump, shop and office. The loss was partially covered by insurance.
The night man on duty reported the fire broke out with a flash in the vicinity of the switch boxes and spread rapidly. The phone operator, Mrs. Isabelle Mellow, contacted help from the other mills and the forest service. A lack of wind and small pumpers from the Oregon Caves Lumber Co. and forest service aided in saving most of the nearby stacks of lumber.
The financial loss to the mill exceeded that of any mill fire in the past 13 years, according to Harold Bowerman, district ranger. The Tuesday night fire was the fifth of its kind during that period of time.
Observers reported the Caves highway to be clogged with traffic soon after the discovery of the blaze.
Owned by Howard, Herb and Fred Salvage for the past five years, the mill employed about 30 men. Destruction of the mill affects many additional Valley including over twenty loggers with crews of three to six men, and four truck drivers.
Salvage Bros. have been shipping about 50,000 board feet of lumber daily to the Table Rock Lumber Co. of Medford.
No immediate plans for the future have been decided by the Salvages. The mill owns less than one year cutting of timber.
The Salvage mill specialized in pine timber and precision cut lumber. It was one of two bands saw mills in the district, commanding a premium price for lumber.
Included in the destroyed portion of the mill was $1000 in millwright tools, the seven-foot band saw, edger, and carriage with steam loader--all in top shape.
The Salvage Bros. purchased the mill five years ago from Sanders and Kindell after having previously run it for two years.
Aiding in fighting the fire and salvaging property was: Keith Owen who brought the Oregon Caves Lumber Co. pumper, Stevens and Brown who operated the forest service pumper, Harold, Charles and Clint Trefethen who worked the cat and helped save several truckloads of lumber, in addition to unidentified mill hands." (Illinois Valley News)
April 18, 1952: "CARD OF THANKS Words fail to express our gratitude toward the many friends that labored so industriously in aiding us to save as much as we did in our mill fire Tuesday evening.
Much credit is due Mrs. Isabelle Mellow, local telephone operator, for alerting so many to our aid.
Many, Many thanks.
Salvage Lumber Co.
Howard Salvage
Herbert Salvage
Fred Salvage" (Illinois Valley News)
Much credit is due Mrs. Isabelle Mellow, local telephone operator, for alerting so many to our aid.
Many, Many thanks.
Salvage Lumber Co.
Howard Salvage
Herbert Salvage
Fred Salvage" (Illinois Valley News)
May 16, 1952: "The Salvage Bros. have started the rebuilding of their mill which suffered about $150,000 damage in a fire April 15.
The three brothers, Howard, Herb and Fred, with the assistance of about a dozen former mill workers have already started construction of the cement and steel foundation of the mill which is expected to renew operation some time after the first of August.
The Salvage Bros. plan to rebuild the mill to about the same capacity as formerly, which was about 55,000 board feet a day. Mostly new equipment of the same type previously used, including a seven foot band saw, will be purchased.
Construction of the burned portion of the mill is expected to exceed $50,000. Many tools and supplies which ran the loss to an excess of one hundred thousand will not be immediately replaced.
About a million board feet of pine lumber less than a year old will be sold some time this summer by the firm. All lumber was spared in the fire, which was the Valley's largest in over ten years.
The exact cause of the fire is still unknown by the owners, but it has been established that the blaze started with an explosion in the vicinity of the switch boxes, as reported by the night man.
The temporary loss of the mill affected over fifty Valley families." (Illinois Valley News)
The three brothers, Howard, Herb and Fred, with the assistance of about a dozen former mill workers have already started construction of the cement and steel foundation of the mill which is expected to renew operation some time after the first of August.
The Salvage Bros. plan to rebuild the mill to about the same capacity as formerly, which was about 55,000 board feet a day. Mostly new equipment of the same type previously used, including a seven foot band saw, will be purchased.
Construction of the burned portion of the mill is expected to exceed $50,000. Many tools and supplies which ran the loss to an excess of one hundred thousand will not be immediately replaced.
About a million board feet of pine lumber less than a year old will be sold some time this summer by the firm. All lumber was spared in the fire, which was the Valley's largest in over ten years.
The exact cause of the fire is still unknown by the owners, but it has been established that the blaze started with an explosion in the vicinity of the switch boxes, as reported by the night man.
The temporary loss of the mill affected over fifty Valley families." (Illinois Valley News)
June 6, 1952: Caption under photo of concrete forms being lowered: "Forms for the foundation of the new Salvage Mill now under construction are shown being lowered into place. Herb Salvage, part owner of the mill which recently burned, is shown guiding one of the forms into place. The rebuilt mill is expected to be in operation late this summer. Illinois Valley News Photo." (Illinois Valley News)
October 17, 1952: "The Salvage Lumber Co. mill resumed operation Wednesday noon after a six-month shut down caused by a disastrous fire April 15.
All but four of the old Salvage crew is back on the payroll. Many of the 24 now employed at the mill have been working there for some time on rebuilding." (Illinois Valley News)
All but four of the old Salvage crew is back on the payroll. Many of the 24 now employed at the mill have been working there for some time on rebuilding." (Illinois Valley News)