SHAW-BERTRAM LUMBER COMPANY
Klamath County - Klamath Falls
October 15, 1920: "Another big sawmill will be slicing Klamath pine by spring is the news carried by the announcement that the Shaw-Bertram lumber company, an organization composed of experienced Oregon lumbermen, has purchased a site on the southern edge of Lake Ewauna, just west of the Chelsea box factory and already have a couple of carloads of material and machinery on the ground.
The site consists of 70 acres purchased from Mrs. Margaret Barney of Milwaukee, Wis., who still owns 169 acres adjoining. The deal was handled for Mrs. Barney by William Bray but does not include any of the acreage owned by Mr. Bray in the same vicinity.
Work on the mill will start at once, it was announced. It is planned to install a circular outfit, with a daily capacity of 50,000 feet to start with, but the program of development contemplates a plant expansion that will eventually make the mill one of the largest in the country.
J.R. Shaw, president of the new company, is one of the leading lumbermen of the state. For years he was general manager for the Hammond Lumber company of Portland, a company in the foremost ranks of northwest manufacturers. He was also connected with the Gootch lumber company of Marshfield, as were his associates, W.A. Smith, vice president, W.J. Bertram, treasurer, and A.W. Norblad, secretary. Mr. Norblad's home is in Astoria, and he is state senator from this district.
The company recently was awarded, government sale, the timber in the Solomon unit on the Klamath reservation. The tract contains, it is estimated, 150,000,000 feet, which will all be milled at the local plant." (The Evening Herald)
The site consists of 70 acres purchased from Mrs. Margaret Barney of Milwaukee, Wis., who still owns 169 acres adjoining. The deal was handled for Mrs. Barney by William Bray but does not include any of the acreage owned by Mr. Bray in the same vicinity.
Work on the mill will start at once, it was announced. It is planned to install a circular outfit, with a daily capacity of 50,000 feet to start with, but the program of development contemplates a plant expansion that will eventually make the mill one of the largest in the country.
J.R. Shaw, president of the new company, is one of the leading lumbermen of the state. For years he was general manager for the Hammond Lumber company of Portland, a company in the foremost ranks of northwest manufacturers. He was also connected with the Gootch lumber company of Marshfield, as were his associates, W.A. Smith, vice president, W.J. Bertram, treasurer, and A.W. Norblad, secretary. Mr. Norblad's home is in Astoria, and he is state senator from this district.
The company recently was awarded, government sale, the timber in the Solomon unit on the Klamath reservation. The tract contains, it is estimated, 150,000,000 feet, which will all be milled at the local plant." (The Evening Herald)
November 15, 1920: "Another addition to the list of saw mills which are doing their part to advance Klamath county to a place of eminence among the lumbering regions of the northwest is under construction by the Shaw-Bertram company of Portland, the mill occupying a site on the lower lake adjoining the Grower's and Packers Warehousing company's plant. The timbers for the lower floor are up, and the roof will be completed within a couple of weeks, but the plant will not be ready for operation until early spring.
This mill will have a capacity of about 40,000 feet, and will employ a crew of at least 35 men. About 65 are to be employed in the lumber camp which will supply the logs for the mill, making a total of not less than 100 men who will be added to the payrolls of this county as soon as operations begin in the spring. Not long ago the Shaw-Bertram company purchased the timber on the Solomon unit near Kirk, covering approximately 11,000,000 feet, all pine, and said to be some of the best timber in this part of the northwest. The owners are supervising the work of construction, the plans and specifications having been drawn by the Sawmill Engineering and Construction company of this city." (The Evening Herald)
This mill will have a capacity of about 40,000 feet, and will employ a crew of at least 35 men. About 65 are to be employed in the lumber camp which will supply the logs for the mill, making a total of not less than 100 men who will be added to the payrolls of this county as soon as operations begin in the spring. Not long ago the Shaw-Bertram company purchased the timber on the Solomon unit near Kirk, covering approximately 11,000,000 feet, all pine, and said to be some of the best timber in this part of the northwest. The owners are supervising the work of construction, the plans and specifications having been drawn by the Sawmill Engineering and Construction company of this city." (The Evening Herald)
April 8, 1922: "The sawmill of the Shaw-Bertram Lumber Company here started operations this morning on a ten-hour basis with twenty-five men employed. This is the first attempt made to resume operations since the strike was declared March 1st and is the first sawmill to resume this season." (Blue Lake Advocate)
September 1922: "A night shift of thirty men was added August 7 at the Shaw-Bertram mill, Klamath Falls. The working day at the plant was reduced at the same time from ten to nine hours. J.R. Shaw of the company was formerly manager of the Hammond mill, Mill City." (Four L Bulletin)
March 14, 1923: "The Shaw-Bertram Lumber Company sawmill near here has resumed with one shift employed. By the first week of April it will be running two shifts with eighty men employed at the plant and yards, cutting 110,000 feet daily.
The company expects this year to cut 20,000,000 feet. A new nine-foot bandmill has been installed and yard room has been arranged for from 8,000,000 to 10,000,000 feet of lumber." (The Sacramento Bee)
The company expects this year to cut 20,000,000 feet. A new nine-foot bandmill has been installed and yard room has been arranged for from 8,000,000 to 10,000,000 feet of lumber." (The Sacramento Bee)
April 18, 1924: "The Shaw-Bertram mill was out of logs a few shifts last week, due to an accident to the logging train." (The Klamath News)
April 29, 1924: "Pat Treats, employe of the Shaw-Bertram mill, was drowned early yesterday afternoon, the body being recovered from the mill pond.
The accident was not witnessed but it is believed that he slipped while maneuvering a log to the incline. Attempts to resuscitate the man were made without results.
Treats has been working at the mill since about the end of February but had no family or relatives here." (The Klamath News)
The accident was not witnessed but it is believed that he slipped while maneuvering a log to the incline. Attempts to resuscitate the man were made without results.
Treats has been working at the mill since about the end of February but had no family or relatives here." (The Klamath News)
April 29, 1924: "The Modoc Lumber company's logging locomotive was moved to the Shaw-Bertram logging camp Sunday to be in use there until their locomotive will be repaired and put in shape again. The Modoc loading jammer was also moved to Shaw-Bertram camp last week. W. A. Benson will be locomotive engineer and J. E. Smith fireman. Ray Seer will operate the jammer and Joe Trushon top loader." (The Klamath News)
November 13, 1924: “Klamath Falls---Shaw-Bertram Co. will build $60,000 box factory.” (Silver Lake Leader and Lake County Tribune)
March 14, 1925: "The Shaw-Bertram Company has entirely rebuilt the box factory formerly owned by Chelsea Box Company, which burned last year." (The Sacramento Bee)
March 23, 1925: "Shaw-Bertram expects to have its new lath mill in operation this week. The new resaw will not be in operation for perhaps two weeks.
The box factory building is completed, and ready for machinery, and work is progressing rapidly on the new dwelling houses, which will probably be completed in a day or two."
& "Shaw-Bertram camp is averaging sixteen cars of logs per day." (The Evening Herald)
The box factory building is completed, and ready for machinery, and work is progressing rapidly on the new dwelling houses, which will probably be completed in a day or two."
& "Shaw-Bertram camp is averaging sixteen cars of logs per day." (The Evening Herald)
April 6, 1925: "Charlie McCandliss is sawing for the Shaw-Berthram company, replacing Charlie Washburn." (The Evening Herald)
August 1925: "Shaw-Bertram Lumber Co., Klamath Falls, began operating its new box factory late in May, and has operated two shifts during the season. The factory is located some distance from the sawmill, as is the planing mill, which is a feature in safeguarding the several units of the plant in case of fire. The factory has a cutting-up capacity of a million and a half feet per month. The main factory building is 60x150 feet, with an adjoining warehouse 50x120 feet. J. A. Mitchell is foreman of the box factory. The sawmill is cutting around 160,000 feet per day and will produce about thirty million feet this year, on a nine months' run. The planing mill is putting through about 65,000 feet per day. A new two-side surfacer will be installed. The company operates 13 miles of main line logging railroad from its camps to Kirk, and rails the logs via Southern Pacific 50 miles to the mill. A new planing mill may be installed later." (The Timberman)
September 25, 1925: “William Holt, engineer at the Shaw-Bertram camp, who was fatally injured September 10th when the crown sheet of his engine blew off, died at the General Hospital in Klamath Falls Monday morning at 11 o'clock.
Mr. Holt was about 50 years of age and had been in the employ of the company for several years.
Mrs. Holt, who was in San Diego at the time of the accident, hastened to Klamath Falls in response to a wire informing her of the accident to her husband, but his injuries were such that he could not possibly survive.
Bud South, and Lafe Potter, the two other men who were injured in the engine explosion, are reported as recovering from their wounds.” (The Chiloquin Review)
Mr. Holt was about 50 years of age and had been in the employ of the company for several years.
Mrs. Holt, who was in San Diego at the time of the accident, hastened to Klamath Falls in response to a wire informing her of the accident to her husband, but his injuries were such that he could not possibly survive.
Bud South, and Lafe Potter, the two other men who were injured in the engine explosion, are reported as recovering from their wounds.” (The Chiloquin Review)
February 27, 1926: "With the mill of the Shaw-Bertram Lumber Company scheduled to begin its season's run Monday, officials of the company indicated yesterday that the camp would be in full swing in about two more weeks.
First of the crews of fallers and buckers will be sent to the woods Monday. A night shift may be added at the mill on March 1st." (The Sacramento Bee)
First of the crews of fallers and buckers will be sent to the woods Monday. A night shift may be added at the mill on March 1st." (The Sacramento Bee)
May 10, 1928: "Starting operation in 1920 with a small mill, daily capacity 25,000 feet, the Shaw-Bertram Lumber company has grown year by year until today it consists of a modern sawmill plant, capacity 50,000,000 feet per year, with kiln facilities to care for the show and better grades, box factory facilities to handle the box lumber, a logging camp employing 100 men, and 19 miles of its own logging railroad tapping a tract approximately 600,000,000 feet of California white pine timber.
Until 1925, the company sold its entire output without re manufacturing any of it. At that time, however, additional property was purchased from the California Prune and Apricot Grower's association, and a box factory with sufficient capacity to handle all the lower grades of lumber from the mill was built, on the same site as the old plant of the California Prune and Apricot Growers' factory, which was destroyed by fire in 1924.
The logging camp of the company is located above Chiloquin, and the logs are hauled to the Southern Pacific company's rails. The logging is done with caterpillar tractors and high wheels. In order to utilize in full the capacity of the 10 ton caterpillar tractors, the company has had special slip tongue wheels built. The diameter of these big wheels is 13 feet, the largest used in this section of the country. The spokes in the wheels are from wood and are r 1/2 inches square. The tongue of the wheels is 9 by 10 inches in diameter, and is also made of iron wood. The wheels are doing excellent work, according to officials of the company, and it is probable that similar wheels will be put in use by other logging operators in this section of the country. The wheels weigh 13,000 pounds per set, empty, and are equipped with Timkin roller bearings.
The company has greatly enlarged its facilities for turning out high-grade uppers during the past few months. A battery of 10 dry kilns has been installed, and new 1000 horse power boiler to supply the kilns with steam. The old planing mill, formerly at the lower end of the old lumber yard, has been abandoned and a new planing shed erected in a central location. A loading shed, in which cars are loaded with uppers, has been built. The loading shed is 160 by 160 feet and has a capacity of 1,500,000 feet of dressed lumber.
The company employs a large number of women, nearly half of the box factory crew being girls and women.
The company has a total payroll of approximately 350. One hundred men are employed in the woods, and the mill and box factory furnish work for 250 more.
A complete sprinkler system will be installed by July 1, giving protection to the mill, box factory, loading shed and other company buildings." (The Evening Herald)
Until 1925, the company sold its entire output without re manufacturing any of it. At that time, however, additional property was purchased from the California Prune and Apricot Grower's association, and a box factory with sufficient capacity to handle all the lower grades of lumber from the mill was built, on the same site as the old plant of the California Prune and Apricot Growers' factory, which was destroyed by fire in 1924.
The logging camp of the company is located above Chiloquin, and the logs are hauled to the Southern Pacific company's rails. The logging is done with caterpillar tractors and high wheels. In order to utilize in full the capacity of the 10 ton caterpillar tractors, the company has had special slip tongue wheels built. The diameter of these big wheels is 13 feet, the largest used in this section of the country. The spokes in the wheels are from wood and are r 1/2 inches square. The tongue of the wheels is 9 by 10 inches in diameter, and is also made of iron wood. The wheels are doing excellent work, according to officials of the company, and it is probable that similar wheels will be put in use by other logging operators in this section of the country. The wheels weigh 13,000 pounds per set, empty, and are equipped with Timkin roller bearings.
The company has greatly enlarged its facilities for turning out high-grade uppers during the past few months. A battery of 10 dry kilns has been installed, and new 1000 horse power boiler to supply the kilns with steam. The old planing mill, formerly at the lower end of the old lumber yard, has been abandoned and a new planing shed erected in a central location. A loading shed, in which cars are loaded with uppers, has been built. The loading shed is 160 by 160 feet and has a capacity of 1,500,000 feet of dressed lumber.
The company employs a large number of women, nearly half of the box factory crew being girls and women.
The company has a total payroll of approximately 350. One hundred men are employed in the woods, and the mill and box factory furnish work for 250 more.
A complete sprinkler system will be installed by July 1, giving protection to the mill, box factory, loading shed and other company buildings." (The Evening Herald)
July 19, 1928: "Within three miles to the northwest of the Chemult station is located the logging camp of the Shaw Bertram Lumber company. There are about 80 men employed in this camp now and there probably will be 200 within the coming year. A logging railroad has been extended into the timber west of Chemult and the operations of the company are expected to continue at least three years in that locality." (Klamath County Courier)
December 11, 1929: "A. H. Hughes, who has been superintendent of the Shaw-Bertram Lumber company logging camp, has resigned and J. P. Baker, formerly logging foreman with the Pelican Bay Lumber company, has been appointed superintendent, effective January 1st.
The logging camp has been closed for the winter but repair work will start after the holidays and logs that are now being decked by Grover Grimmett will be loaded out by the loading crews starting about February 15th, and regular operations will be resumed at Squaw Valley on the O. C. & E. as early after that date as the snow conditions will permit." (The Klamath News)
The logging camp has been closed for the winter but repair work will start after the holidays and logs that are now being decked by Grover Grimmett will be loaded out by the loading crews starting about February 15th, and regular operations will be resumed at Squaw Valley on the O. C. & E. as early after that date as the snow conditions will permit." (The Klamath News)
April 5, 1930: "Yesterday Shaw-Bertram Lumber company announced that the old Wheeler-Olmstead mill at Pelican City will be in operation this year again under their direction and that camp will be opened Monday in the Squaw Flat country." (The Klamath News)
April 5, 1930: "The Shaw-Bertram Lumber company has announced the opening of the Klamath White Pine company, located on Upper Klamath lake, owned and operated by the Shaw-Bertram company and running under the new name.
The Klamath White Pine company will be remembered as the Wheeler-Olmstead mill above Pelican City on the upper lake.
About 100 men are to be employed by the Klamath White Pine company, which will saw logs furnished by the Klamath Pine Lumber company, whose mill burned here last summer. The Klamath White Pine company is establishing camp near Bly, and will begin logging and shipping to the Klamath White Pine company on April 14th, at the rate of 10 cars per day. About 75 men will be employed at the Bly camp.
The balance of logs for the Klamath White Pine mill will be furnished by Grover Puckett, who is shipping logs from Chemult, at the rate of six cars per day. This camp is under way already, and between 30 and 40 men are employed.
The Shaw-Bertram Lumber company is also operating a camp at Chemult, and shipping out logs which were decked and piled there last winter. A loading crew is working day and night there, and shipping out 16 cars a day to the mill. This operation will be finished in about two weeks, according to J. Royal Shaw, of the Shaw-Bertram company.
On Monday the Shaw-Bertram camp at Squaw Valley will start operations. This camp is located about six miles this side of Sprague River, on the O. C. & E. railroad.
There is about 500,000 feet of logs per day to be cut at the Squaw Valley project, and logs will be shipped to the mill at the rate of 30 cars per day. There will be about 175 or 200 men employed at the Squaw Valley camp all summer.
The two mills, owned by the Shaw-Bertram company, the Klamath White Pine company, and the Shaw-Bertram mill at Chelsea will cut 350,000 board feet per day until fall, Mr. Shaw stated." (The Klamath News)
The Klamath White Pine company will be remembered as the Wheeler-Olmstead mill above Pelican City on the upper lake.
About 100 men are to be employed by the Klamath White Pine company, which will saw logs furnished by the Klamath Pine Lumber company, whose mill burned here last summer. The Klamath White Pine company is establishing camp near Bly, and will begin logging and shipping to the Klamath White Pine company on April 14th, at the rate of 10 cars per day. About 75 men will be employed at the Bly camp.
The balance of logs for the Klamath White Pine mill will be furnished by Grover Puckett, who is shipping logs from Chemult, at the rate of six cars per day. This camp is under way already, and between 30 and 40 men are employed.
The Shaw-Bertram Lumber company is also operating a camp at Chemult, and shipping out logs which were decked and piled there last winter. A loading crew is working day and night there, and shipping out 16 cars a day to the mill. This operation will be finished in about two weeks, according to J. Royal Shaw, of the Shaw-Bertram company.
On Monday the Shaw-Bertram camp at Squaw Valley will start operations. This camp is located about six miles this side of Sprague River, on the O. C. & E. railroad.
There is about 500,000 feet of logs per day to be cut at the Squaw Valley project, and logs will be shipped to the mill at the rate of 30 cars per day. There will be about 175 or 200 men employed at the Squaw Valley camp all summer.
The two mills, owned by the Shaw-Bertram company, the Klamath White Pine company, and the Shaw-Bertram mill at Chelsea will cut 350,000 board feet per day until fall, Mr. Shaw stated." (The Klamath News)
April 6, 1930: "The Shaw-Bertram mill south of the city, started operations March 1 on a two-shift basis. Under the direction of J. M. Bedford, plant superintendent, about 200 men are turning out and handling approximately 200,000 feet of lumber a day in the operations.
In about a week logs will start coming in from the camp which is being established by King Gray, superintendent, in the Squaw Flat territory. Ten or 15 miles of line will be built during the year." (The Klamath News)
In about a week logs will start coming in from the camp which is being established by King Gray, superintendent, in the Squaw Flat territory. Ten or 15 miles of line will be built during the year." (The Klamath News)
June 4, 1930: "A private telegraph line was installed this week between the Western Union company and Shaw-Bertram's mill, a distance of about 3 1/2 miles, it was stated yesterday by L. B. Ralls, Western Union manager.
An automatic simplex machine to receive and send messages has been placed at each end of the line and on the Shaw-Bertram side will be operated by the company's stenographer." (The Klamath News)
An automatic simplex machine to receive and send messages has been placed at each end of the line and on the Shaw-Bertram side will be operated by the company's stenographer." (The Klamath News)
May 31, 1935: "Disposal of the Shaw-Bertram Lumber company plant at Klamath Falls was announced Friday by J. R. Shaw, president of the company.
Deed for the property, in favor of the Anglo-California National Bank of San Francisco, will be filed here in the next few days. The Klamath property carries a value in excess of $1,000,000.
It is understood the San Francisco bank will hold the property pending the completion of plans by an operating company.
Meanwhile, disposal of its Klamath plant will clear the way for Shaw-Bertram to perfect its plans for operations on the Klamath Indian reservation, where it has 600,000,000 feet of timber under contract, and also at Tionesta, on the Great Northern line in California, where it has a mill and 130,000,000 feet of timber under operation.
In disposing of its Klamath property, the company is retaining re-manufacturing equipment from the planing mill and box factory to equip a five cut-off factory. This equipment was being removed from the plant on the Klamath river Friday, and will be used in establishing a box factory, either here or at Tionesta, Calif.
Shaw-Bertram's Squaw Flat timber unit, on the Klamath reservation, is fully developed as to railroads and camps, and operations will begin there at once. It is the company's plan to construct a mill in that locality to handle its reservation timber program. The mill will probably be located at Squaw Valley, on the Oregon, California and Eastern railroad about six miles from Sprague River.
It was learned also Friday that there has been a centralization of ownership in the Shaw-Bertram company, with J. R. Shaw of this city becoming virtually the sole owner. Shaw has purchased the Smith interests, it was learned.
Shaw-Bertram company has established headquarters offices in the First National bank building.
What plans are for operation of the Klamath Falls plant have not been announced. Shaw declined to comment on this matter, pointing out that the plant is going into other hands and further announcements must come from other sources.
For some time there have been reports that a consolidation plan, involving certain mills in this section, was taking shape, and it is possible the transaction disclosed Friday may be a first step in that direction." (The Evening Herald)
Deed for the property, in favor of the Anglo-California National Bank of San Francisco, will be filed here in the next few days. The Klamath property carries a value in excess of $1,000,000.
It is understood the San Francisco bank will hold the property pending the completion of plans by an operating company.
Meanwhile, disposal of its Klamath plant will clear the way for Shaw-Bertram to perfect its plans for operations on the Klamath Indian reservation, where it has 600,000,000 feet of timber under contract, and also at Tionesta, on the Great Northern line in California, where it has a mill and 130,000,000 feet of timber under operation.
In disposing of its Klamath property, the company is retaining re-manufacturing equipment from the planing mill and box factory to equip a five cut-off factory. This equipment was being removed from the plant on the Klamath river Friday, and will be used in establishing a box factory, either here or at Tionesta, Calif.
Shaw-Bertram's Squaw Flat timber unit, on the Klamath reservation, is fully developed as to railroads and camps, and operations will begin there at once. It is the company's plan to construct a mill in that locality to handle its reservation timber program. The mill will probably be located at Squaw Valley, on the Oregon, California and Eastern railroad about six miles from Sprague River.
It was learned also Friday that there has been a centralization of ownership in the Shaw-Bertram company, with J. R. Shaw of this city becoming virtually the sole owner. Shaw has purchased the Smith interests, it was learned.
Shaw-Bertram company has established headquarters offices in the First National bank building.
What plans are for operation of the Klamath Falls plant have not been announced. Shaw declined to comment on this matter, pointing out that the plant is going into other hands and further announcements must come from other sources.
For some time there have been reports that a consolidation plan, involving certain mills in this section, was taking shape, and it is possible the transaction disclosed Friday may be a first step in that direction." (The Evening Herald)