SOUTHERN OREGON IMPROVEMENT CO.
Empire City
May 22, 1884: “W. Granger, the reputed millwright of the Southern Oregon improvement company, returned to the bay last steamer, accompanied by his wife and daughter, which is an indication that he came to stay and put up the big mill that there has been so much talk about. A private letter from San Francisco says: 'The steamer for Coos bay, lately built at Bath, Me., will soon be on her way out from the east, with the machinery and equipment for a mill at Empire City. The mill will be built and put into operation this summer. As to further improvements, it is said the company will move cautiously; but not for the want of means. It has all the money it needs and is under control of Boston men, who carefully consider and new departure before making it. As chief manager of the company, W. H. Besse has been succeeded by a man named Smith. There is no probability of the inauguration of any railroad building this summer. The company is content to permit its Coos bay wagon road land to lie as an investment for the present. The building and equipment of the mill are about all the improvements that have been agreed upon so far. The Southern Oregon improvement company badly needs the Newport coal mine to round up with, and it may buy the mine.” (The Coast Mail)
July 17, 1884: “Empire is now most assuredly looking up and enjoying a boom. It had been going the down grade for so many years that it had become almost depopulated. But the Oregon Southern Improvement company have checked the decline and already made a great change there, and within six months Empire will look like a new place. The old mill and all the buildings and property of the Luse dynasty were in a ruinous condition when the new company took possession, but now all this is changed; the mill is running, sawing out timbers to be used in the building of the new mill; the houses have been painted and overhauled, and an air of prosperity now pervades where but a few months ago there was only desertion and silence. Pile drivers are busy at work driving piles for wharves and booms, and the sound of the hammer and saw is heard in all directions. Two logging camps have already been started---one in charge of Wm. Turpin and the other in charge of Rod. Milledge---and the woods, where silence has reigned for so long, now ring with the sound of the ax and crash of falling trees. Turpin's camp is below town and Milledge's is back of the upper end of town, and he puts his logs into the mill boom.
The new mill at Empire is to be a large two story structure. The south end of it will commence where the logway of the old mill ended. It will run north 400 feet, and will be 72 feet wide. The motive power will be 12 or 15 steam boilers, each 24 feet long and 4 feet in diameter, and three engines---a single one with a 30-inch cylinder and 36-inch stroke. The machinery for the mill is being manufactured at the Union Iron works, San Francisco, and is to be ready for shipment to Empire by the middle of September next, and it is expected that the new mill will be completed about next January. It will have a capacity of 150,000 feet of lumber per day; everything will be arranged in modern and most convenient shape, and nothing will be wasted, as all scraps and refuse will be shipped.
On the main floor of the mill will be two circular saws for bolting the logs, one gang of 36 saws, two edgers and five trimmers. The circulars for bolting will be 60 inches in diameter and their carriageway will be 125 feet in length. The upper saw of the double circulars will be 54 inches in diameter and the lower one 60 inches, with a 40-foot carriageway.
The logs will come in at the north end of the mill and the lumber, carried from the different saws on rollers run by steam power, will be carried out the south end.
The wharves, sheds, etc., for the reception and storage of lumber will be extensive.
The drafting of the plan of the mill was executed by Charles Elvidge, who came up by steamer last month and returned by last steamer. Elvidge lately drafted the plan for the new mill now building at Port Townsend, W. T. Mr. M. V. Brown of San Francisco is the millwright and the timbers, most of which are 16 inches square, are now being framed.
Mr. W. O. Phillips is engineer of the mill and A. Olsen, who was head sawyer at North Bend several years ago, is head sawyer and millman.
Mr. W.P. Granger and G. H. Miner, are the two gentlemen at the head of the enterprise here, and they are both highly esteemed by all those with whom they come in contact. Granger was the engineer in charge of the Hoosac (Mass.) tunnel in 1867.
The company evidently mean business and have men at the head of affairs who know what they are about. Hey have improved the old store building by putting a new foundation under it, a new roof on it instead of the old tin one, a new platform in front, a door and pulley at the rear end for hoisting heavy articles to the second floor, and have newly painted the building, inside and out. E. F. Cook of this place did the inside painting, which is a guaranty that it was well and newly executed.
The company have a new and extensive stock of goods for their store now on the way from the east by the steamer Alki, Capt. Doane, which vessel left New York on the 1st inst. And will be due here in September. The store will be under the management of Capt. G. B. Knowles.
The house near the mill has been repainted and repapered and Granger now occupies it for an office.
The old cook-house has been newly shingled and painted and a large dining room has been added to it. Mrs. A. H. Moore, formerly of Coaledo and Coquille City, has charge of the cook-house and dining room, and the boarders express themselves as highly satisfied with the fare served.
The company have also made improvements to their houses on the hill, by painting, outside and in, papering, etc., and painting and white washing fences.
There are in the employ of the company about 40 men, besides the the pile driver crews.
W. H. Noble runs one pile driver and the company are running another, which is in charge of H. A. Osborne of San Francisco, a man of experience in such work. Geo. Davis of this place built the scow for the company's driver. The gins are 60 feet high and 24 inches apart, and the hammer weighs 3200 pounds. It is estimated that at least 4000 piles they are driving are as much as 23 inches in diameter.
As soon as things get to running smoothly an addition to the town will be platted and lots will be sold at a reasonable figure to all who will build houses thereon.
The company are a law and order company, too; they will neither rent their buildings nor sell their land for saloon or immoral purposes, nor keep in their employ men who get drunk.” (The Coast Mail)
The new mill at Empire is to be a large two story structure. The south end of it will commence where the logway of the old mill ended. It will run north 400 feet, and will be 72 feet wide. The motive power will be 12 or 15 steam boilers, each 24 feet long and 4 feet in diameter, and three engines---a single one with a 30-inch cylinder and 36-inch stroke. The machinery for the mill is being manufactured at the Union Iron works, San Francisco, and is to be ready for shipment to Empire by the middle of September next, and it is expected that the new mill will be completed about next January. It will have a capacity of 150,000 feet of lumber per day; everything will be arranged in modern and most convenient shape, and nothing will be wasted, as all scraps and refuse will be shipped.
On the main floor of the mill will be two circular saws for bolting the logs, one gang of 36 saws, two edgers and five trimmers. The circulars for bolting will be 60 inches in diameter and their carriageway will be 125 feet in length. The upper saw of the double circulars will be 54 inches in diameter and the lower one 60 inches, with a 40-foot carriageway.
The logs will come in at the north end of the mill and the lumber, carried from the different saws on rollers run by steam power, will be carried out the south end.
The wharves, sheds, etc., for the reception and storage of lumber will be extensive.
The drafting of the plan of the mill was executed by Charles Elvidge, who came up by steamer last month and returned by last steamer. Elvidge lately drafted the plan for the new mill now building at Port Townsend, W. T. Mr. M. V. Brown of San Francisco is the millwright and the timbers, most of which are 16 inches square, are now being framed.
Mr. W. O. Phillips is engineer of the mill and A. Olsen, who was head sawyer at North Bend several years ago, is head sawyer and millman.
Mr. W.P. Granger and G. H. Miner, are the two gentlemen at the head of the enterprise here, and they are both highly esteemed by all those with whom they come in contact. Granger was the engineer in charge of the Hoosac (Mass.) tunnel in 1867.
The company evidently mean business and have men at the head of affairs who know what they are about. Hey have improved the old store building by putting a new foundation under it, a new roof on it instead of the old tin one, a new platform in front, a door and pulley at the rear end for hoisting heavy articles to the second floor, and have newly painted the building, inside and out. E. F. Cook of this place did the inside painting, which is a guaranty that it was well and newly executed.
The company have a new and extensive stock of goods for their store now on the way from the east by the steamer Alki, Capt. Doane, which vessel left New York on the 1st inst. And will be due here in September. The store will be under the management of Capt. G. B. Knowles.
The house near the mill has been repainted and repapered and Granger now occupies it for an office.
The old cook-house has been newly shingled and painted and a large dining room has been added to it. Mrs. A. H. Moore, formerly of Coaledo and Coquille City, has charge of the cook-house and dining room, and the boarders express themselves as highly satisfied with the fare served.
The company have also made improvements to their houses on the hill, by painting, outside and in, papering, etc., and painting and white washing fences.
There are in the employ of the company about 40 men, besides the the pile driver crews.
W. H. Noble runs one pile driver and the company are running another, which is in charge of H. A. Osborne of San Francisco, a man of experience in such work. Geo. Davis of this place built the scow for the company's driver. The gins are 60 feet high and 24 inches apart, and the hammer weighs 3200 pounds. It is estimated that at least 4000 piles they are driving are as much as 23 inches in diameter.
As soon as things get to running smoothly an addition to the town will be platted and lots will be sold at a reasonable figure to all who will build houses thereon.
The company are a law and order company, too; they will neither rent their buildings nor sell their land for saloon or immoral purposes, nor keep in their employ men who get drunk.” (The Coast Mail)
July 22, 1884: “The Southern Oregon Improvement company have begun work on a large scale at Empire City, where they have already commenced the construction of a saw mill capable of turning out daily 120 M feet of lumber. The building will be 400 feet in length, 72 feet wide and two stories high, and the wharves, lumber sheds, etc., will be very extensive. At present the company is engaged in building the foundation and getting out timbers for the mill. Piles are being driven for the wharves and mill buildings; cook houses, etc., are being repaired and additions built. Two pile drivers are working steadily at present; one belongs to the company and one to W. H. Noble & Co., and by the end of the week two more will be in operation. To complete the foundation for the mill and wharves 4,000 piles will be driven, and when the four pile drivers are at work 32 men will be employed on them.
A Mr. M. V. Brown, of Oakland, Cal., has charge of the frame work for the mill and some 20 carpenters are at present engaged in hewing the timber which are being cut in the old saw mill close by, where some 15 men find employment.---[News.” (Coquille City Herald)
A Mr. M. V. Brown, of Oakland, Cal., has charge of the frame work for the mill and some 20 carpenters are at present engaged in hewing the timber which are being cut in the old saw mill close by, where some 15 men find employment.---[News.” (Coquille City Herald)
October 2, 1884: “W. P. Metcalf, the general manager of the O.S.I. Co., arrived by last steamer and has established his headquarters at Empire.” (The Coast Mail)
December 18, 1884: “August Ulman, a Swede, some 30 years of age, who had been in the employ of the O.S.I. Company only three or four days, met with an accidental and sudden death at Empire City last Friday in a somewhat singular manner. Ulman, with others, was carrying lumber on trucks to the new wharf being built in front of the large building in which Sengstacken's store is located, when one of the planks on the truck at which he was employed collided with the flag-pole at the corner of the store and caused the ornamental ball at the top of the pole to fall and strike him on the head, crushing in his temple and causing death in about three hours thereafter. Immediately after the accident Dr. Tower was sent for and soon arrived there, but nothing could be done for Ulman. He died without recovering consciousness or realizing what hurt him. Ulman seems to have been a stranger on the bay.” (The Coast Mail)
February 5, 1885: “The steamer Arcata arrived last Friday. Among the freight was a large lot of machinery for the O. S. I. Company's new mill at Empire.” (The Coast Mail)
February 12, 1885: “Last week a force of 60 or 70 men appeared to be employed in and about the mills at Empire. The old mill is running and manufacturing such lumber as is needed by the O.S.I. Company in the various works under way.
Work at the new mill is progressing as rapidly as work of that character can be consistently pushed. The 12 huge boilers are in place and masons are constructing the furnaces under them. W. P. Granger, civil engineer, is giving his personal attention to the setting of the engines on foundations about as solid as the rock of Gibraltar, and a vast amount of machinery is strewed in and around the building, awaiting its time to be put where it is to go.
C. Elvidge, the draughtsman of the mill, is there, attending to that branch of the business in which he is personally concerned.
N. A. Tyler has succeeded M. V. Brown as foreman of the workmen at the new mill.
This will not be the largest mill on the coast, but it will be one of the very best. It will have the capacity to turn off 150,000 feet of lumber per day, but it is not probable that it will be run at its full capacity until there is an improvement in the lumber trade.
The last Arcata brought up for the O.S.I. Company a new iron planer that is large enough to execute all work in its line that will ever be needed on Coos bay. It is a Pacific coast patent, manufactured by the San Francisco Tool company, and is the most perfect machine of its character that is made. In three days after its arrival it was up and at work in the company's machine shop.
The new building for the principal office of the O.S.I. Company, adjoining their store, is completed and the officers for whose accommodation it was erected are comfortable quartered there.
James Webster has succeeded G. H. Miner as the company's chief bookkeeper.
A new and substantial warehouse, 40 by 75 feet in dimensions and capable of holding 600 tons, was recently built built by the company at its new wharf, in a locality convenient to both the store and the mill and where vessels can lie alongside and discharge cargoes with convenience and economy to all concerned.
The company's store is crowded with new goods of every description needed in this market, and they are being sold at prices away below the prices that prevailed before the advent of the O.S.I. Company. W. P. Brownell, a competent and affable gentleman, has charged of the store.
New sidewalks are being built around the large building in which Sengstacken's store is located, and all of that building is now tenanted excepting a small portion of the lower story on the south side.
All of the property belonging to the company that has not been repaired and properly improved is now receiving attention.
The company's dam at the Luse lake back of Empire is completed and soon the town will receive an abundant supply of pure and excellent water from that source.
W. P. Metcalf, the general manager of the O.S.I. Company, by his works shows himself to be the right man in the right place. No grass grows under Metcalf's feet, for he is the personification of Old Ubiquity and sees to everything that is going on within his jurisdiction. The work that he done is executed with a view to permanence, convenience and economy.” (The Coast Mail)
Work at the new mill is progressing as rapidly as work of that character can be consistently pushed. The 12 huge boilers are in place and masons are constructing the furnaces under them. W. P. Granger, civil engineer, is giving his personal attention to the setting of the engines on foundations about as solid as the rock of Gibraltar, and a vast amount of machinery is strewed in and around the building, awaiting its time to be put where it is to go.
C. Elvidge, the draughtsman of the mill, is there, attending to that branch of the business in which he is personally concerned.
N. A. Tyler has succeeded M. V. Brown as foreman of the workmen at the new mill.
This will not be the largest mill on the coast, but it will be one of the very best. It will have the capacity to turn off 150,000 feet of lumber per day, but it is not probable that it will be run at its full capacity until there is an improvement in the lumber trade.
The last Arcata brought up for the O.S.I. Company a new iron planer that is large enough to execute all work in its line that will ever be needed on Coos bay. It is a Pacific coast patent, manufactured by the San Francisco Tool company, and is the most perfect machine of its character that is made. In three days after its arrival it was up and at work in the company's machine shop.
The new building for the principal office of the O.S.I. Company, adjoining their store, is completed and the officers for whose accommodation it was erected are comfortable quartered there.
James Webster has succeeded G. H. Miner as the company's chief bookkeeper.
A new and substantial warehouse, 40 by 75 feet in dimensions and capable of holding 600 tons, was recently built built by the company at its new wharf, in a locality convenient to both the store and the mill and where vessels can lie alongside and discharge cargoes with convenience and economy to all concerned.
The company's store is crowded with new goods of every description needed in this market, and they are being sold at prices away below the prices that prevailed before the advent of the O.S.I. Company. W. P. Brownell, a competent and affable gentleman, has charged of the store.
New sidewalks are being built around the large building in which Sengstacken's store is located, and all of that building is now tenanted excepting a small portion of the lower story on the south side.
All of the property belonging to the company that has not been repaired and properly improved is now receiving attention.
The company's dam at the Luse lake back of Empire is completed and soon the town will receive an abundant supply of pure and excellent water from that source.
W. P. Metcalf, the general manager of the O.S.I. Company, by his works shows himself to be the right man in the right place. No grass grows under Metcalf's feet, for he is the personification of Old Ubiquity and sees to everything that is going on within his jurisdiction. The work that he done is executed with a view to permanence, convenience and economy.” (The Coast Mail)
March 5, 1885: “Joseph Yoakam and Story Noah delivered to the O.S.I. Company last week 180 myrtle sticks, intended for use as rollers in their mill at Empire.” (The Coast Mail)
May 7, 1885: “The Arcata brought on her last trip three large new planers for the O.S.I. Company's mill at Empire. Two of the machines are to plane flooring and the knives are so arranged that both sides of the lumber are planed at the same time. The machines are considered perfect in their way.” (The Coast Mail)
October 29, 1885: “The O. S. I. Company's mill at Empire has been shut down and closed up for an indefinite time. The logs in the boom were sold to Simpson Bros. At North Bend and the stave mill at his place.” (The Coast Mail)
August 23, 1902: “Southern Oregon Company. Location of mill, Empire City, R. E. Shine, Superintendent. This mill, when in operation, will cut 160,000 feet of lumber per day, and employ in and around the mill 70 men. The men employed in the woods will approximate 175.”
“The Southern Oregon Co's mill at Empire, with large holdings of timber land. Is in the process of changing hands, and the new owners will undoubtedly develop their property.” (The Coast Mail)
“The Southern Oregon Co's mill at Empire, with large holdings of timber land. Is in the process of changing hands, and the new owners will undoubtedly develop their property.” (The Coast Mail)