SUMPTER LUMBER COMPANY
August 13, 1892: "William Clark, an employe in the Sumpter Valley mills in this city, this morning met with a frightful accident which will cost him his life. He was rolling a log and in some manner fell into the 'nigger' hole. The carriage in coming back, caught the unfortunate man, the iron head block striking his side and disemboweling him. He arose, walked a few steps and sat down. He was unable to explain the accident. Clark is about 30 years old and has relatives in the east, but their residence is unknown." (The Times-Mountaineer)
January 31, 1900: "The Sumpter Lumber company's mill is shut down for repairs for a few days. The winter season is usually selected for overhauling machinery, but owing to heavy demand at this time, it has been Manager Stoddard's intention to deviate from the custom this winter and keep the mill running. During the past few weeks, however, he has decided that the demand for lumber during the coming months, especially in the spring, will be so great that these repairs are absolutely necessary, in order to continue operations during the rush that he now looks for with certainty.
The most important improvement being made is the replacing of the old boilers with new ones, of 100-horse power, which will not only increase the capacity of the mill about fifty per cent, making the daily output 45,000 feet of lumber, as well as furnishing steam heat and power for the hot air blast used in the dry kilns.
At present the company has a half million feet of logs piled up within one mile of town, waiting for sufficient snow to make good sleighing, so that they can be hauled to the mill. When the mill starts up again it will be for a long, continuous run, with every facility and convenience for the largest possible production." (Sumpter Miner)
The most important improvement being made is the replacing of the old boilers with new ones, of 100-horse power, which will not only increase the capacity of the mill about fifty per cent, making the daily output 45,000 feet of lumber, as well as furnishing steam heat and power for the hot air blast used in the dry kilns.
At present the company has a half million feet of logs piled up within one mile of town, waiting for sufficient snow to make good sleighing, so that they can be hauled to the mill. When the mill starts up again it will be for a long, continuous run, with every facility and convenience for the largest possible production." (Sumpter Miner)
November 14, 1901: “The Sumpter Lumber company's new 45 horsepower engine has been installed at the saw mill at Sumpter, and all three engines started up last week and are working satisfactorily, both in the saw mill and the planing mill.” (The Harrisburg Bulletin)
July 24, 1903: "J. B. Stoddard has Transferred his holdings in the Sumpter Lumber Company to Henry Hewitt, Jr., of Tacoma, for a consideration of about $40,000 cash. This deal includes all of Stoddard's title to the sawmill, timber lands, with the exception of a few claims, all the buildings and machinery of the planer mills, dry kilns, sheds in the lumber yards, and a lease for one year of the ground on which these are situated." (Morning Oregonian)