U. S. PLYWOOD CORP.
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Lane County - Mapleton
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Postcard, postmarked 1952 - Ron Kemnow Collection
March 15, 1946: "Mr. Mahoney announced that the U. S. Plywood Corporation plant at Mapleton expects to start operating Monday. His family will arrive from Seattle, March 21, to make their home at Mapleton." (Eugene Register-Guard)
March 10, 1951: "The largest single construction for which a permit was issued in February was a $30,000 storage shed for the U. S. Plywood Corp. at Mapleton." (Register-Guard)
July 28, 1951: "Three and one-half million board feet of peeler logs, cut and bucked for plywood manufacture at U. S. Plywood Corp., Mapleton, were destroyed Friday by forest fire that swept through 250 acres min the Linslaw area." (Eugene Register-Guard)
May 15, 1952: "No official word of the strike settlement had been received at U. S. Plywood Corp. at Mapleton at noon Thursday, an official there said, so no action has been taken to reopen yet. The Mapleton plywood workers have been out on strike with the rest of the industry." (Eugene Register-Guard)
April 24, 1954: "A $21,500 damage suit against the U. S. Plywood Corporation at Mapleton was on file at Lane County Circuit Court Friday, alleged that the firm damaged adjoining property by allowing 'noxious substances' to run onto it.
Loda Davis and Grave Davis, plaintiffs and adjoining property owners, charged that between June 1, 1948, and the present the plywood firm 'collected and brought upon its lands oil, glue, chemicals and other noxious substances which is allowed to escape onto the lands of the plaintiffs.'
The complaint alleged that the discharged materials have had a 'serious effect' on the land's productivity and had 'permanently diminished. the land's value for pasture, grazing, and the raising of crops.
The plaintiffs alleged the corporation has been negligent for the failing to provide an 'adequate system of drains or disposals.'
According to the complaint, the 'gummy substances cast on the plaintiff's lands dtracted from their natural beauty and enjoyment.'
The alleged acts of the defendant, the complaint asserted, were not a 'reasonable exercise' of the dominion which the firm has over its property." (Register-Guard)
Loda Davis and Grave Davis, plaintiffs and adjoining property owners, charged that between June 1, 1948, and the present the plywood firm 'collected and brought upon its lands oil, glue, chemicals and other noxious substances which is allowed to escape onto the lands of the plaintiffs.'
The complaint alleged that the discharged materials have had a 'serious effect' on the land's productivity and had 'permanently diminished. the land's value for pasture, grazing, and the raising of crops.
The plaintiffs alleged the corporation has been negligent for the failing to provide an 'adequate system of drains or disposals.'
According to the complaint, the 'gummy substances cast on the plaintiff's lands dtracted from their natural beauty and enjoyment.'
The alleged acts of the defendant, the complaint asserted, were not a 'reasonable exercise' of the dominion which the firm has over its property." (Register-Guard)
February 4, 1956: "Joe Thompson, 46, of East Mapleton, suffered severe head injuries Friday afternoon while working at the U. S. Plywood pant in Mapleton.
He was rushed to Sacred Heart Hospital in Eugene by Coast Ambulance, about 4:30 p.m. when he was struck in the forehead and knock unconscious by a piece of machinery. Friends said a planer machine broke.
He was reported in 'quite critical' condition Saturday, with a skull fracture and other severe head injuries." (Eugene Register-Guard)
He was rushed to Sacred Heart Hospital in Eugene by Coast Ambulance, about 4:30 p.m. when he was struck in the forehead and knock unconscious by a piece of machinery. Friends said a planer machine broke.
He was reported in 'quite critical' condition Saturday, with a skull fracture and other severe head injuries." (Eugene Register-Guard)
February 5, 1956: "Joe Thompson, 46, of East Mapleton, was still in critical condition Saturday night at Sacred Heart Hospital. Thompson suffered severe head injuries Friday afternoon while working at the U. S. Plywood plant in Mapleton." (Register-Guard)
February 24, 1957: "Lumber mills are running and enlarging their plants to better utilize waste products. In September, United States Plywood at Mapleton started operating its new "C" mill, designed to survive present-day competition and still use salvage logs from the plywood plant.
Refuse veneer and peeler cores from the plywood plant and bark-free wood from the sawmill now are made into chips and sold to an Albany paper mill." (Register-Guard)
Refuse veneer and peeler cores from the plywood plant and bark-free wood from the sawmill now are made into chips and sold to an Albany paper mill." (Register-Guard)
February 24, 1957: "It feels pretty wonderful to a blind man to return to the world of working, useful men. Joe Thompson, blinded by a planer mill accident last February, returned to work last week. Between the two dates lay a year of struggle and rehabilitation.
Thompson's is a useful, necessary job in the United States Plywood plant, near Mapleton, a job that was held by a sighted man till he took it over last week. This is something new at Plywood, the first time a blind man has ever held a job in the plant. And something new for Joe; he had worked in lumber mills before but never with plywood.
A year ago Thompson took a temporary job at the U. S. Plywood planer mill. It was at the end of the third week, his last day on the job, that he was injured.
Rushed to Sacred Heart hospital in Eugene, he underwent emergency surgery. A second operation followed later. Thompson was unconscious for weeks and on the critical list.
After several months at home, Thompson was sent to a pre-vocational school in Minnesota, run by the Minneapolis Society for the Blind. Here he learned to travel with a cane, to read braille, and most important, to live with his blindness.
He returned to Mapleton shortly before Christmas. Then followed more surgery to put a plate in his forehead where the bone had been crushed.
Wearing goggles and protected by a shield especially built for him, Thompson performs his job as offbearer to the fishtail saw as well as any sighted man might. At present he handles only four-foot lengths of veneer core. But when it is necessary to handle six-foot lengths there will be a bell to warn him of the change in lengths. Art Hunt of Swisshome operates the saw and works with him. Hunt sees that Thompson is at his place behind the saw when the day starts and walks with him to the lunch room.
Cooperation of management and the labor union, Local 9437-CIO, made this job possible for Joe. It is a bid job and several men, temporarily off work were eligible for it. The union voted unanimously that he have the job. Ralph DeMoisey, general manager of the Mapleton division, was proud that they could offer the job to a man so seriously injured in an industrial accident. It is one of the few jobs in the plant nor requiring visual inspection and that cannot be mechanized." From a story written by Mary Souder (Register-Guard)
Thompson's is a useful, necessary job in the United States Plywood plant, near Mapleton, a job that was held by a sighted man till he took it over last week. This is something new at Plywood, the first time a blind man has ever held a job in the plant. And something new for Joe; he had worked in lumber mills before but never with plywood.
A year ago Thompson took a temporary job at the U. S. Plywood planer mill. It was at the end of the third week, his last day on the job, that he was injured.
Rushed to Sacred Heart hospital in Eugene, he underwent emergency surgery. A second operation followed later. Thompson was unconscious for weeks and on the critical list.
After several months at home, Thompson was sent to a pre-vocational school in Minnesota, run by the Minneapolis Society for the Blind. Here he learned to travel with a cane, to read braille, and most important, to live with his blindness.
He returned to Mapleton shortly before Christmas. Then followed more surgery to put a plate in his forehead where the bone had been crushed.
Wearing goggles and protected by a shield especially built for him, Thompson performs his job as offbearer to the fishtail saw as well as any sighted man might. At present he handles only four-foot lengths of veneer core. But when it is necessary to handle six-foot lengths there will be a bell to warn him of the change in lengths. Art Hunt of Swisshome operates the saw and works with him. Hunt sees that Thompson is at his place behind the saw when the day starts and walks with him to the lunch room.
Cooperation of management and the labor union, Local 9437-CIO, made this job possible for Joe. It is a bid job and several men, temporarily off work were eligible for it. The union voted unanimously that he have the job. Ralph DeMoisey, general manager of the Mapleton division, was proud that they could offer the job to a man so seriously injured in an industrial accident. It is one of the few jobs in the plant nor requiring visual inspection and that cannot be mechanized." From a story written by Mary Souder (Register-Guard)
May 6, 1957: "Ralph DeMoisey, superintendent of the U. S. Plywood, Mapleton division, announced this week that the plywood plant at Mapleton will be converted to a straight sheathing plant, starting May 13.
This will mean part of the present manufacturing processes will be shut down and about 40 men in the plant will be laid off.
There is a big demand for Plywood at this time. The plant here faced the alternative of converting to this or shutting down completely. This will give the plant a chance to survive where many plants have had to shut down completely." (Register-Guard)
This will mean part of the present manufacturing processes will be shut down and about 40 men in the plant will be laid off.
There is a big demand for Plywood at this time. The plant here faced the alternative of converting to this or shutting down completely. This will give the plant a chance to survive where many plants have had to shut down completely." (Register-Guard)
August 27, 1959: "Creation of a new position has resulted in promotion of Harry Russell to assistant manager of United States Plywood Corp.'s Oregon division at Eugene.
Since April of 1958 Russell has been manager of U. S. Plywood's Mapleton operations." (Register-Guard)
Since April of 1958 Russell has been manager of U. S. Plywood's Mapleton operations." (Register-Guard)
February 28, 1960: "Logging, sawmilling and plywood production operated continuously during The year at U. S. Plywood Company's Mapleton branch. Recent addition of a new stud mill is expected to increase lumber production and shipment by 20 per cent, according tp office manager Kenneth Smith." (Register-Guard)
April 20, 1960: "The Mapleton housing project, scheduled to be closed by the Lane County Housing Authority on June 30, may still have a lease on life.
Robert Campbell, director of the housing authority, said board members agreed to work toward possible sale of the buildings to the U. S. Plywood Corp.
The plywood manufacturing firm has a large mill at Mapleton, and has been trying to keep the 30-unit housing project open to provide homes for many of its workers.
The company wants to retain the homes because of a housing shortage reported in the Mapleton area.
Campbell said the housing project at Mapleton Heights is on ground leased from the plywood firm. Until recently, there have been statements that the buildings can't be sold for use as dwelling because of substandard war-time construction.
But the director said Tuesday that a point of law has been found that indicates the units may be sold if the 'controlling authority' (Lane County) gives its approval.
Campbell said the company wants to remove all of the substandard features so far as possible, cut the total to about 15 units and make repairs.
Three of the units would be kept by the company for rentals to Mapleton school teachers. The remainder would be rented to U. S. Plywood Co. employes." (Register-Guard)
Robert Campbell, director of the housing authority, said board members agreed to work toward possible sale of the buildings to the U. S. Plywood Corp.
The plywood manufacturing firm has a large mill at Mapleton, and has been trying to keep the 30-unit housing project open to provide homes for many of its workers.
The company wants to retain the homes because of a housing shortage reported in the Mapleton area.
Campbell said the housing project at Mapleton Heights is on ground leased from the plywood firm. Until recently, there have been statements that the buildings can't be sold for use as dwelling because of substandard war-time construction.
But the director said Tuesday that a point of law has been found that indicates the units may be sold if the 'controlling authority' (Lane County) gives its approval.
Campbell said the company wants to remove all of the substandard features so far as possible, cut the total to about 15 units and make repairs.
Three of the units would be kept by the company for rentals to Mapleton school teachers. The remainder would be rented to U. S. Plywood Co. employes." (Register-Guard)
February 25, 1962: "Mills in the area produced more than 150 million board feet of lumber during the two-year period. In addition, the new stud mill at U. S. Plywood's Mapleton branch, produced approximately 7.2 million board feet and over 1 million board feet of lumber were contained in the three log shipments barged from the Port of Siuslaw. Plywood production increased from 55,816,074 board feet in 1960 to 68,576,025 in 1961." (Eugene Register-Guard)
July 12, 1963: "In the Emerald Empire workers at U. S. Plywood plants in Eugene, Mapleton and Reedsport are out on strike." (Eugene Register-Guard)