UTTER & BURNS SAWMILL
Annie Creek
Continued from: Kingdon Brothers Sawmill
October 8, 1908: “Messrs. Utter & Burns our new sawmill proprietors having about exhausted their timber supply on Wood river, will remove their mill this Fall upon Annie creek in the north end of our valley, where they have procured timber on the forest reserve.” (Klamath Falls Express)
December 10, 1908: "Burns & Utter, the new sawmill firm, who have located on Annie Creek, expect to have their mill ready for operation in about ten days. They have a fine belt of timber to draw from in the Forest Reserve, and will turn out some first class lumber." (The Evening Herald)
December 24, 1908: “Utter & Burns, our new sawmill men, having removed the Kingdon Bros. Mill from Wood river to the north end of the valley on Annie creek, six miles north of Fort Klamath, are working like beavers to get their mill in running order by early spring. They will have new buildings throughout as none of the old ones were moved.” (Klamath Falls Express)
January 22, 1909: "Papers confirming the sale of 5,000,000 feet of yellow pine and some white fir to Utter & Burns of Fort Klamath were received yesterday by the local forest officials.
The timber is located on Anna creek. The company has also secured a special use lease from the forest service for a mill site, on which they are erecting a sawmill with a capacity of 15,000 feet per day. They also take out a ditch from Anna creek, which will be three-quarters of a mile in length, which will furnish power to operate their planing mill.
The price paid the government for the timber is $3.25 per thousand and $1 per thousand for the white pine. The latter wood was formerly considered worthless, but it is now found to be useful for a variety of purposes.
The cutting are embraces about 240 acres, and only about 35 percent of the merchantable timber on the tract will be cut. The cutting will be done under strict governmental supervision, each tree to be cut will be marked by an employe of the forest service. All brush must be piled so as to lesson fire menace, and an occasional sound tree will be left for reseeding, so as to produce another crop equal to the present one in from 30 to 40 years. By this method of scientific cutting it is possible to prolong the use of a forest indefinitely.
The Crater lake road runs through the tract along Anna creek and a strip 100 yards wide on each side of the road has been left for scenic purposes.
The sale was consummated after 30 days of advertising, and Utter & Burns being the highest bidders, accured the contract. The contract calls for the completion of the cutting inside of three years." (The Medford Mail)
The timber is located on Anna creek. The company has also secured a special use lease from the forest service for a mill site, on which they are erecting a sawmill with a capacity of 15,000 feet per day. They also take out a ditch from Anna creek, which will be three-quarters of a mile in length, which will furnish power to operate their planing mill.
The price paid the government for the timber is $3.25 per thousand and $1 per thousand for the white pine. The latter wood was formerly considered worthless, but it is now found to be useful for a variety of purposes.
The cutting are embraces about 240 acres, and only about 35 percent of the merchantable timber on the tract will be cut. The cutting will be done under strict governmental supervision, each tree to be cut will be marked by an employe of the forest service. All brush must be piled so as to lesson fire menace, and an occasional sound tree will be left for reseeding, so as to produce another crop equal to the present one in from 30 to 40 years. By this method of scientific cutting it is possible to prolong the use of a forest indefinitely.
The Crater lake road runs through the tract along Anna creek and a strip 100 yards wide on each side of the road has been left for scenic purposes.
The sale was consummated after 30 days of advertising, and Utter & Burns being the highest bidders, accured the contract. The contract calls for the completion of the cutting inside of three years." (The Medford Mail)
March 11, 1909: “Mr. M. Utter, Wood river valley's wide awake sawmill man, paid Klamath Falls a flying visit last week. He has had three or four men at work all Winter in the north end of the valley getting his mill in shape for an early Spring run, besides he has constructed a mill race of over a mile in length, where it had taken three men to clear the right of way of snow and brush as fast as one made the ditch.” (Klamath Falls Express)
December 4, 1909: "W.T. Burns and M.F. Looseley arrived in the city last evening from Ft. Klamath on their way to San Francisco, where they go to purchase the machinery for doubling the capacity of the Utter & Burns sawmill located at the head of the Wood River valley on Annie creek. Mr. Looseley is superintendent of the mill and has had active charge of it since commencement of operations last July. During this time it has turned out nearly one million feet of merchantable lumber.
The timber for the mill is purchased from the government and is the highest grade yellow pine, and Mt. Looseley states that he finds this source of supply quite satisfactory. The stumpage price is $3.25.
The capacity of the mill will be doubled. Rough and planed lumber will be turned out, and mouldings. When the improvements are completed fifteen men will be steadily employed at the mill, aside from the yardmen and loggers. This will be a source of considerable revenue for the Ft. Klamath section. The capacity of the new mill will be 25,000 feet a day." (The Evening Herald)
The timber for the mill is purchased from the government and is the highest grade yellow pine, and Mt. Looseley states that he finds this source of supply quite satisfactory. The stumpage price is $3.25.
The capacity of the mill will be doubled. Rough and planed lumber will be turned out, and mouldings. When the improvements are completed fifteen men will be steadily employed at the mill, aside from the yardmen and loggers. This will be a source of considerable revenue for the Ft. Klamath section. The capacity of the new mill will be 25,000 feet a day." (The Evening Herald)
December 9, 1909: “W. T. Burns and M. F. Looseley arrived Friday evening from Fort Klamath on their way to San Francisco, to purchase the machinery for doubling the capacity of the Utter & Burns sawmill, located at the head of Wood River valley on Annie Creek. Mr. Looseley is superintendent of the mill and has had active charge of it since commencement of operations last July. During this time it has turned out nearly one million feet of merchantable lumber.
The timber for the mill is purchased from the government and is the highest grade yellow pine, and Mr. Looseley states that he finds this source of supply quite satisfactory. The stumpage price is $3.25.
Contracts have been made for 1,500,000 for delivery next year, and it is for this purpose of increasing the capacity of the mill to such a point as to enable them to fill these orders that the machinery is being purchased. Nearly 400,000 feet of this amount is to go East and will be brought down the Upper lake and loaded on the railroad at the point nearest the lake if the road is completed there in time to admit of doing so. If not it will be brought to Klamath Falls for shipment.
The success of this enterprise has surprised no one much as Messrs. Utter & Burns. While they had confidence in the future of the territory they were going to open up, they nevertheless believed that it would require time to develop a market that would even consume the output of the present small mill. The phenomenal demand is exceedingly gratifying to them. Much of the success of the is due to the energy of Mr. Looseley. He left the government employ to take charge of the business, and has worked indefatigably to bring it to its present success.
The capacity of the mill will be doubled. Rough and planed lumber will be turned out, and mouldings. When the improvements are completed fifteen men will be steadily employed at the mill, aside from the yardmen and loggers. This will be a source of considerable revenue for the Ft. Klamath section. The capacity of the new mill will be 25,000 feet a day.” (Klamath Republican)
The timber for the mill is purchased from the government and is the highest grade yellow pine, and Mr. Looseley states that he finds this source of supply quite satisfactory. The stumpage price is $3.25.
Contracts have been made for 1,500,000 for delivery next year, and it is for this purpose of increasing the capacity of the mill to such a point as to enable them to fill these orders that the machinery is being purchased. Nearly 400,000 feet of this amount is to go East and will be brought down the Upper lake and loaded on the railroad at the point nearest the lake if the road is completed there in time to admit of doing so. If not it will be brought to Klamath Falls for shipment.
The success of this enterprise has surprised no one much as Messrs. Utter & Burns. While they had confidence in the future of the territory they were going to open up, they nevertheless believed that it would require time to develop a market that would even consume the output of the present small mill. The phenomenal demand is exceedingly gratifying to them. Much of the success of the is due to the energy of Mr. Looseley. He left the government employ to take charge of the business, and has worked indefatigably to bring it to its present success.
The capacity of the mill will be doubled. Rough and planed lumber will be turned out, and mouldings. When the improvements are completed fifteen men will be steadily employed at the mill, aside from the yardmen and loggers. This will be a source of considerable revenue for the Ft. Klamath section. The capacity of the new mill will be 25,000 feet a day.” (Klamath Republican)
December 9, 1909: "W. T. Burns, of the firm of Utter & Burns, owners of the Klamath sawmill, and M. F. Looseley, the mill superintendent, will leave for San Francisco to buy machinery to double the capacity of the mill, which is located at the head of Wood river valley on Anne creek, on the main road to Crater lake.
The mill commenced sawing on July 1st of this year, and for this season has cut about a million feet. They have a contract to supply 1,500,000 feet, rough, planed and mouldings, of which 300,000 to 400,000 feet are to be shipped East." (Klamath Falls Express)
The mill commenced sawing on July 1st of this year, and for this season has cut about a million feet. They have a contract to supply 1,500,000 feet, rough, planed and mouldings, of which 300,000 to 400,000 feet are to be shipped East." (Klamath Falls Express)
December 16, 1909: “John F. Looseley, sawyer for Utter & Burns, returned from the city Monday evening, having purchased machinery for the saw mill, consisting of an engine, boiler, etc., all much heavier machinery than is now in use in the mill.
When installed the horse power will be increased to 100, and the mill will require but five more additional men to operate it. The capacity of the mill will be between 30,000 and 35,000 feet per day. A car containing the machinery will arrive at Klamath Falls about Thursday of this week. The company has a five year contract with the government, and on account of the increased in market for lumber it was impossible to meet the demand made upon the mill with its present equipment.
Utter & Burns are located in a fine belt of sugar and yellow pine. They will in all probability make extensive shipments of their first grade lumber, having only a ten-mile haul to the boat landing.” (Klamath Republican)
When installed the horse power will be increased to 100, and the mill will require but five more additional men to operate it. The capacity of the mill will be between 30,000 and 35,000 feet per day. A car containing the machinery will arrive at Klamath Falls about Thursday of this week. The company has a five year contract with the government, and on account of the increased in market for lumber it was impossible to meet the demand made upon the mill with its present equipment.
Utter & Burns are located in a fine belt of sugar and yellow pine. They will in all probability make extensive shipments of their first grade lumber, having only a ten-mile haul to the boat landing.” (Klamath Republican)
December 16, 1909: “J. F. Looseley has gone to San Francisco to purchase heavier machinery for the Utter & Burns saw mill. The same will be installed early in the spring.” (Klamath Republican)
December 23, 1909: “M. F. Loosley and Chas. Brophy are in town today from the saw mill. They have closed for the winter, and will start up in the spring with new machinery. John Utter is in Klamath Falls now looking after a car load of freight. They will have to wait for the lake to open before they can get it to the mill.” (Klamath Republican)
January 1910: "Utter & Burns of Anna Creek, near Crater Lake park will cut 2 million pine this year. Have contracted shop and better to Thomas Hampton for Eastern shipment, by boat to Terminal City, the Southern Pacific Upper Klamath Lake siding." (The Timberman)
February 1910: "Utter & Burns are installing new machinery in their sawmill at Fort Klamath, increasing their output to 35,000 feet per day. The mill is located in a fine belt of sugar and yellow pine." (The Timberman)
June 20, 1910: "The Utter and Burns sawmill and a large amount of lumber piled in the yards eight miles north of this city were totally destroyed by fire yesterday. The fire started while the mill crew was at lunch, and is supposed to have originated from sparks from the engine. When discovered it had such headway that the crew could not check it. The loss is several thousand dollars, with no insurance." (The Sacramento Bee)
June 23, 1910: "June 16: A special from Fort Klamath states that at 12 o'clock today a fire destroyed the sawmill belonging to Utter & Burns. They have just lately installed a lot of new machinery, making it an up-to-date mill, cutting about 25,000 feet per day. The fire is thought to have started from the sawdust pile while the men were at dinner. The lumber was saved, but the mill is an entire loss." (Klamath Republican)
August 11, 1910: "A new gang edger has been taken up to the Burns & Utter sawmill at Fort Klamath, which was burned a few weeks ago. The Proprietors are rebuilding the mill and will make it one of the most up-to-date establishments in this part of the state." (Klamath Republican)
October 13, 1910: "The steamer Mazama brought down 25,000 feet of lumber from the Burns & Utter sawmill at Fort Klamath." (Klamath Republican)
May 26, 1911: "The hotel on the rim of Crater Lake is to be completed this year. Arrangements have been made with the Utter & Burns sawmill, beyond Fort Klamath, for all the lumber to be used, and this is to be hauled in as rapidly as it is ready. Instead of costing $5000, as first planned, this structure is to cost $25,000 or $30,000 when completed." (Medford Mail Tribune)
June 15, 1911: "The firm of Utter & Burns, composed of John Utter and Frank Burns, operate a saw mill about six miles north of Fort Klamath, with a capacity of 35,000 feet in ten hours, in connection with which a planer and dry kiln is also operated. The output is readily used for local trade. The firm have timber holdings to run their plant for several years. The class of timber is mostly pine which carries a large percentage of clear, and the lumber is graded into shop, first, second and third common, and then clear.
The old mill which burned last fall, has been replaced by a modern structure, built by architect Sharp and assistant, W. F. Henry, of San Francisco. Some of the best men that could be found by Utter and Burns operate the plant. R. O. Tompkins has charge of the sawing and millwright work; R. J. Carter, late of Portland, has control of the engine; Jim and Joe Norriell came back to their old jobs of offbearer and grading respectively; Joe Holmans from the Falls, runs the edger; Ed Pomeroy and Al Gibson, rachet setter and dogger on carriage; Al Montyne, the cut-off saw; R. Ritchie, rollaway; Paul Zinden, a new man, and other stalwarts complete the mill crew. The yard force are under Chas. Zimbrun, captain of the Fort Klamath baseball team. The logging is handled by the firm of Moon and Campbell, A, No. 1 loggers who are a credit to their native state, Oregon. They also have some men in their employ that for money can beat any fallers, buckers and swampers on the coast. Particularly is this true of 'Windsplitter' Erick Bergquist and Billy Sergeant. The latter is a world renowned timber faller. Those two men fall, buck and swamp an average of 20,000 feet per day, and the crew would like to hear from any logging camp who wish to have a contest in this line of work.
The cook house is under the management of C. C. Brophy with Geo. Spain as second, and Billy Page, waiter. A great variety and lots of it is always on the table." (Klamath Republican)
The old mill which burned last fall, has been replaced by a modern structure, built by architect Sharp and assistant, W. F. Henry, of San Francisco. Some of the best men that could be found by Utter and Burns operate the plant. R. O. Tompkins has charge of the sawing and millwright work; R. J. Carter, late of Portland, has control of the engine; Jim and Joe Norriell came back to their old jobs of offbearer and grading respectively; Joe Holmans from the Falls, runs the edger; Ed Pomeroy and Al Gibson, rachet setter and dogger on carriage; Al Montyne, the cut-off saw; R. Ritchie, rollaway; Paul Zinden, a new man, and other stalwarts complete the mill crew. The yard force are under Chas. Zimbrun, captain of the Fort Klamath baseball team. The logging is handled by the firm of Moon and Campbell, A, No. 1 loggers who are a credit to their native state, Oregon. They also have some men in their employ that for money can beat any fallers, buckers and swampers on the coast. Particularly is this true of 'Windsplitter' Erick Bergquist and Billy Sergeant. The latter is a world renowned timber faller. Those two men fall, buck and swamp an average of 20,000 feet per day, and the crew would like to hear from any logging camp who wish to have a contest in this line of work.
The cook house is under the management of C. C. Brophy with Geo. Spain as second, and Billy Page, waiter. A great variety and lots of it is always on the table." (Klamath Republican)
April 30, 1912: "Utter & Burns are preparing to start up their saw mill, and will probably have it running full capacity by the fore part of the month." (The Evening Herald)
May 17, 1913: "The Utter & Burns sawmill is now running full capacity. They expect to make a bigger run this year than ever before. The lumber will be hauled to the railroad by a large traction engine, which did most of the plowing last year." (The Evening Herald)
September 30, 1913: "The Utter and Burns sawmill will start up Monday to make the fall run. They will cut about 1,000,000 feet to supply the local market. They were compelled to wait until after harvest, owing to the scarcity of men to operate the mill." (The Evening Herald)
December 9, 1913: “Messrs. F. L. Burns and J. W. Utter, sawmill operators and stockmen of Wood River Valley, are business visitors in Klamath Falls.” (The Klamath Falls Northwestern)
April 18, 1914: “Messrs. F.L. Burns and J.W. Utter, sawmill men of Fort Klamath, were in town yesterday on business.” (The Klamath Falls Northwestern)
July 30, 1914: "Ed Hoyt and J. W. Utter, of the Utter & Burns' mill, are down from Fort Klamath
August 25, 1914: "Captain Taylor's steamer Mazama is engaged in towing barges of lumber from the Utter & Burns wharf on Wood River to the Klamath Manufacturing company at Shippington." (The Evening Herald)
September 6, 1914: “The Utter & Burns caterpillar tractor has been put on to haul lumber from the mill to the boat landing. It will haul three trucks loaded with six tons each or about 10,000 feet of lumber. The auto truck is laid off for new tires.” (The Klamath Falls Northwestern)
September 7, 1914: "The steamer Mazama (Captain Taylor) is transporting a lot of lumber from the Utter & Burns mill at Fort Klamath to the Klamath Manufacturing company's plant at Shippington." (The Semi-Weekly Herald)
January 20, 1916: "Action for foreclosure of a material lien was instituted in the circuit court today by Utter & Burns, Fort Klamath sawmill men, against T.J. Jackson, for a bill of $483.25 for lumber used in the construction of the Jackson building at the Fort. Thomas Drake is the attorney for the plaintiff." (The Evening Herald)
May 4, 1917: "J.W. Utter, Fort Klamath sawmill man, is in the city this weeks on business." (The Evening Herald)
May 24, 1917: "Bert Tompkins has gone to Fort Klamath where he has accepted a position as sawyer in the Utter and Burns sawmill near that place." (The Evening Herald)
July 24, 1931: "There was a cloudburst Thursday between Utter and Burns sawmill and Crater lake. No serious damage was reported, as the force of the storm broke in the woods." (The Evening Herald)
Continued to : Anna Creek Lumber Company