WILLAMETTE VALLEY LUMBER CO.
Polk County - Dallas
March 16, 1906: "The largest business deal ever transacted in Polk county, and one of supreme importance to Dallas, was consummated this week, when H. L. Pittock and F. W. Leadbetter, two of the leading capitalist of Oregon, purchased of L. Gerlinger an interest in the Dallas & Falls City railroad, and in the thousands of acres of timber land owned by Mr. Gerlinger in the mountains west of Falls City. At the same time this deal was made, Mr. Gerlinger and his associates purchased an interest in the Cone Lumber Company's big sawmill in Dallas.
The new firm has incorporated under the significant name of the Willamette Valley Lumber Company, with officers as follows: L. Gerlinger, president; H. L. Pittock, vice-president; George T. Gerlinger, secretary and manager; F. W. Leadbetter, treasurer; George W. Cone, director and mill superintendent.
The first move of the new company will be to complete the plant of the big sawmill in this city, after which the mill will be operated steadily and with a greatly increased capacity. A large lath mill will be added to minimize the waste, and force a force of workmen are already engaged in putting in a complete system of conveyors to handle the refuse of the mill. The company has enroute to Dallas two new boilers to add to the two now in use. The planers are already in position, and several donkey engines are on the way to be used at the logging camps.
The mill has a capacity of 60,000 feet in 10 hours at the present time, but with the new machinery in operation, this capacity will at once be increased to 80,000 feet. Manager George Gerlinger informs us that it is probable that the plant will be running night and day inside of the next two months, which will increase the capacity to 150,000 feet every 24 hours. The mill now gives employment to 40 men, but this number will be more than doubled when the plant commences working night and day shifts.
The new company owns and operates 13 miles of first class, standard gauge railroad, a four-mile extension having been built into the timber beyond Falls City last Summer and Fall. No changes will be made in the officers and employes of the railroad at this time, and the business will continue under the capable management of L. Gerlinger, Jr. Mr. Gerlinger says there will be a considerable amount of railroad extension in the timber next summer." (Polk County Observer)
The new firm has incorporated under the significant name of the Willamette Valley Lumber Company, with officers as follows: L. Gerlinger, president; H. L. Pittock, vice-president; George T. Gerlinger, secretary and manager; F. W. Leadbetter, treasurer; George W. Cone, director and mill superintendent.
The first move of the new company will be to complete the plant of the big sawmill in this city, after which the mill will be operated steadily and with a greatly increased capacity. A large lath mill will be added to minimize the waste, and force a force of workmen are already engaged in putting in a complete system of conveyors to handle the refuse of the mill. The company has enroute to Dallas two new boilers to add to the two now in use. The planers are already in position, and several donkey engines are on the way to be used at the logging camps.
The mill has a capacity of 60,000 feet in 10 hours at the present time, but with the new machinery in operation, this capacity will at once be increased to 80,000 feet. Manager George Gerlinger informs us that it is probable that the plant will be running night and day inside of the next two months, which will increase the capacity to 150,000 feet every 24 hours. The mill now gives employment to 40 men, but this number will be more than doubled when the plant commences working night and day shifts.
The new company owns and operates 13 miles of first class, standard gauge railroad, a four-mile extension having been built into the timber beyond Falls City last Summer and Fall. No changes will be made in the officers and employes of the railroad at this time, and the business will continue under the capable management of L. Gerlinger, Jr. Mr. Gerlinger says there will be a considerable amount of railroad extension in the timber next summer." (Polk County Observer)
May 21, 1907: "The Willamette Valley Lumber Company, of Dallas, under the management of George T. Gerlinger, looks prosperous. The mill is cutting about 90,000 feet daily, but complains in common with other mills, about the scarcity of cars. A new sawdust bin and a new office are some of the latest additions to this plant." (Polk County Observer)
April 19, 1910: "Emerson Black whose leg was mashed and broken at the Willamette Valley Lumber Company sawmill last week, is resting comfortably at the Dallas Hospital. Because of the condition of the broken leg, no attempt will be made to set the bone until the swelling in the limb has partially subsided. Mr. Black's many friends are hoping for his early and complete recovery." (Polk County Observer)
March 1, 1916: “Dallas---For the first time in several months, the large sawmill plant of the Willamette Valley Lumber company, in this city, is closed. This is due to the shortage of logs. Owing to the heavy snow storms of the past month, work has been impossible in the camps near Black Rock. The supply of logs on hand when the snow stopped operations is exhausted.
All camps are now in full operation, and by the middle of next week the mill will resume again. Only a few of the men were laid off, most of them being employed in repairing the plant, which has a capacity of 100,000 feet a day.” (The Forest Grove Express)
All camps are now in full operation, and by the middle of next week the mill will resume again. Only a few of the men were laid off, most of them being employed in repairing the plant, which has a capacity of 100,000 feet a day.” (The Forest Grove Express)
March 2, 1916: "George Dewey Alfred, a young married man of Dallas, was seriously injured last Saturday by falling into the gearing of a conveyor at the mill of the Willamette Valley Lumber company. The skin and flesh over the entire length of one side of his body were stripped and it will be necessary to resort to skin grafting to heal the wound. The patient is at the hospital." (Cloverdale Courier)
October 11, 1917: "The Willamette Valley Lumber company, of Dallas, has received a large order from the United States government for Douglas fir lumber to be used in the construction of aeroplanes for the army in France." (Cloverdale Courier)
July 11, 1920: "Fire originating from a hot box on a slab conveyor broke out in the Willamette Valley Lumber company's sawmill here during the noon hour today and completely destroyed the engine room and main sawmill, entailing a loss estimated at $200,000. The mill was built 14 years ago and was considered one of the largest in the state. Its daily cut was 150,000 feet.
Citizens of Dallas responded for the emergency and, combining with the fire department and employes of the mill, made nearly 1000 persons engaged in fighting the flames and saving valuable cars of logs, the lumber yard and neighboring manufacturing plants.
Trouble was had at first with the water, the supply of the city proving insufficient. But the pump of the mill was got going and with the water pumped from the mill pond 12 streams were obtained.
It is believed this additional supply of water was what saved Dallas' manufacturing district, as the Mountain State Light & Power company's plant, the Southern Pacific roundhouse and railway shops and the Dallas Iron & Locomotive works, besides a small fruit-packing plant, were threatened. At one time the slab conveyor from the sawmill to the power plant was on fire, but heavy wettings given the buildings prevented the flying embers from catching hold and being fanned into flames by the east wind.
The wind proved a factor in saving the planing mill and box factory branches of the sawmill, as it swept the flames away from the buildings.
The fire started about 12:50 o'clock and was first noticed by some workmen who were eating lunch. The flames flared up suddenly as though fed by tinder, and before the observers could make any combating efforts the heat was so intense they were forced back. They then turned in the alarm.
The only logs burned were two on the carriage left over from the morning's sawing. Nearly 2,000,000 feet on cars were saved by the volunteer fire fighters.
There are about 200 men employed at the mill. It is not expected they will be thrown out of employment, as it is the intention of the company to rebuild at once and the men will be employed in the construction work.
The mill is owned by the Gerlinger and Pittock interests. George Gerlinger is president." (Morning Oregonian)
Citizens of Dallas responded for the emergency and, combining with the fire department and employes of the mill, made nearly 1000 persons engaged in fighting the flames and saving valuable cars of logs, the lumber yard and neighboring manufacturing plants.
Trouble was had at first with the water, the supply of the city proving insufficient. But the pump of the mill was got going and with the water pumped from the mill pond 12 streams were obtained.
It is believed this additional supply of water was what saved Dallas' manufacturing district, as the Mountain State Light & Power company's plant, the Southern Pacific roundhouse and railway shops and the Dallas Iron & Locomotive works, besides a small fruit-packing plant, were threatened. At one time the slab conveyor from the sawmill to the power plant was on fire, but heavy wettings given the buildings prevented the flying embers from catching hold and being fanned into flames by the east wind.
The wind proved a factor in saving the planing mill and box factory branches of the sawmill, as it swept the flames away from the buildings.
The fire started about 12:50 o'clock and was first noticed by some workmen who were eating lunch. The flames flared up suddenly as though fed by tinder, and before the observers could make any combating efforts the heat was so intense they were forced back. They then turned in the alarm.
The only logs burned were two on the carriage left over from the morning's sawing. Nearly 2,000,000 feet on cars were saved by the volunteer fire fighters.
There are about 200 men employed at the mill. It is not expected they will be thrown out of employment, as it is the intention of the company to rebuild at once and the men will be employed in the construction work.
The mill is owned by the Gerlinger and Pittock interests. George Gerlinger is president." (Morning Oregonian)
July 26, 1920: "The big sawmill of the Willamette Valley Lumber company, destroyed by fire a short time ago will be rebuilt immediately. Work of clearing away the wreckage is now underway, and the owners expect to have the mill running to capacity again in three months." (The Evening Herald)
July 1920: "Work of rebuilding the sawmill of the Willamette Valley Lumber Co., Dallas, Ore., which was destroyed on July 10, was begun on July 12, and it is planned to have the new mill ready for operation in three months. The fire originated presumably from a hot box in a slab conveyor. Hard work on the part of the employes of the mill and other citizens of Dallas saved the lumber, and 2,000,000 feet of logs on cars. The wind proved a factor in saving the planing mill and box factory. The loss was approximately $200,000, well covered by insurance. The plant had a capacity of approximately 150,000 feet a day. It was erected 14 years ago. George T. Gerlinger is manager of the Willamette Valley Lumber Co." (The Timberman)
April 23, 1926: "Dallas---Willamette Valley Lumber Co., mill starts second shift, adding 50 men." (Vernonia Eagle)
November 3, 1938: "A broken cable flying from a skidder tower instantly killed John C. Kent, 46, head rigger for the Willamette Valley Lumber company at Black Rock." (The Oregon Statesman)