H. O. WRAY SAWMILL
Heppner
May 4, 1939: "A new factory whistle will toot in Heppner within ten days. Though not the previously heralded box factory whistle, it will represent a new industry to use logs from Heppner's timber belt.
The toot will be that of the H. O. Wray sawmill, under construction for two years, that is now being rushed to completion with a crew of ten men.
Orville L. Smith, recently of Naches, Wash., an experienced sawmill operator, has joined forces with Mr. Wray in the venture, and logs for cutting are now being dumped in the mill pond.
An experienced crew of 25 men, already contacted, will be employed when the mill gets under full steam. It is not expected that a large cut will be made to start with, though a capacity of 50,000 feet a shift will be possible.
An experienced mechanic and millwright, Mr. Wray has superintended construction of the mill and has accomplished most of it almost single handed. One helper only was used much of the time as his former Yakima mill was reassembled and put in first class running condition. A large brick furnace, three steam engines, immense driving mechanism, large saws and 30-ton gang saw are all in place and ready to start, and testify to the considerable labor expended.
The gang saw is a piece of equipment of which Mr. Wray is especially proud, as few mills boast one. Operating on the jigsaw principle, it slashes as many as 24 boards from a single timber in one operation.
Steam-driven throughout, special automatic equipment is being installed to feed sawdust into the furnaces." (Heppner Gazette-Times)
The toot will be that of the H. O. Wray sawmill, under construction for two years, that is now being rushed to completion with a crew of ten men.
Orville L. Smith, recently of Naches, Wash., an experienced sawmill operator, has joined forces with Mr. Wray in the venture, and logs for cutting are now being dumped in the mill pond.
An experienced crew of 25 men, already contacted, will be employed when the mill gets under full steam. It is not expected that a large cut will be made to start with, though a capacity of 50,000 feet a shift will be possible.
An experienced mechanic and millwright, Mr. Wray has superintended construction of the mill and has accomplished most of it almost single handed. One helper only was used much of the time as his former Yakima mill was reassembled and put in first class running condition. A large brick furnace, three steam engines, immense driving mechanism, large saws and 30-ton gang saw are all in place and ready to start, and testify to the considerable labor expended.
The gang saw is a piece of equipment of which Mr. Wray is especially proud, as few mills boast one. Operating on the jigsaw principle, it slashes as many as 24 boards from a single timber in one operation.
Steam-driven throughout, special automatic equipment is being installed to feed sawdust into the furnaces." (Heppner Gazette-Times)