USA > Minnesota > Washington County > History of Washington County and the St. Croix Valley, including the Explorers and Pioneers of Minnesota > Part 89
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111
The city was granted a charter in the winter of 1854, and organized by electing the following officers on the first Monday in April, 1854: John McKusick, mayor; C. D. Gilfillan, recorder; W. H. Mower, treasurer; Jonathan E. . McKusick, marshal; J. C. York, J. N. Masterman, C. Carli, councilmen.
1855. John Fisher, mayor; John J. Robertson, recorder; G. M. Stickney, treasurer; Asa B. Green, marshal; J. N. Masterman, Mahlon Black, Robert Hasty, councilmen. May 2d, John D. Turnbull, marshal, rice A. B. Green, ineligible; June 9th, W. C. Penny, marshal, vice Turnbull; August 27th, M. Johnson, treasurer, vice Stick- ney, resigned.
1856. William Willim, mayor; A. C. Bryant, recorder; Isaac Staples, Louis Hospes, L. H. Foss, councilmen; W. J. Anderson, marshal; Martin Johnson, treasurer; Mahlon Black, sur- veyor; C. Carli, Horace Mckinstry, John Fisher, appointed board of health, May 3d.
1857. Albert Stinson, mayor; Francis O. J.
511
CITY OF STILLWATER-OFFICIAL ROSTER.
Smith, recorder; Isaac Staples, Michael McHale and C. Carli, councilmen; Joseph C. Mason, jus- tice; Dennis Sullivan, marshal; S. S. Murdock, treasurer; Myron Shepard, surveyor; S. Trussel, appointed justice, September 19th; Mahlon Black, councilman, vice Staples, resigned September 26th.
1858. A. B. Gorgas, mayor, Myron B. Hill, recorder; J. S. Proctor, Mahlon Black and L. H. Foss, councilmen; Robert Hasty, marshal, David Brown, treasurer; J. B. Preston, attorney; Alfred Muller, physician; F. R. Delano, surveyor.
1859. T. M. Fullerton, mayor; J. D. McComb, recorder; William McKusick, William M. May and S. M. Register, councilmen; Thomas Sinclair, marshal; E. A. Folsom, treasurer; H. R. Mur- dock, attorney; B. F. Babcock and A. Eldridge, board of health; A. Van Vorhes, justice.
1860. Mahlon Black, mayor; Robert W. Peck- ham, recorder; Albert Stinson, J. S. Davis and Wm. A. Clay, councilmen; Cyrus Stark, marshal; John J. Robertson, treasurer; H. R. Murdock, at- torney.
1861. Mahlon Black, mayor; J. J. Stinson, re- corder; J. S. Davis, Albert Stinson and Edward W. Durant, councilmen; Duncan Chisholm, mar- shal; Francis W. Noyes, treasurer; H. F. Noyes F. R. Delano, board of health; L. E. Thompson, attorney.
1862. F. R. Delano, mayor; A. Eldridge, re- corder; W. A. Clay, E. W. Durant and A. Stinson, councilmen; S. S. Murdock, justice; Duncan Chis- holm, marshal; George Davis, treasurer; A. El- dridge, treasurer, vice, Davis, resigned, May 13th.
1868. David Bronson, mayor; A. Eldridge, re- corder; Joseph Schupp, S. Nelson and A. Stinson, councilmen; John Shortall, marshal; A. K. Doe, treasurer; A. C. Lull, justice.
1864. David Bronson, mayor; Charles J. But- ler, recorder; Joseph Schupp, S. Nelson, A. El- dridge, councilmen; I. E. Staples, treasurer; John Shortall, marshal; William M. McCluer, ap- pointed mayor, June 11th, rice Bronson, resigned; A. Eldridge, treasurer, rice Butler, resigned.
1865. William Grover, mayor; A. M. Dodd, recorder; Joseph E. Schlenk, A. C. Bromley and S. Nelson, councilmen; William M. McCluer, at- torney; A. C. Hospes, treasurer; A. Van Vorhes, justice; John Shortall, marshal.
1866. William Willim, mayor; A. K. Doe, re- corder; John S. Proctor, C. A. Bromley, and Jo-
seph E. Schlenk, councilmen; John S. May, marshal; A. C. Hospes and E. G. Butts, justices.
1867. William Willim, mayor; A. K. Doe, recorder; D. Bronson, E. W. Durant and John S. Proctor, councilmen; A. C. Hospes, treasurer; A. Van Vorhes, justice; P. E. Keefe, marshal; John S. May, marshal, September 18th, vice Keefe.
1868. C. J. Butler, mayor; William G. Bron- son, recorder; J. C. Rhodes, D. Bronson and J. S. Proctor, councilmen; O. R. Ellis, treasurer; John Shortall, marshal; J. N. Castle, attorney.
1869. W. Holcombe, mayor; O. R. Ellis, re- corder; D. Bronson, J. C. Rhodes, and Michael Moffat, councilmen; W. G. Bronson, treasurer; John Shortall, marshall; Duncan Chisholm, ap- pointed marshal January 3d, 1870, vice Shortall.
1870. William Holcombe, mayor; W. S. Con- rad, recorder; J. C. Rhodes, Michael Moffatt and Isaac Staples, councilmen; W. G. Bronson, treas- urer; H. R. Murdock, attorney; John Shortall, chief of police; William McKusick, appointed mayor September 16th, vice Holcombe, deceased.
1871. William McKusick, mayor; W. S. Con- rad, recorder; Michael Moffatt, Isaac Staples and E. L. Hospes, councilmen; Henry C. Shep- ard, treasurer; John Shortall, chief of police; H. R. Murdock, attorney.
1872. William McKusick, mayor; Ferdinand Schultz, recorder; Isaac Staples. Henry West- ing, Patrick Moore, councilmen; H. C. Shepard, treasurer; John Lyons, chief of police; H. R. Murdock, attorney; W. S. Conrad, appointed recorder November 23d, vice Schultz.
1873. A. K. Doe, mayor; S. D. Bronson, treasurer; Patrick Moore, David Tozer, A. Taylor, first ward, J. S. Anderson, Samuel Matthews, T. Jassoy, second ward, George M. Seymour, Jacob A. Deragisch, third ward, alder- man; J. S. Davis, Isaac Van Vleck, O. H. Com- fort, justices; W. S. Conrad, recorder; J. N. Castle, attorney; J. C. Rhodes, W. D. Cutler, William Casey, board of health; John Lyons, chief of police.
1874. W. G. Bronson, mayor; William Oleson, treasurer; W. S. Conrad, clerk; Patrick Moore, David Tozer, A.Taylor, first ward, J. S. Anderson, Samuel Mathews, T. Jassoy, second ward, G. M. Seymour, A. Hausner, J. A.Deragisch, third ward, aldermen; J. L. Davis, Isaac Van Vleck, O. H.
.
512
HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
Comfort, justices; Matthew Shortall, chief of police.
1875. W. G. Bronson, mayor; William Oleson, treasurer; Patrick Moore, David Tozer, A. Tay- lor, first ward, J. S. Anderson, S. Matthews, T. Jassoy, second ward, G. M. Seymour, A. Haus- ner, J. A. Deragisch, third ward, aldermen; J. S. Davis, C. P. Gregory, O. H. Comfort, justices; T. Jassoy, clerk; Matthew Shortall, chief of police.
1876. W. G. Bronson, mayor; F. A. Seymour, treasurer; J. C. Callinan, David Tozer, A. Tuor, first ward; J. S. Anderson, John Gardner. T. Jassoy, second ward; G. M. Seymour, A. Haus- ner, J. A. Deragisch, third ward, aldermen; E, A. Hopkins, clerk; Fayette Marsh, attorney, J. S. Davis, C. P. Gregory, C. E. Norgord, justices; Matthew Shortall, chief of police.
1877. E. W. Durant, mayor; F. E. Joy, treas- urer; John O'Shaughnessy, A. Tuor, George S. Bronson, first ward; W. M. May, Phillip Miller, T. Jassoy, second ward; J. A. Deragisch, G. M. Seymour, A. Hausner, third ward, aldermen; E. A. Hopkins, clerk; Matthew Shortall, chief of police.
1878. John S. Proctor, mayor; F. E. Joy, treasurer; E. A. Hopkins, clerk; C. E. Norgord, judge of municipal court ; Daniel Elliott, J. O' Shaughnessy, George S. Brown, first ward; Sam- uel Matthews, W. M. May, Philip Miller, second ward; A. C. Hospes, J. A. Deragisch, August Hausner, third ward, aldermen; F. S. McKusick, chief of police.
1879. John S. Proctor, mayor; F. E. Joy, treasurer; E. A. Hopkins, clerk; C. E. Norgord, judge of the municipal court; George S. Brown, Daniel Elliott, J. O'Shaughnessey, first ward; J. D. McComb, Samuel Matthews, W. M. May, second ward; G. M. Seymour, A. C. Hospes, J. A. Deragisch, third ward, aldermen; M. Shortall, chief of police.
1880. John S. Proctor, mayor; D. W. McKu- sick, treasurer; P. B. Smith, judge of the muni- cipal court; E. A. Hopkins, clerk; A. L. Gilles- pie, George S. Brown, Daniel Elliott, first ward; J. H. Townshend, J. D. McComb, S. Matthews, second ward; J. A. Deragisch, G. M. Seymour, A. C. Hospes, third ward, aldermen; M. Shortall, chief of police.
CHAPTER LXIX.
THE FIRST MILL-LUMBER MILLS -- MISCEL_ LANEOUS MANUFACTURES OF STILLWATER .
In December, 1842, Jacob Fisher arrived at the Tamarack house, from St. Croix Falls, where he had gone the preceding spring. Here he boarded during the winter, and one day seeing what he supposed to be the tracks of a raccoon, on what was known as "Brown's creek," he followed them to what is now McKusick's lake. While there he took a general view of the surroundings, and being somewhat impressed, returned a few days later and explored the locality thoroughly. His practical eye discovered that there was a possi- bility of changing the course of Brown's creek, which entered the river above the present site of the Schulenberg and Boeckeler Lumber Com- pany's mill, so that by turning the creek through the lake and giving a direct channel to the river, a rapid descent could be obtained and a good water power created at a very small expense. In June, 1843, he located a claim in the heart of the present city of Stillwater, with a view to eventu- ally utilizing his mill site. He was a practical mechanic, but did not possess the means neces- sary to build and equip a mill; he therefore, after locating his claim, told of his discovery to Elam Greeley, Elias Mckean and C. F. Leach, who were engaged with him in rafting logs on the lake, and also wrote to John McKusick, a friend who was then at Burlington, Iowa. These gen- tlemen at once investigated and found Mr. Fish- er's canal proposition not only feasible, but very easy and perfectly practicable. Messrs. McKu- sick, Mckean, Greeley and Leach went to St. Louis, where a company organization was effected and the machinery for a saw mill purchased, which was shipped on the steamer "St. Louis Oak," to Galena, Illinois, where it was transferred to the "Otter," commanded by Capt. IIarris, ar- riving at its destination, October 10th, 1843. The company then purchased Fisher's claim and en- gaged him as mill-wright, to erect the "first-born" of what has since become one of the greatest lum- ber manufacturing cities in the North-west. A canal was cut from Brown's creek to McKusick's
513
CITY OF STILLWATER-LUMBER MILLS.
lake, a distance of about sixty rods, and a dam constructed across the creek, thus diverting its channel into the lake. A canal through a bank of about fifty feet at the southern end of the lake, conveyed the water to a ravine which con- ducted it by a direct route to the river, giving a fall of about one hundred and fifty feet, from the lake to the river. The erection of the mill was commenced at once and finished the following spring. It was in size, 42x80 feet, two stories high, and was located near where Web. McKu- sick's livery stable now stands. The machinery consisted of two sash saws and one lath machine; the capacity was about twelve thousand feet in twenty-four hours. It was a belt-geared mill and run by an over-shot wheel of thirty feet di- ameter. It commenced running in the spring of 1844 and was in operation steadily for ten years, then only at intervals for the next five years, when a grist-mill was added, and soon the old saw-mill wholly disappeared. McKusick's lake has since been purchased by the Stillwater Water Company, the canal has been dammed up and the water turned into the main which supplies the city.
THE SECOND MILL.
The second parties to erect a saw-mill were Sawyer and Heaton, who built where the "St. Croix Lumber Mills" now stand. Jacob Fisher was the mill-wright, and it was built in the spring of 1850; it contained one sash saw and one lath machine. It was run by steam, and the ca- pacity was about five thousand in twenty-four hours. This mill was destroyed by fire in the spring of 1852, but was at once re-built by Saw- yer and Heaton, Jacob Fisher again being the mill-wright. The new mill contained one sash saw, one muley saw and one lath machine, with a capacity of ten thousand per day. In 1853, Mr. Heaton sold bis interest to William Lowell, and the firm name was changed to Lowell and Saw- yer, which continued until 1855, when William Clay purchased a third interest, and the firm was known as Clay, Lowell and Sawyer, for a couple of years, when Lowell retired, and Clay and Saw- yer conducted the business until 1866, but were not very successful, and the property passed into the hands of S. Atlee and Company. This firm owned it until the summer of 1869, when it was
purchased by Isaac Staples, who is the present proprietor. It is now known as the
ST. CROIX LUMBER MILLS.
Mr. Staples became the owner of this establish- ment in July, 1869, and immediately commenced to re-model and improve, putting in entirely new machinery and making it, at that time, one of the finest mills in the state. In it he has manufac- tured, during the past ten years, many million feet of lumber, and has given employment to hundreds of men. He has recently given the mill a thor- ough overhauling, and added many improvements, and we will now give the reader a brief descrip- tion of this hive of industry, which employs an average of one hundred and seventy-six men.
The mill proper is 44x105 feet, and contains two rotary saws, with a capacity of seventy-five thousand per day; one three-saw lath machine, and one six-saw lath bolter, with a capacity of forty thousand per day; and two shingle machines with a daily capacity of sixty thousand, besides the necessary edgers and trimmers.
The gang department is 20x96 feet, and con- tains one forty-saw gang, one four-saw edger, and five cutting off saws, trimmers, etc., with a daily capacity of sixty thousand feet.
The planing department is 32x66 feet, and con- tains one tongue and grooving machine, with a capacity of twenty thousand per day; one surfac- ing machine, capable of double surfacing thirty thousand per day; one moulding machine, with a daily capacity of five thousand; one sticker, one forty inch re-saw, and one siding saw.
The engine room is 42x44 feet, sixteen feet high, and is builtof stone. The engine is of one hundred and sixty-five horse-power, and was built by the North Star Iron Works, Minneapolis; it has a twenty-six inch cylinder and thirty inch stroke, with eighty revolutions per minute.
There are six boilers, twenty-two feet long and forty inches in diameter, with two fifteen inch flues in each. The water furnished this engine is by a Knowles and Sibley pump, with a twelve inch steam cylinder and twelve inch stroke.
The breeching from this engine leads into a smoke stack, which is built of brick and stone, eighty feet high and resting on a stone base, fourteen feet square.
Mr. Staples also does an extensive logging
33
514
HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY. .
business, employing in the various departments, upwards of six hundred men and nearly two hundred horses. During the winter of 1880-'81, sixteen different camps were in operation, located as follows: three on Ann river, one on Upper Snake river, one on Chesley brook, two on Straight river, one on Chase's brook, two on St. Croix river, three on Moose river, two on Lower Snake river and one on Casey brook.
About forty million feet of logs are put in the river at these camps during the winter. The mill manufactures from fifteen to eighteen mill- ions, and the balance are sold to parties who do not bank enough logs for their own use, or who bank none at all.
The supplies for the different camps are conveyed by the following routes: to Isaac Sta- ples Kettle River Station, on the St. Paul and Duluth railroad, seventy-five miles from Stillwa- ter, where Mr. Staples has a ware-house, store, stable and boarding house, thence on a road forty- five miles long, cut through the forest to Moose river, which reaches all the camps on Moose river, Upper St. Croix and Chase's brook. From the same station a road is made twenty-seven miles west and reaches the Chesley brook and Upper Snake camps. The Ann river and Lower Snake supplies are shipped to Pine City, where Mr. Staples has a ware-house and agent, and thence by " tote " teams to the camps. The nearest rail- road point to the Casey brook camp, is Chandler, on the North Wisconsin railroad, to which all the supplies are shipped.
SCHULENBURG AND BOECKELER LUMBER COM- PANY'S MILLS.
In the fall of 1853, F. Schulenburg and A. Boeckeler, of St. Louis, under the firm name of Schulenburg and Boeckeler, commenced excavat- ing and preparing grounds for a mill on the site now occupied by the Schulenburg and Boeckeler Lumber Company's mill in this city. Mr. Louis Hospes arrived soon after and superintended the work. The mill commenced running in the spring of 1855 and was completed during that season. The motive power consisted of, four boilers twenty-two feet long, with forty-two inch shells and two engines, one fourteen and the other sixteen inch cylinder, and both forty inch stroke. The amount of lumber manufactured
the first season was from two and a half to three million feet. The first sawing was done with an old fashioned sash saw, but during the summer, a gang, containing some twenty saws was put in, and the next winter, a flooring rotary was added. During the winter of 1856-7, the old sash saw was taken out and a small live gang of eighteen saws was put in its place; large sums of money were expended in improvements from year to year.
In April, 1857, Louis Hospes became a partner and the firm name was changed to Schulenburg, Boeckeler & Co. In the winter of 1865-6, a stock gang of twenty-four saws was added to the ma- chinery and the original gang was built over and changed to a forty-inch slabbing gang. The fourteen by forty-inch engine was also removed and a larger one put in its place, having a twenty- inch cylinder and thirty inch stroke, another boiler was also added to the original four.
In June, 1868. a fifty-six inch rotary was put in. During the winter of 1873-4, a sixth boiler was added, and the old steam dome and mud- drum replaced by new ones, and the boilers gen- erally overhauled; and thus reconstructed and improved, this mill slashed the logs with new energy, and did a steady business until May 16th, 1877, when the whole structure was destroyed by fire.
Hardly had the ruins ceased to smoke, when the enterprising company were on the ground with new plans and specifications, and the present large mill was soon commenced, and pushed to completion. This building is 84x132 feet, and is a double mill throughout. It contains two thirty- six saw gangs, and two double rotaries, with a capacity of from one hundred and fifty to one hundred and seventy-five thousand per day; one shingle machine with a capacity of one hundred thousand, and two gang lath machines, with a capacity of sixty thousand per day. The build- ing, consisting of the engine room, machine and blacksmith shop, is 40x60 feet, and is built of brick, with an iron roof. The annual product of this mill is from thirty to thirty-five million feet of lumber, fourteen to fifteen million shingles and ten to twelve million lath. Two hundred men are employed in the different departments of these mills.
On January 1st, 1878, another change was made in the company, Louis Hospes retiring and
515
CITY OF STILLWATER-LUMBER MILLS.
Charles W. Behrens and E. L. Hospes becoming members of the Stillwater firm, and also of the firms of Schulenburg and Boeckeler, and A. Boeckeler and Company of St. Louis.
The next change was made February 14th, 1880, when the Stillwater firm of Schulenburg, Boeckeler and Company, and the St. Louis firms of Schulenburg and Boeckeler, and A. Boeckeler and Company, were incorporated under the laws of the state of Missouri, and the firm name was adopted of Schulenburg and Boeckeler Lumber Company, with the following officers : A. Boeck- eler, president, E. L. Hospes, vice president; Charles W. Behrens, secretary; and L. C. Hirsch- berg, treasurer.
The products of the Stillwater department are rafted, and towed by its own boats, to the St. Louis yards, where is located a large planing- mill, a saw-mill and extensive lumber yards. they handle at that point about sixty million feet of lumber annually. Besides the business above mentioned, they have lumbering interests to some extent on the Chippewa river.
NORTHWESTERN MILLS.
Hersey, Bean and Brown, proprietors. In the fall of 1853, Isaac Staples came to Minnesota, lo- cated a large amount of pine lands and decided to engage in the lumber business at this point. Accordingly he returned to Old Town, Maine, where he organized the firm of Hersey, Staples and Company, and in the spring of 1854, Mr. Staples and his partner arrived at Stillwater and commenced the erection of Hersey, Staples and Company's, mills. This mill, through much changed and greatly improved, is still in active service, in the yards of Hersey, Bean and Brown. It contained, when completed, one muley saw, three sash saws, one live gang and one small circular; the capacity was about forty thousand per day. It also contained a shingle and lath machine. In April, 1861, the firm of Hersey, Staples and Company settled up and dissolved, and a new company was formed under the name of Hersey, Staples and Hall, which continued until October Ist, 1866, when Mr. Hall retired, and the firm name was changed to Hersey, Sta- ples and Bean. This company, however, was confined to lumber business only. The mercan- tile business which, from the beginning had been
conducted in connection with the lumbering, was now made a separate thing, and a new company formed under the name of Hersey, Staples and Doe, who took charge of the mercantile business.
In 1871, Mr. Staples sold his third interest in the company of Hersey, Staples and Bean, to Gen. S. F. Hersey, and the firm was change to Hersey, Bean and Company, and in May, 1872, E. S. Brown purchased a third interest, or that sold by Staples to Hersey, and the firm name was changed to Hersey, Bean and Brown, as it still remains.
Although many important changes and im- provements were made in this establishment from 1854 to 1872, yet there was still room for more improvement. During the winter of 1872-3 the mill was remodeled and rebuilt, and a large amount of new machinery put in. Although a certain amount of improvements and changes are necessary each year, yet there have been no ma- terial changes in the mill to the present time. The mill is 66x150 feet, and contains one forty- six saw gang, one double rotary, and one muley saw, with a daily capacity of ninety thousand feet, two shingle machines, with a daily capacity of one hundred thousand, and one lath machine, with a daily capacity of fifty thousand. The ma- chinery in this mill is propelled by two engines, one twenty-four and one twelve inch cylinder, and each with thirty inch stroke; eighty revolutions per minute is the speed of each. There are six cylinder boilers, thirty feet long with thirty-two inch shells, and three return flue boilers twenty- four feet long, with forty-two inch shells.
In 1873, this company erected another mill about an eighth of a mile below the one above described, but in the same yard. This mill was constructed especially for the purpose of sawing long lumber for railroad bridges, etc., and to facilitate this scheme a cutting off saw is in operation on the pond; which is run by steam, thus enabling them to cut a log any desired length before removing it from the water. Also a loading machine is in the yard, by which all long and heavy timber is loaded on the cars; this is also worked by steam.
The mill is 50x160 feet and contains one double rotary with a capacity of fifty thousand per day, one shingle machine with a capacity of thirty thousand per day, and one lath machine with a capacity of fifty thousand per day. It has also
516
HISTORY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY.
three planing machines, three re-sawing machines and one edger, with all the necessary trimmers, etc. The engine is a twenty inch cylinder and forty-eight inch stroke, with three Bessemer, steel boilers, twenty-six feet long and forty-two inch shell. The smoke from both these mills, is conveyed in tunnels running under ground to the bluff near by, and thus into the smoke stacks which are there located." In the yard is located two "Curran and Wilcox's dry kilns," which are used principally for drying shingles and lath, so as to make them lighter for shipment. Prior to 1872, all the lumber manufactured at this mill was rafted and sent down the river, but as rail- road facilities were then obtained, nearly all the lumber has since been shipped by rail. As a pro- tection from fire, a reservoir has been built on the bluff above the mills, the bottom of which is higher then the ridge-poles of the buildings; the capacity is eight hundred hogsheads, and it is connected with the mills by an iron pipe, which runs the entire length of the yard. These mills give employment during the summer season, to two hundred and twenty-five men in all depart- ments. They produce annually about eighteen million feet of lumber and nine million each of lath and shingles. The mills and yards occupy five-sixths of a mile lake front. No traveling salesmen are employed by this firm, all sales being conducted either by correspondence or per- sonal interview at the office. Since 1877, Hersey, Bean and Brown have conducted a general store in connection with their lumber business. The first two years they occupied rooms in Hersey and Staple's block, but have since erected a store adjoining their yards where the business is now carried on. This company cuts from ten to twelve million feet of logs each winter, the bal- ance for use is purchased from other parties. During the winter of 1880-1, they had four camps, at which were employed one hundred and thirty men, forty horses and seventy-two oxen.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.