Camps are hard hit

Originally published in The Seattle Daily Times, June 1, 1922

Green River mill at Baldi completely destroyed

Pacific States Company loses three outfits, thousands in railway equipment

Forest fire damage to the Pacific States Lumber Company, both at Selleck and Cedar Falls, was increased overnight with the loss last night of Camp No. 18 at Cedar Falls. This makes three logging camps lost by the company, including all the bridges on eleven miles of railway, a coal bunker, twelve donkey engines, fifteen freight cars, a section camp, an enormous amount of fallen timber, and several cars of logs. Two small residences at Selleck also burned last night. Today there was virtually no wind around the company’s territory and it was reported the fire situation was getting under control.

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Me and Henry Sidebotham

Originally published in the Maple Valley Bugle, May 1997

By Carl Heflinger

Wood and Iverson Mill workers group portrait, Hobart, between 1915 and 1931.

Reading the article in the Maple Valley Bugle by George Sidebotham about the history of Hobart and vicinity reminded me of Henry Sidebotham. I worked with Henry at Wood & Iverson planer mill in 1928. The planer mill planed and finished lumber after it had been sawed into suitable dimensions and kiln dried.

My job was to off-bear the boards as they came out of the planer. I gave one board to Henry and the next board to Stanley Savage. Each of these men had a trim saw. They trimmed the boards and graded them, putting each piece on a table in piles according to their lengths. As I remember, there was only one grade and that was No. 1 clear.

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Northwestern Company able to enter lists

Originally published in The Seattle Daily Times, March 7, 1913

Delay in the opening of bids by the Board of Public Works for standing timber in the Cedar River watershed, insisted upon by The Times, today resulted in a bid of 51 cents a thousand above the bid of a week ago for fir timber, 60,000,000 feet of which is to be sold. The bid was submitted by the Northwestern Lumber Company, operating a large mill at Kerriston, on the Northern Pacific.

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Old towns: Railroad towns of Palmer/Kanaskat

Originally published in the Voice of the Valley, March 6, 2007

By Barbara Nilson

The original depot at Kanaskat built in 1912 and destroyed by fire in 1943. — From the Museum of History and Industry and loaned by Ruth Eckes.

The old railroad towns of Palmer and Kanaskat once thrived across the Green River from each other, Palmer on the north and Kanaskat on the south; eight miles southeast of Enumclaw. Somewhere along the line the two lost their identities. Apparently, the post office located in Palmer burned and the authorities moved it to Kanaskat but left the name of Palmer.

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Million-dollar plant damaged by night blaze

Originally published in The Seattle Sunday Times, January 4, 1914

Fire of mysterious origin causes $200,000 damage in mill of Pacific States Company at Selleck

Rebuilt plant of Pacific States Lumber Company at Selleck, Wash., to be opened June 1 (Seattle Times, April 12, 1914).

Fire of mysterious origin which started shortly after 7 o’clock last night in the huge plant of the Pacific States Lumber Company at Selleck, King County, totally destroyed the sawmill connected with the works and for a time threatened to wipe out the entire property and the little town of Selleck as well. As it was, the damage done according to President E.B. Shields, of the company, amounted to close to $200,000, of which 75 percent was covered by insurance.

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Enumclaw invites world to watch it grow

Originally published in The Seattle Daily Times, November 22, 1925

Prosperous town on Naches Pass Highway surrounded by rich agricultural, timber, and mineral lands, is boasting of rapid development

New mill of the White River Lumber Company on the White River, three miles from Enumclaw.

One of the earliest settlements in that part of the state and the only place of that name in the United States, Enumclaw, forty miles southeast of Seattle, is one of the biggest little towns in the West.

Early history and distinctive name, however, are not Enumclaw’s only claims for attention. Thought its early growth was slow, Enumclaw today is counted one of the most prosperous towns in the Puget Sound region. Rich agricultural land, timber, and mineral surround it. It is on the Naches Pass highway, the most direct route between Seattle and the west entrance to Mount Rainier Nation Park. It is the gateway to unlimited scenic attractions, fishing, and hunting grounds. Backup up against the Cascade foothills, Enumclaw is within two hours’ drive of perpetual snow on one side and the waters of Puget Sound on the other.

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Kerriston recalled by JoAnn Klacsan and Lois Bartholomew

Originally published in the MVHS Bugle, September and December 2006

By Barbara Nilson

JoAnn (Weibling) Klacson and Lois (Kelley) Bartholomew on a July visit to the MVHS museum. —Photo by Sherrie Acker

In July, JoAnn Weibling Klacsan visited the historical society’s Third Floor Museum, accompanied by her niece, Diane Lee Weibling, and chatted with Dick Peacock and Sherrie Acker about Kerriston. Neighbors of them were the Kelley girls, so Lois (Kelley) Bartholomew joined them at the museum to share memories.

The conversation was taped and part of it follows. In addition, Lois graciously, with a little arm twisting, allowed me to use part of the story she has written about growing up in Kerriston.

Klacsan recalled that all the houses in Kerriston in 1923 had underpinnings, and were all built on a side hill. “We had a porch with a lot of stairs and a nice view. The houses were shacks, all the same about 16′ x 18′. Close to the school there was a set of wooden steps that went down to the level below and us kids used to run down those steps.”

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New sawmill rises from ashes of old

Originally published in The Seattle Sunday Times, April 12, 1914

Rebuilt sawmill costs $200,00

New plant of Pacific States Lumber Company at Selleck, Wash., will begin operations June 1

Rebuilt plant of Pacific States Lumber Company at Selleck, Wash., to be opened June 1.

On the site of its old plant at Selleck, Wash., which was destroyed by fire last January 3, the Pacific States Lumber Company has just completed the building of a new sawmill at a cost of about $200,000. Work now is in progress installing the machinery, and it is expected to have the mill in operation June 1, with the capacity force of 350 men.

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Savings plans to aid buyers of Ford cars

Originally published in the Maplevalley Messenger, April 12, 1923

Local banks and Renton agency co-operating in new Ford plan

A new plan for purchasing Ford cars whereby prospective purchasers may avail themselves of banking facilities and start an account with which to buy a car is announced today by the Ford Motor Company and by banks with whom Ford dealers do business.

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Trade mark proposed as emblem

Originally published in the Pacific Coast Bulletin, December 12, 1924

This trade-mark of the Pacific Coast Coal Company or some modification of it, has been proposed as the ideal design for an emblem to be worn by members and past-members of the Mine and Central councils.

Ideas on the proper type of pin to be designed may be submitted for approval at the next meeting of the Central Council, December 27.

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