Research: Tram & Railroad Database

Code: 39
Corporate Name: Rockland, Jasper, & Northeastern Railway Company
Folk Name:
Incorporated:
Ownership: W. W. Kyle, President. Aldridge Lumber Company. Kirby Lumber Company.
Years of Operation: 1905
Track Type:
Standard Gauge Wooden Rails
Track Length:
Locations Served: Rockland
Counties of Operation: Intended from Tyler to Jasper.
Line Connections: Texas & New Orleans at Rockland
Track Information:
Tram Road Logging / Industrial Common Carrier Logging Camp
Equipment:
History: By 1905, from Rockland to the rock quarries, with intent to extend further into the timber of Jasper County The original incorporation date of the Rockland, Jasper, & Northeastern was in 1n June 1905. American Lumberman reported in October 1905 that the new mill Aldridge Lumber Company had been constructing would have its lumber moved to the mill from the timberland by the Rockland, Jasper, & Eastern Railroad. Lumber from the mill would be moved by Burr's Ferry, Browndell, & Chester Railway to the Texas & New Orleans link at Rockland. No record exists that it was ever built. In fact, the heavy machinery was transported to the sawmill site by oxcart from Kyle's Quarry in February 1906, and the single band and circular mill was operating by June 27 of the same year. The Aldridge Lumber and Kirby Lumber companies had very close relations, as the Aldridges had worked for Kirby for many years before moving into the big game of ownership. Apparently, the Aldridges attempted to establish the same type of relationship with the William Cameron & Company, which had earlier bought the Aldridge mill at Rockland in 1898. For whatever reason, the RJ&NE was never built, but the Burr's Ferry, Browndell, & Chester was constructed from Aldridge to Rockland in 1907. It was incorporated in January 1908, with headquarters at Browndell, the site of one of the huge Kirby lumber plants. It is not clear if the Camerons and the Aldridges had a falling out during or after the construction of the seven-mile road. The Kirby-dominated BFB&C railroad would handle the Aldridge lumber until the plant closed.