Research: Tram & Railroad Database

Code: 58
Corporate Name: Commercial Lumber Company logging tram, later Patterson Miller Lumber Company.
Folk Name:
Incorporated:
Ownership: Commercial: A. L. Clark, pres.; John A. Bonner. Patterson Miller: J. C. Miller and T. F. Patterson
Years of Operation: Early 1890s- 1907
Track Type:
Standard Gauge Wooden Rails
Track Length: Sixteen
Locations Served: Gilmer UPshur
Counties of Operation: Upshur
Line Connections:
Track Information:
Tram Road Logging / Industrial Common Carrier Logging Camp
Equipment: two standard gauge locomotives (#s 7 and 999), twenty-four logging cars, six mule teams of fifty-four mules total, nine extra mules and five horses, twenty-seven sets of harnesses, seven miles of #35-pound rails
History: The Commercial Lumber Company, located on the northern edge of Gilmer on Titus Street, in Upshur County, was established sometime before 1892 and was engaged it building tram lines to its various county mills. Its main line ran for sixteen miles to Ashland, in Upshur County. The Texas Southern bought up some of the tram lines of Commercial Lumber about 1897 and operated rail traffic in Upshur and Harrison counties. In 1907, a fire wiped out the mill. Clark et al. closed operations and moved to Arkansas, where they operated the A. L. Clark Lumber Company. The Commercial Lumber Company sawmill and tram was headquartered in Gilmer. The company bought sawtimber and rights-of-way in Upshur and Gregg counties. Some of its timber was located twelve miles north of Longview. Gregg County Deed Records. Vol Q: September 11, 1899, 618. Vol R: April 2, 1900, 305. Vol R: May 5, 1900, 302. Vol R: April 2, 1900, 305. Vol T: September 25, 1902, 394. On 22 May 1907, the Commercial Lumber Company sold its rolling stock and tram line to the Patterson Miller Lumber Company, of John C. Miller and T. F. Patterson along with twenty tracts of land. Rolling stock included two standard gauge locomotives (#s 7 and 999), twenty-four logging cars, six mule teams of fifty-four mules total, nine extra mules and five horses, twenty-seven sets of harnesses, seven miles of #35-pound rails from Graceton to Stamps, where it connected to the Texas Southern Railway Company, all for $60,000.