Research: Sawmill Database

Alpha-Numeric Key: LI-2
Corporate Name: Allen and Williams Lumber Company
Local Name: Mill #2 south of the Trinity
Owner Name: Sam C. Allen and Williams Lumber Company
Location: South of the Trinity River
County: Liberty
Years in Operation: 2 years
Start Year: 1879
End Year: 1880
Decades: 1870-1879,1880-1889
Period of Operation: 1879 to 1880
Town: South of the Trinity River
Company Town: 2
Peak Town Size: Unknown
Mill Pond:
Type of Mill: Products for railroad building
Sawmill Pine Sawmill Hardwood Sawmill Cypress Sawmill
Planer Planer Only Shingle Paper
Plywood Cotton Grist Unknown
Other
Power Source: 45-horsepower steam engine
Horse Mule Oxen Water
Water Overshot Water Turbine Diesel Unknown
Pit Steam Steam Circular Steam Band
Gas Electricity Other
Maximum Capacity: 
Capacity Comments: 5,000,000 feet during the reporting period of the Census
Produced:
Rough Lumber Planed Lumber Crossties Timbers
Lathe Ceiling Unknown Beading
Flooring Paper Plywood Particle Board
Treated Other
Equipment: Sawmill
Company Tram:
Associated Railroads: Houston East & West Texas
Historicial Development: The firm of Allen & Williams was one of many early East Texas sawmilling businesses to follow the construction of the railroads to tap the most easily accessible pine stumpage. The company appeared in a 1880 Chicago lumber publication as operating two mills south of the Trinity River, near the tracks of the Houston East and West Texas Railway. Allen and Williams moved their mills to the area of Gail in Polk County with the post office at Corrigan. The Manuscript Census of 1880, reporting for June 1, 1879 to May 31, 1880, detailed the business operations for both sawmills. Mill #2, d a capital value of $12,000, working twenty-five men normally and thirty-two at peak. The employees received daily wages of $1.40 to $4.00 for ten hour days, summer and winter. Allen & Williams paid a total wage of $8,000. From a total value of $28,000 of supplies and sawlogs, the sawmill manufactured five million feet of lumber valued at a gross value of $48,000.
Research Date: JKG 12-14-93, MCJ 03-14-96
Prepared By: J Gerland, M Johnson