| Alpha-Numeric Key: | PK-128 |
| Corporate Name: | W. G. Ragley Lumber Company |
| Local Name: | |
| Owner Name: | W. G. Ragley Lumber Company |
| Location: | Benford: four miles east of Corrigan on Highway 287 |
| County: | Polk |
| Years in Operation: | 17 years |
| Start Year: | 1921 |
| End Year: | 1937 |
| Decades: | 1920-1929 |
| Period of Operation: | 1921 before 1937 |
| Town: | Benford |
| Company Town: | 1 |
| Peak Town Size: | 100 in 1928 |
| Mill Pond: |  |
| Type of Mill: | Hardwood and pine: ash, cottonwood, black and red gum, hickory, red and white oak, longleaf and shortleaf pine.
 Sawmill |
Pine Sawmill |
Hardwood Sawmill |
 Cypress Sawmill |
| Planer |
Planer Only |
Shingle |
Paper |
| Plywood |
Cotton |
Grist |
Unknown |
| Other |
|
|
|
|
| Power Source: | Steam
| Horse |
Mule |
Oxen |
Water |
| Water Overshot |
Water Turbine |
Diesel |
Unknown |
| Pit |
Steam |
Steam Circular |
Steam Band |
| Gas |
Electricity |
Other |
|
|
| Maximum Capacity: | 50000: 1928 |
| Capacity Comments: | 50,000 feet daily in 1928 |
| Produced: |
| Rough Lumber |
Planed Lumber |
Crossties |
Timbers |
| Lathe |
Ceiling |
Unknown |
Beading |
| Flooring |
Paper |
Plywood |
Particle Board |
| Treated |
Other |
| |
|
| Equipment: | Band sawmill and planing mill |
| Company Tram: | |
| Associated Railroads: | Missouri, Kansas, & Texas (later Waco, Beaumont, Trinity & Sabine) |
| Historicial Development: | W. G. Ragley Lumber Company operated a mill at Benford in the era before the world wars. The Gulf Coast Lumberman reported in 1921 that it was marketing Ragley's cut at Benford. The journal also reported in 1957 that the mill had cut out by 1926, yet the mill appeared in the 1928 edition of the Southern Lumberman's sawmill directory.
W. G. Ragley may have bought the West Lumber Company mill at Benford shortly after it cut out about 1926. It is The Gulf Coast Lumberman may have confused the two mills when assigning a closing date for the Ragley operation. No mill at Benford was recorded in the Lumbermen's Credit Association's October 1934 records. Benford became a ghost town by 1937. Ragley may have used this mill at the same time to supplement the capacity of his major mill at Carmona, some fifteen miles west along the tracks of the Trinity & Sabine. |
| Research Date: | JKG 11-17-93, MCJ 02-27-96 |
| Prepared By: | J. Gerland, M. Johnson |