| Alpha-Numeric Key: | WK-53 |
| Corporate Name: | Hays & Gossage |
| Local Name: | |
| Owner Name: | Gossage & Hornbuckle, and S. Campbell. J. M. Gossage. James A. Hays & Gossage |
| Location: | Roark's Switch near Phelps, three miles south of Huntsville |
| County: | Walker |
| Years in Operation: | 27 years |
| Start Year: | 1882 |
| End Year: | 1908 |
| Decades: | 1880-1889,1890-1899,1900-1909 |
| Period of Operation: | 1882 to 1908 |
| Town: | Roark's Switch |
| Company Town: | 2 |
| Peak Town Size: | Unknown |
| Mill Pond: |  |
| Type of Mill: | Lumber
 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: | 25000: 1893 |
| Capacity Comments: | 25,000 feet daily |
| Produced: |
| Rough Lumber |
Planed Lumber |
Crossties |
Timbers |
| Lathe |
Ceiling |
Unknown |
Beading |
| Flooring |
Paper |
Plywood |
Particle Board |
| Treated |
Other |
| |
|
| Equipment: | Sawmill |
| Company Tram: | |
| Associated Railroads: | International & Great Northern |
| Historicial Development: | James A. Hays was a postmaster at Dodge, in Walker County, when he began sawmilling about 1882. His Webb & Hays Lumber Company went bankrupt in 1891, but he was soon sawmilling at or near Phelps. Hays & Gossage were reported to be cutting 25,000 feet daily at Phelps in 1893. W. T. Blocks believes that Hays soon died or Gossage bought him out, for many mortgages exist after 1893 for J. M. Gossage and Company at Roark's Switch. J. M. Gossage, in June, 1892, regained some of the old Hays equipment earlier auctioned off to Smithers, including a planer-matcher, three log cars and a tram engine.
The final entry, in October, 1907, refers to the sawmill plant as “being the old Campbell outfit.” It seems that S. Campbell had leased the sawmill from before 1907 until it came under the control of the firm of Gossage & Hornbuckle, who would lease their sawmill near Huntsville to Campbell. |
| Research Date: | MCJ 03-31-96 |
| Prepared By: | M Johnson |