During this transitional time in logging history, falk was able to capitalize on the relatively inexpensive price of land, cheap labor, and inexpensive logging technologies, such as the band saw and the dolbeer steam donkey. Sawmilling and lumber sales helped bring in business between cotton harvests. Ercl 19 elk river coal and lumber company shay at avoco. Elk mountain lumber, llc filed as a domestic limited liability company llc in the state of texas on thursday, may 14, 2015 and is approximately five years old, as recorded in documents filed with texas secretary of state. Wheelwright, built and formerly owned by elk horn coal company. In the matter of elk river coal and lumber company and united mine workers of america, district 17 case no. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new. Swandale, wv man crushed by logs, mar 1954 gendisasters. Why bother to build bridges that you were going to abandon in a few months anyway. Ironically, the larger part of clay was located on the north bank of the elk river opposite the railroad.
The elk river railroad is an oftenforgotten short line located in centralwest virginia. Little river lumber company in search of in search of. Chefinspired, modern american cuisine in the heart of park city. West virginia history volume 50 west virginia division of. He also acted as an agent, purchasing land for other investors. In the most often repeated story, in 1903, at the age of 22, joseph gardner bradley acquired a very large tract of prime west virginia land. Includes 29 black and white photographs of the railroads and lumber operations of the elk river coal and lumber company in west virginia. The companys common carrier railroad, the buffalo creek and gauley rr, is shown in orange, the logging line in red, and the connecting baltimore and ohio rr in blue. William warden notes in his book, west virginia logging railroads, that if. The lighting was bright and unappealing, but the high ceiling was quite nice.
The company, organized in 1905, succeeded an 1898 association of the same name composed of northern capitalists investing in central west virginia lumber and coal lands. Im thinking that the marsh creek lumber company was a shoestring operation logging areas previously logged off in the 1880s90s either cutting props, or pulp wood for the paper or chemical industry, and a small mill to cut the lumber grade logs for local sale. The locomotive fords the stream as though it were not even there. Mountain lumber reflects the influence of local people working within their own community to help the high country build and progress. Ovalee gill passed away on january 3, 2019 in leon, west virginia. The operation began in the late 1980s when it acquired a section of the. The flood of april, was one of the worst floods ever seen in the mississippi valley. Im planning a new layout trying to incorparte meadow river lumber s mill in rainelle, wv and im have issues with the track arrangement. The history of the company, its railroads and its towns with accounts by the people who lived it r. Society west virginia division of culture and history.
In 1904 smith had hitching posts put along the side facing eberts store. List of company towns in the united states wikipedia. For years the driver of this wagon was marion asbury who also delivered goods from the company store. Thomas purchased a small planing mill and cotton gin in coal mountain, georgia. A company official said it was the firms first fatality at the camp. Ercl stands for elk river coal and lumber company west virginia. In his 1994 book, west virginia logging railroads, william warden attempts to set.
Swandale contained the sawmill for lumber operations of the elk river coal and lumber company and there was a small dairy at cressmont. It was a town wholly owned by the elk river coal and lumber company. Compare hotels in elk river coal and lumber company no. The company, organized in 1905, succeeded an 1898 association of the same name composed of northern capitalists investing in central west virginia lumber and coal. It was used to haul mine waste from the rich run mine at widen to the gob pile. We demonstrate how the mountain work ethic combined with visionary leadership has seen the company and its services grow to keep pace with the increasing demands of. The bar downstairs seemed to be on the right track, but the tv in the corner was hard to ignore. This article about a property in west virginia on the national register of historic places is. In the most often repeated story, in 1903, at the age of 22, joseph gardner bradley acquired a very large tract of prime west virginia land, around 102,000 acres.
Cite the books, articles, and other sources used in preparing this form on one or more. The following books and articles on the widen coal strike of 195253 can be found at the west virginia archives library. Along the way, it passed marked locations at avoca, sand fork, the company towns of cressmont and swandale, and eakle. This is a list of company towns in the united states towns listed in bold are. Day distinguished lectureship in forest and conservation history. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. By 1905, they had deeded another 1,000 acres to elk river coal and lumber company, which had been organized at dundon in 190405. The class b twotruck locomotive, introduced by climax in 1893, featured a horizontal boiler with slanted cylinders.
Since everyones copy is synchronized with everyone elses, no one has to worry about fraudulent or conflicting entries. One cannot think of the widen and dille area without thinking of j. Like coal miners in other parts of tennessee, workers for the little river lumber company bought their groceries, rented their homes and even paid their electric bill to their employer. Alexanders grandfather, joel, was the first to be buried there, in 1860. Ercl 19 elk river coal and lumber company shay at avoco, west virginia by steve patterson.
It had every adjunct of a coming city, nice schools, good homes, electric lights, plenty of good water, an ice plant and the only ymca in the county. It was a company owned coal mining town that was a community without a jail, a town without elected officials. The companys filing status is listed as currentactive and its file number is 0332177. Thomas lumber company has been familyowned and operated for four generations. In 1903 jacobs and watts lumber sold out to steward and volk. In the late 1800s, noah falk and two other stakeholders became partners in the elk river mill and lumber company. Headquartered in washington state, the weyerhaeuser timber company remains one of the nations largest harvesters of forest products. Logging and mining book railroad books model railroad. Ercl is defined as elk river coal and lumber company west virginia very rarely. Ive been a member of the forum for awhile but ive usually just read from others and have not posted anything so im just a newbie.
This article is within the scope of wikiproject trains, an attempt to build a comprehensive and detailed guide to rail transport on wikipedia. A state trooper recalls trouble in the coalfields, goldenseal magazine, charleston, west virginia, division of culture and history, volume 21, number 4, winter 1995. This is a great attempt, but a wide miss on getting it right. He easily remembered a story or a book after it had been read to him only. Just finished reading a new book for the 3rd time the book is called elk river coal and lumber company written by brooks stover it is a must for anyone who is interested in logging and mining in west virgina it is a detailed view of both the buffalo creek and gauley railroad and elk river lumber company i highly recommend reading this the book can only be found at. He began building his clay coun ty empire on the nearly 93,000 acres of. Craig of the rochester lumber company and new york capitalists cornelius vanderbilt, h. Seward webb, for whom mcgraw engineered the purchase of three hundred thousand acres of west virginia coal and timber lands in 1897. California, built by the red river lumber company, sold in 1944 to fruit growers supply company, an affiliate of sunkist. This map of the elk river coal and lumber company railroad operations shows all of the locations mentioned in the text below.
It was retired in 1959 and moved to its present location at huntington, west virginia, in 1977. Southern west virginia and eastern kentucky industrial and commercial lumber supplier. Bradley, the president of elk river coal and lumber company and the buffalo creek and gauley railroad. Quizlet flashcards, activities and games help you improve your grades. All of jims models are collector quality and shelf queens. Ercl elk river coal and lumber company west virginia. Alexander and lydia reserved a portion of their land for a hamrick cem etery. The new design was an instant success and quickly became climaxs most popular model, remaining so throughout the companys.
The history of the company, its railroads and its towns with accounts by the people who lived it. It was retired in 1959 and moved to its present location at huntington, west virginia. The new design was an instant success and quickly became climaxs most popular model, remaining so throughout the company s history. Funeral home services for ovalee are being provided by deal funeral home point pleasant. If you would like to participate, you can visit the project page, where you can join the project andor contribute to the discussion. History of the pagosa lumber company and the related railroads and sawmills built by a. Umw gives up at widen pickets quit in lost cause the clay county village of widen site of the elk river coal and lumber company s widen mine and scene of one of the most bitter and violent strikes in recent west virginia history could be entered today without crossing a familiar picket line. Patsy baughman provided this wonderful snapshot from an undated newspaper of a wagon of the type used to deliver coal to homes in swandale, and its lettered for the elk river coal and lumber company.
The arlington coal and lumber company is your source for the best framing lumber in the market. Includes 25 black and white photographs and postcards of railroads, logging operations, camps, and sawmills of the crossett lumber company in arkansas. Elk river coal and lumber company clay county, west virginia. The railroad never reached further than widen on the claynicholas county line, a total of 18. In 1916, the company built a sawmill at swandale, and a logging railroad to serve it. Shays ususlly crossed the creeks with out the aid of bridges and the cover painting depicts one doing just that. At the time of his death he had done extensive research and preliminary writing directed toward a book length treatment of the labor troubles related to the elk river coal and lumber company in widen, clay county, west virginia. The registered agent on file for this company is newton, augustus l and is located at 1 n. Earlier coal firm shippers included claydeberry leonard mine and the standard kanawha coal company. This same year he purchased the coal sheds owned by p.
But coal production and the booming times that accompanied it are gone. The railroad hits the end of the line once it runs into the rich run coal mines yard in widen. Watch geared locomotives haul log cars through the detailed scenes on this detailed 9 x 16 foot model train layout. Among others, there are many early photos of geared and rod locomotives in logging operations. Details the early logging operations of the goodyear lumber company in pennsylvania and louisiana. In 1905, bradley, president of elk river coal and lumber companyelrico, located to. How is elk river coal and lumber company west virginia abbreviated. Middle school curriculum the greatest good teaching guide. The elk river railroad is a short line located in centralwest virginia running over the. I have been to cass and ridden up the mountain behind a shay and the pictures brought it all to life again. The comprehensive garden railway service for g scale, gauge 1, 16mm, 5 inch and 7.
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