Research: Sawmill Database

Alpha-Numeric Key: MS-22
Corporate Name: Sullivan & Sanford; or Sanford-Sullivan
Local Name:
Owner Name: Sullivan & Sanford; or Sanford-Sullivan
Location: Naples (Belden)
County: Morris
Years in Operation: 7 years
Start Year: 1906
End Year: 1912
Decades: 1900-1909,1910-1919
Period of Operation: 1906 to 1912
Town: Naples (Belden)
Company Town: 1
Peak Town Size: 906 in 1905. 1178 in 1910. 821 in 1940.
Mill Pond:
Type of Mill: Hardwood 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: 40000: 1906
Capacity Comments: Estimated 40,000 feet daily of lumber
Produced:
Rough Lumber Planed Lumber Crossties Timbers
Lathe Ceiling Unknown Beading
Flooring Paper Plywood Particle Board
Treated Other
Equipment: Sawmill and planing mill
Company Tram:
Associated Railroads: St Louis Southwestern (Cotton Belt)
Historicial Development: Traylor Russell wrote a brief history of Titus County. He noted that the Sullivan-Sanford of Cincinnati, Ohio, began building a mill at Naples in 1905. It was running the following year. The mill employed 500 workers in the woods, on the trams, and at the mill. The company, according to the American Lumberman in 1906, was going to build twenty miles of tram road. In 1906 and 1907, the company bought right of way rights for its tram road through Morris County from S. A. Starwell, C. A. Reeves, and A. A. Grabb. Sullivan & Sanford were listed in the 1907 Reference Book of the Lumbermen's Credit Association as hardwood manufacturers at Naples. M. H. Sullivan of Florida was one of the owners of the corporation. He received $127,694.25 in return for his lands in Morris and Titus counties in 1906. They may have bought out Shaddi or Gallaway of Naples, who had been sawmilling there in 1905 but not in 1907. The Corn Exchange National Bank of Chicago won suit against Sullivan-Sanford for more than $31,000 in 1908. Bankruptcy shut down operations for good in 1912. Webb reported that the community of Naples, settled in 1879, was known as Belden until 1898. Located in the northeastern part of the county, Naples long served as a shipping station on the Cotton Belt.
Research Date: MCJ 04-11-96
Prepared By: M Johnson 4-9-94