Research: Sawmill Database

Alpha-Numeric Key:	TY-51
Corporate Name:	R. W. Snelling & F. P. Gagne
Local Name:
Owner Name:	R. W. Snelling & F. P. Gagne
Location:	Woodville
County:	Tyler
Years in Operation:	9 years
Start Year:	1887
End Year:	1895
Decades:	1880-1889,1890-1899
Period of Operation:	1887 to about 1895
Town:	Woodville
Company Town:	2
Peak Town Size:	Unknown
Mill Pond:
Type of Mill:	Rough and finished 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:	30000: 188740000: 1890
Capacity Comments:	30,000 feet daily in 1887; increased to 40,000 feet in 1890.
Produced:	Rough Lumber Planed Lumber Crossties Timbers Lathe Ceiling Unknown Beading Flooring Paper Plywood Particle Board Treated Other
Equipment:	Sawmill at first; planing mill added in 1890.
Company Tram:
Associated Railroads:	Sabine & East Texas (Texas and New Orleans)
Historicial Development:	R. W. Snelling used the estate of R. P. Snelling to resurrect the latter's Kountze sawmill, if not the latter's body, at Woodville in 1887, the year after the hurricane had knocked it down. Initially, the sawmill's cutting capacity produced up to 30,000 feet daily of rough lumber, which was shipped to Nona for planing. In 1893, Smelling & Gagne increased the cutting capacity to 40,000 feet daily and erected a planing mill for the sawmill's product. Snelling & Gagne did their own logging with one locomotive, five flat cars, and three miles of tram road. The hurricane of 1886 wreaked disaster throughout the lower end of East Texas. The communities of Sabine Pass, Texas, and Johnson's Bayou, Louisiana, were completely leveled. Almost two hundred people drowned in the two communities.
Research Date:	MCJ 02-21-96
Prepared By:	M. Johnson