Research: Sawmill Database

Alpha-Numeric Key: WK-95
Corporate Name: P. G. Peterson
Local Name:
Owner Name: P. G. Peterson and W. S. Peters. D. M. Angle and W. S. Peters.
Location: Five miles north of New Waverly, near Barado; also Subdistrict 155
County: Walker
Years in Operation: 2 years
Start Year: 1879
End Year: 1880
Decades: 1870-1879,1880-1889
Period of Operation: 1879 to 1880
Town: Near Barado
Company Town: 2
Peak Town Size: Unknown
Mill Pond:
Type of Mill: Rough and finished pine and hardwood (oak) lumber sawmill
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: 10000: 1880
Capacity Comments: 2,000,000 during the reporting period of the census
Produced:
Rough Lumber Planed Lumber Crossties Timbers
Lathe Ceiling Unknown Beading
Flooring Paper Plywood Particle Board
Treated Other
Equipment: Pine and hardwood (oak) lumber sawmill with a circular, 4-gang, and muley saws, and a planing mill
Company Tram:
Associated Railroads: International & Great Northern
Historicial Development: D. M. Angle is recorded in a Northwestern Lumberman publication as beginning his sawmill career in New Waverly in 1880. He later would own mills in Trinity and Polk counties. Angle, although he had sold his equipment five miles north of New Waverly to P. G. Peterson in 1879, is still listed in the 1880 Census owning the sawmill in Subdistrict 155. Either Peterson had forfeited on his loan or Angle had kept a lien on the amount due. The facility was the largest sawmill in Walker County with muley, gang, and circular saws powered by two boilers and two engines. The mill employed forty men at peak production and twenty-five normally, earning $$1.25 to $2.50 daily for eleven-hour shifts. Angle paid out $5,000 total in wages. From $15,000 in supplies and sawlogs, the mill manufactured 2,000,000 feet of lumber, worth more than $55,000. The gross product value indicates that Angle's operation was finishing lumber and doing cabinet, window, and door remanufacturing.
Research Date: JKG 11-11-93, MCJ 03-31-96
Prepared By: J. Gerland, M. Johnson