Research: Sawmill Database

Alpha-Numeric Key: HO-124
Corporate Name: Richard Douglass
Local Name:
Owner Name: Richard Douglass
Location: At or near Crockett
County: Houston
Years in Operation: 6 years
Start Year: 1879
End Year: 1884
Decades: 1870-1879,1880-1889
Period of Operation: 1879 to 1884
Town: Crockett
Company Town: 2
Peak Town Size: Unknown
Mill Pond:
Type of Mill: Rough pine and oak lumber
Sawmill Pine Sawmill Hardwood Sawmill Cypress Sawmill
Planer Planer Only Shingle Paper
Plywood Cotton Grist Unknown
Other
Power Source: 25-horsepower steam engine
Horse Mule Oxen Water
Water Overshot Water Turbine Diesel Unknown
Pit Steam Steam Circular Steam Band
Gas Electricity Other
Maximum Capacity: 
Capacity Comments: 175,000 feet of lumber during the reporting period of the 1880 Census
Produced:
Rough Lumber Planed Lumber Crossties Timbers
Lathe Ceiling Unknown Beading
Flooring Paper Plywood Particle Board
Treated Other
Equipment: Hardwood (oak) and pine sawmill
Company Tram:
Associated Railroads: International & Great Northern
Historicial Development: The Richard Douglass sawmill appeared in a 1880 Chicago lumber publication, which located it in or around Crockett. Douglass' mill also appeared in Rand McNally and Company's 1884 directory of lumber mills. Douglass operated this sawmill in Houston County during the enumeration period of the Census of 1880. The mill was capitalized at $4,000. Work required five male employees, three of whom were children under the age of sixteen. Douglass paid his workers $1.00 per each ten-hour day, spending $350 total in wages during the nine months of mill operations. The power plant consisted of a twenty-horsepower steam engine with two boilers. Cutting equipment included a circular saw. From raw materials and mill supplies worth $1112, Douglass's mill produced 175,000 feet of lumber for a gross value of $2,000. The mill did no remanufacturing. Douglass did his own logging near the mill. Douglass was an active member of the Royal Arch Masons, Lothrop Lodge 21, and in the Trinity Council NO. 8 of the Royal and Select Master Masons.
Research Date: JKG 12-13-93, MCJ 02-21-96
Prepared By: J. Gerland, M. Johnson