Research: Sawmill Database

Alpha-Numeric Key:	JE-18
Corporate Name:	Cummings & Retlig [Rutlig]
Local Name:
Owner Name:	Cummings & Retlig [Rutlig]
Location:	Sabine
County:	Jefferson
Years in Operation:	7 years
Start Year:	1901
End Year:	1907
Decades:	1900-1909
Period of Operation:	1901 to 1907
Town:	Sabine
Company Town:	2
Peak Town Size:	673 in 1906
Mill Pond:
Type of Mill:	Hardwood and pine 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: 190675000: 1907
Capacity Comments:	40,000 feet of hardwoods and 70,000 feet of pine daily
Produced:	Rough Lumber Planed Lumber Crossties Timbers Lathe Ceiling Unknown Beading Flooring Paper Plywood Particle Board Treated Other
Equipment:	Sawmill
Company Tram:
Associated Railroads:	Texas & New Orleans
Historicial Development:	W. E. Rutlig was reported to be building a sawmill at Port Arthur in 1901 but ended up constructing it at Sabine Pass. The new combination sawmill of Cummings & Retlig in 1905 was reported to turn out 40,000 feet of hardwoods and 70,000 feet of pine daily. This Cummings is the C. R. Cummings of C. R. Cummings Export Company. This mill may have been dismantled later in 1907 and moved to the new Neches River Lumber Company plant, a C. R. Cummings Export Company subsidiary built that year just outside of Beaumont on Brake's Bayou. See Neches River Lumber Company. The LCA listing for 1907 is under Houston with a caption stating the mill was at Sabine. Kirby Lumber Company may have had a lease of this mill after 1907 until the hurricane of 1915.
Research Date:	MCJ 04-09-96
Prepared By:	M Johnson