Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-08-13
Logging on the Connecticut.

The Springfield Republican publishes a
statistical account of the numbering busl-
ness on the Connecticut river. This inter
est, though of sudden growth, has already
become one of the important industries of
western Massachusetts, -engaging about
half a million of capital, employing some
800 men in the mills, and producing 10000,
600 feet of lumber yearly, valued at half a
million of dollars. The "drlve," this year,
is not quite 50 large as II has usually been,
comprising about 100000 feet, all but
few hundred thousand feet of pine being
spruce logs. These were cot about the
head-waters of the Connecticut in New
Hampshire and Vermont, in Coos aud Es-
sex counties. This years drive has been
managed by 90 men, has been 90 days ON
the way, and no accident has marred lis
passage. The "driving" consists in keep
ing the logs well within the current, clear
ing off those that lodge upon the banks,
and breaking the Jams at the rapids and
narrows. Henry s. billiard Of Canaan,
N. H., is experimenting the drive, this
year. Having brought the logs down the
river safely, they are disposed of to the
luTu6Ts rams, MCluuOeS, uuu I1OlyOht
companies, and b. Congdon & Son.
The McIndoes lumber company does the
most business of any on the river, having
mills both at McIndoes Falls, W., and
near the Mt. Tom station on the Connecti-
cut River railroad. The mill at McIndoes
Falls was started in 1865, by S. Barker,
who continued alone until 1868, when ID.
N. Estabrooks and Isaac Bowman of Old
town, Me-, Joined him. r. G. Human en-
tered the firm in 1873, and now has charge
of the Mount Tom mill, while Mr. Barker
attends to the sales from both mills. For
the mill at McIndoes Falls, the firm, this
year, have driven 5,000,0 600 feet of spruce
lumber. Most OF the lumber manufacture
ed at this mill is disposed of in the eastern
part of Massachusetts. The mill at Mount
Tom was built in 1873; ii is 1870 by so, runs
two circular saws, averaging $4,000 feet of
lumber daily, two smaller saws cutting up
$4,000 lath, daily, and planning mill. The
full force numbers about 20 hands, and
power is furnished by a $50 horsepower
engine. There are 1000, 900 feet of spruce
logs floating down to this mill, whose prod
uct is sold down the Connecticut river,
finding market in this city, Hartford and
New Haven.
The Holyoke Lumber Company's mill
is in the great bend of the Connecticut, on
its west bank, just above Springfield. This
is the furthest destination of any portion
of the drive, the logs being collected here
for Congdon & Son, on the east bank ofthe
river, as well as for the Holyoke company.
The latter company was organized in 1872,
with Charles Davis of Portland, Me-, as
president, and ]. c. Lewis of Holyoke,
treasurer. The capital stock is 100000.
Their first mill was built in 1S71-'72
They work two circular saws, averaging
$4,000 feet daily, turning out additionally
10000 lath, 1900 shingles and 1000 clap
boards. They also turn out 5000 cords of
wood yearly, which is sold TO G. X. Griffin
on a contract for several years. Most of
the waste is burned, furnishing fuel for six
50-hor Sc power boilers and a 300-horse
power engine; from 20 to so men are EN-
ployed at the mill. Their market is most
ly in Springfield and Hartford and they
report a good supply of orders for the fall
trade. Their drive, this year, amounts to
opOuC OyOVOJOOO lOSty opiuSSi hhOuSh
there are some pines among them. Pines
are, however, becoming great rarity, this
compa y owning the only sizable pine tract
in New England, at Lewis, VT, compris-
ing $4,000 acres of choice, huge, tirst-growth
pines; regular monsters, if one that is
coming in this years drive is a sample
which furnished a single log lis feet long,
girting Is feet at the base, and will cut up
into 600 feet OF lumber, or as much as it
takes 10 build an average house! The
whole tree was about $50 feet high. OF
course it was impossible to bring so long a
log down full length, it would cause too
many "jams," and it was therefore cut up
into 49, foot lengths. Another pine log in
the drive girts about 10 feet. Most of the
pine lumber brought into the state comes
from the West and the tirst-class native
or "northern" now commands high price.
Directly across the river from the Holy
oke lu mber company is the mill of b. Cong
don d Son, firm that was formed in 1865.
The buildings are of brick, and power is
furnished by two 50-horse power boilers
and 100-horse power engine. The capa-
city of the mill is 100000 feet a year, of
which 100000 or 100000 are used in max
ing boxes for packing cotton goods they
also make 1000, 900 lath, yearly. This mill
will take about 100000 feet, this year.
The Turner'S Falls Lumber Company, T.
NJ. Stoughton of Gill president, has $4,000
capital and has been in operation three
years.