The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-04-21
Elk Creek Steam Saw Mil,

of Frank G. Ely, inspecting on Fri
day last the new steam and water
mill of B F. Ely, for the express pur-
pose of laying the facts in regard to
this enterprise before The ADVOCATE
readers, and in furtherance of the plan
suggested already in these columns to
lay before them the main points con-
nected with the numbering interests of
the Clarion river in this vicinity we
CLEAN the following facts.
The Ely mill is situated on Elk
creek perhaps half mile east of the
Ridgway Borough limits and about a
mile from the confluence of that
stream with the Clarion river Just
above the long iron bridge at the foot
of Main street. So that definitely
speaking this mill is not on the Clar-
ion river, neither is the lumber fioated
down that stream. The lumber is
SHIPPED from a wharfing erected on the
P. & f. r. r. which road runs near
the mill making the cost of handling
the lumber very low, and affords great
facilities for rapidly filling orders.
The power of the mill is furnished
by 75 Fl. P. engine made by Struth-
ers, Wells & Co. Warren, Pa, pro-
vided with q Gardner patent COVER
nor; the mill shaft is inches in di-
ameter, the drive wheel feet. Two
2-fue boilers A inches in diameter
and twenty feet long, furnish the
steam; the fuel used being the saw
| dust direct from the saw which Joseph
De Vog fireman, was feeding to the
flames with Il shovel about as fast as
he could handle it. About 80 pounds
of steam to the square inch is carried
when the mill is running. The steam
power was put in last fall, being ready
to run about the middle Of November
1880. They also have Lcffler tur-
bne water wheel of G6.7 II. p. with a
o foot head The mill can be run
with either power, the work of chang
ing only requiring fifteen to twenty
minutes, time. The circular saw,
gang-edger, two cutoff saws, and log
jacker, and GUNNER, comprises the
machinery working at present. A
lath mill, palmer, and bolter Ia ma
chine to cut slabs to uniform thick
ness for latin will be added during
the summer.
Louis Ely was attending the gates
while Constable Cannavan did the
setting of the logs, with the assistance
of Louis and that powerful piece OF
machinery called log jacker, which
can turn Il log with ease that a dozen
men with cant-hooks would not be
enabled to move. Ten men are kent
rushing to remove the 10000 feet OF
lumber which the mill turns out in &
day, besides Il number of men in tn,
yard kept busy asserting and piling
the lumber to season for shipment
The lumber is generally well seasoned
before being shipped. AT the presen,
writing 1,500,0D0 feet of lumber il
piled in the yard while the merry saw
is converting logs into boards and bill
stuff at the rate above named.
The property is owned by b. f. El,
who furnishes the stock, which Ely
Bros, F. c, Ely, and Louis Ely, saw
pile. and ship. Ely Bros. are ais
saving Il large stock of hemlock log
on contract with w. II. Osterhout
: The Ely and Osterhout logs are thrown
, promiscuously into the stream, ant
: come to the saw first one kind thel
another, and great care is necessary t
keep the lumber separated, by reasoj
Of which considerable time is lost eac
day.
l Figuring from the number of cord
of bark peeled they have 5000, 0'0 fee
OF hemlOck stock used in this con
: nection stock would mean a suificien
: quantity of logs to give when save
] the number of feet indicated counte
e ut board measure) 10000 feet ha
! been sawed. Besides this they hav
! 100000 feet of pine stock and som
r other kinds as cucumber, chestnut, ,asl
. cherry, etc.
I The Elk Greek mill will be whe
= fully equipped one of the most con
r plete in this section, and under tn
1 personal supervision of that vetera
5 lumberman Mr. b. +. Ely, and wit
: the stirring business capacity of FL
. Bros, will turn out its full quota {
, lumber.