Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1902-06-26
The Emporium Lumber Co.
Galeton Dispatch.


its organization in 1892. Some twenty
years ago, Mr.. WI. Sykes, then just out
of his teens, and without means started
on his own account, a lumber operation
at Benzinger, Elk county, Pa, and later
in this enterprise was Joined by William
Calfsch Together these brothers.in-
law developed this industry to an ex-
tent under the circumstances, hitherto
unthought of in connection with
numbering. Not only economically
working up the hamlock, but erected
buildings and installed machinery for
manufacturing, for multitude OF uses;
all the hardwood from the sapling to
the largest tree.
Thus they not only prolonged the
duration of the business, and furnished
employment for much larger force of
men, but saved in the ordinary economy
of nature, many millions of feet of
timber that would have otherwise been
left to be consumed by forest fires.
While it may be said others are now
doing the same, it is nevertheless
fact that these gentlemen were the
pioneers in economics of this nature
In 1892, some years before the ex-
piration of the business at Benzinger
an arrangement was made with the
Goodyears for the purchase and manu-
facture of their immense tracts of
hardwood timber in Potter, Cameron
and other adjoining counties, and in
this connection the Emporium Lumber
Company was organized, and at present
consists of w. L. Sykes, president,
Galeton, Pa; w. S. Walker, vice presi-
dent, Austin, Pa; w. L. Turner,
secretary and treasurer, Keating
Summit, Pa. The directors are w. l..
Sykes, w T. Turner, w. S. Walker,
William Calnsch, and E. J. Jones, with
general offices located at Keating
Summit, Potter county, Pa.
The first mill built by the new Com
pany was at Keating Summit, in 1892
and has been in successful operation
since. In the year 1900 the mill at
Galeton was built and put into opera
ton, and year later the A. G. Lyma-
Hardwood mill at Austin, Pa, was
purchased, and has since been operated
by the company.
In connection with all this, the
company have arranged for the pur-
chase Of all the hardwood lumber, to be
manufactured in the hardwood mill
of the c. b. Howard Co., of Emporium,
Pa making in the grand aggregate a
total of 100000 feet of hardwood
lumber annually.
1t ig not the magnitude of the COM
pany's business that is 30 worthy of
praise and consideration, 80 much as
it is the admirable manner in which
their immense business is conducted.
The writer whose connection with
the Emporium Lumber Company is
only test of friendship, has had life
time experience with the lumber busi-
ness,and an intimate acquaintance
with the gentlemen in question for the
the past 20 years, an experience which
has covered operations i'll several diff
ferent states, can say in all candor
that of all the hardwood manufactur-
ing concerns he has even met with,
none are, or have been, conducted
with anything approaching the ability
and intelligence which is character
lied in the management of the affairs
of the Emporium Lumber Company.
One of its most important mills is
the one located at Galeton, which runs
day and night the year around, giving
steady employment to large number
of workmen at remunerative wages
This industry thus performs leading
part in the maintenance of the business
prosperity of this borough. An i'm
preston may be found of the business
conducted by this company, wher
known that it holds the same relation
to the hardwood business that the
Goodyear Lumber Company does to the
hemlock trade.
The logs for these mills are cut ou
from large tracts covering over one
hundred thousand acres, principally
on the line of the Buffalo & Susque
hanna railroad and the logs are
hauled to the various mills by rail
Their three mills are equipped will
modern machinery, consisting of Clarl
Bros, band mills, with planning mills
and dry kilns and novelty works 70
turning and working up small dimen
sion stock. Their principal product
in lumber are cherry, ash, maple
birch, beech, chestnut, oak, baSswooC
and elm and last but not least, th
only tract Of Virginia white pine left il
Northern Pennsylvania, known as tn
Billings tract, in Tioga county, is nov
the property of the Emporiam Lumbe
Company, and will be manufacture,
at their GaIeton mill during the mex