The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-10-14
.BACKUS- BROOKS Mill
PRIDE OF kEEWAT|N
Product of Improved Modern
Saving Plant Is Consumed
in Canadian West. ..
Special to The Journal.

Special to Tho journal. -.
Keewatin, Oct. 13,-The Backus-
Brooks company of Minneapolis has
Just completed one of the most up-to-
date lumber sawmills on the continent.
The concern has Incorporated in Cana
ga as the Keewatin Lumber. company,
limited. W. H. Flanagan, from Min
neapolis, is the general manager; Don
aid Mcleod of Keewatin manager of
timber and steamboats, department, and
William Lyon, Keewatin, manager of
the financial department.
The main building Of the new mill
is 44x211 feet, and there are two wings,
one 27x5O. for machine shop, and the
other 27xso feet, for !ath and edgiinng
PIP feet. The boiler and engine room
is 64x86 and contains two 600-horse-
power boilers. The furnaces are fitted
with automatic fuel feeders.
All the machinery is as nearly auto
matte thruout as possible, and the plant
is designed with a view Of handling all
timber, especially the smaller class Of
AS the log enters the mill it is received
by a twin band machine which takes
off two slabs at one run. and then
passes it to the main bandsaw. A steam
dog quickly places the squared log on
the carriage, and the big bandsaw rap
idly converts 1t into lumber. The twin
bandsaw machine at the entrance of
the mill is SO arranged that the datted
log. can be carried around from. its back
this can be repeated to convert the log
into lumber if need be. when the big
bandsaw has sufficient material to
work on. so that one or both machines
can be kept continuously in operation
without depending on the other.
Nothing Lost.
To utilize the slabs fully, a horizon
tai bandsaw receives them or parts
of logs and reduces them to the last
possible board. Slashers cut the slabs
and edgings into four-foot lengths, and
24-foot automatic trimmer cuts off
the waste ends. finishing the lumber
to uniform lengths. Automatic carriers
then convey it to the sorting shed.
After going over the slashers the
slabs and edgings pass on a carrier
along the edge Of the lath wing. Here
boys are kept busy sorting out the four
| foot lengths suitable for lath or fuel,
| and the shorts are fed into a hog
which chews them up. into very me
small bits for immediate use IN the
boiler room.
New Carrying System.
|
The lumber from the mill is carried
along the sorting shed and the differ:
ent classes are loaded on buggies and
conveyed to the piling. ground: 49,; The
handling lumber. Carriage ways OF
sufficient width are covered with plank:
laid straightaway. he rails being re
quired. The buggies are three,,wheeled
the front wheel turning on kingbolt
They are so balanced on the two real
wheels that twenty or any number 2o1
them attached to each other In tandem
will turn a square corner. the hind ont
following in the same track as the from
Il one, with one horse attached. 1t is al
odd sight to see them travelling, in
perfect square without any side o
other guide.
The capacity of the mill, when in full
operation, is 100000 to 100000 day,
The market for the Lumbar is thu
Canadian west. the rapid settlement o
which has created big demand for al
kinds of building material.