Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1906-03-16
IMPORTANT BUSINESS DEAL
II. L. PlttOck and r. w. Leadbetter
Purchase Interest in 0erlinger
Railroad and Cone Sawmlll.

The largest business deal ever
transacted In Polk county, and one OF
supreme Importance to Dallas, was
consummated this week, when H. l..
Pittock and F. w. Leadbetter, two OF
the leading capitalists Of Oregon,
purchased OF L. Gerlinger an interest
In the Dallas & Falls City railroad,
and in the thousands Of acres of
timber land owned by Mr.. Gerlinger
in the mountains west Of Falls City.
At the same time this deal was made,
Mr.. Gerlinger and his associates pur-
chased an INTEREST," in the Gone Lumber
Company's big sawmill in Dallas.
The new firm has Incorporated
under the significant name Of the
Willamette Valley Lumber Company.
with officers as follows: Z. Gerlinger,
president; II. L. Pittock, vice -presi-
dent; George T. Gerlinger secretary
and manager; F. w. Leadbe-ter,
treasurer; George w. Gone, director
and mill superintendent.
The first move OF the new company
will be to complete the plant Of the
big sawmill in this city, after which
the mill will be operated steadily and
with greatly increased capacity. A
large lath mill will be added to mini
mize the waste. and force Of work
men are already engaged In putting
in complete system Of conveyors to
handle the refuse OF the mill. The
company has enroute to Dallas two
new boilers to add to the two now in
use, The planers are already in posi-
ton, and several donkey engines are
on the way to be used at the logging
camps.
The mill has capacity of 10000
feet in 10 hours at the present time,
but with the new machinery 10 eper-
alton, this capacity will at once be
increased to $4,000 feet. Manager
George Gerlinger informs US that 1t
is probable that the plant will be run
ming night and day inside Of the next
two months, which will increase the
the capacity to 10000 feet every "a
hours. The mill now gives employ
ment to 40 men, but this number will
be more than doubled when the plant
commences working night and day
shifts.
The new company owns and operates
l3 miles Of first-clas standard-guage
railroad, four-mile extension having
been built into the timber beyond
Falls City last Summer and Fall. No
changes will be made in the officers
and employees OF the railroad at this
time. and the business will continue
under the capable management OF l..
GerIinger, Jr. Mr.. Gerlinger says
there will be a considerable amount
of railroad extension in the timber
next summer.
Mr.. Gone will be actively identified
with the management Of the sawmill,
and will have the direct supervision
of the enlargement OF the plant.
He has already demonstrated his
thorough knowledge Of the business
by installing one Of the best milling
properties In Oregon. The general
management of the company's affairs
will be in the hands OF George I.
Gerlinger, who Is a wide-awake and
practical sawmill and railroad man.
Dallas is to be congratulated upon
this turn of events, as, with such
representative men interested here,
prosperous commercial future for the
town is assured. The thanks Of our
people for this desirable condition OF
affairs are due to L. Gerlinger, Sr.,
whose keen foresight, progressive
business methods, and strong person
ality have been such potent factors in
the upbuilding Of Western Polk
county. After years OF faithful en-
deavor on the part Of Dallas enter
prising citizens to open up the vast
forests of the Luckiamute range and
thus secure to our town the trade
which this development would bring,
it remained for Mr.. Gerlinger to come
forward and carry the work to sue
cessful conclusion. 1t was due to his
loyal friendship that Mr.. Cone was
induced to come to Dallas when seek
ing a location for a sawmill. The
local business men lent their hearty
cooperation, and the result is that, in
the new Gone sawmill and Johnson
mill already established, Dallas has
two Of the best lumber manufacturing
plants in Oregon. The good things
for Dallas have only just begun, but
whatever the future growth and pros
perity, Mr.. Gerlinger will be known
as the father Of our best development.