Panama City pilot., 1908-01-23
MILLVILLE
Site Of G. A. |. Co.'S.
Mills, Etc.
HISTORY, BUSINESS, ETC.
HISTORY, BUSINESS, ETC.

pleasantly located was named after
the Watson's who purchased the
lands at the entrance to the bayou,
with other large tracts, for numbering
purposes, in 1884 and '35. These men
erected a mill on one of the points in
this bayou. The mill changed hands
several times, but the old boiler OF
this mill is still to be seer in its
original location.
With the destruction of all prop
erty along the bay shore during the
civil war, business of all kinds came
to an end and was not taken up again
for many years. The first settler
after the war was Mr. William Holmes
who came there thirty nine years ago
with his family and located where
Mrs Holmes now resides. Mr. Holmes
bought a schooner and engaged in
the Pensacola and St Andrews Bay
trade, building larger vessels as his
need demanded. For years sailing
vessels, and wagons from Jackson
county, were the sole dependence of
the Bay country for supplies.
During the winter of 'S5 and SO Mr.
Laughton and his son-in-law, Mr.
Logan located near here, also Will
liam Glover and family. These
families organized Sunday school
to meet at Mr. Logan's home. About
this time they built small school
house where school was kept and the
meetings Of literary society were
held. This was known as the Wat
son Bayou Literary Society and often
exchanged visits with it's sister society
at Cromanton.
The present site of Millville COM
prises lands bought from Mrs Holmes
who, after the death of her husband
completed the homestead entries in
her own right; together with the
Glover homestead. Nine years ago
this coming May Messrs Adams,
BOWS and Milligan began the erec-
tion of a mill where the present one
now stands. A postoffice was soon
established and officially named Mill
, vile.
Mr. Henry BOWS of this firm had
been looking over pine lands in this
section for some time previous and
had secured a large tract of timber
at the time the mill started. This
mill had a capacity of about 20, 900 feet
per day. The above named gentle
men operated the same under the
name Of the st Andrews Bay Lumber
Company. Mr. Adams soon withdrew
} and the Messrs Bowls and Milligan
continued to operate the mill until
J they made sale of it to the German
American Lumber Company.
G. A. L. Co.
The G. a. L. Company was incor-
porated under the laws of the state
of Florida in. the year 1901 with q
capital of $780, 900. 1t was organized
, with the following officers in charge
Fr. Julius Schreyer, Pres. Bremen
Ger; H. II. Boyer, Vice Pres, Pensa.
, cola, Fla; G.. Rolf, Secy. Pensacola
Fla. j. Nj. Barrow, Supt. of Mill, Mill
ville,; F. G. McGin, Supt. of R. R.
Logging, Millville; j. n. Chandler
Bookkeeper, Millville; F. B. Clingo
Supt. of Mdse. Dept. Mil,ville.
This company rebuilt the mill al
once giving it capacity of about
, 900 feet per day. They erected &
| large dry kiln, and planning mill, and
made of these very complete and
modern mill plant. This mill was
entirely destroyed by fire December
10th, 1906.
Just as soon as plans could be per
, fected the erection of much larger
and finer mill was begun. Ground
was broken for this structure Febru-
ary 1st, 1907 and the manufacturing
of lumber began again the September
following.
This mill is furnished with two
band saws, gang edger, two large
edgers, together with all necessary
apparatus for turning out slaves,
headings, pickets and shingles. A
large planning mill is operated in
connection with the mill for the bene-
fit of the local trade. There is we'll
equipped machine shop connected
with the plant. An up-to-date cleo
tric light plant, furnishing ample