The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-11
LUMBER INDUSTRY
 IS MORE ACTIVE Thirty SawmiIIS Resume In
 Thirty Days EXPORT TRADE IS GOOD The Wausau Lumber Company Puts People of Laurel to Peculiar Test.
 Returns Bonus of $21 1000.
 Will Build Mill.
By A. c. AYLEsWoRTH.


 that were idle a month ago. and the few mills that have not yet resumed are watching for an opening that will promise them profitable and continuous business in case they start their wheels to turning.
 The largest mill in the section that now Is idle Is that of the J. c. Norton Lumber company, which is in the hands of a receiver While 1t was positively denied a short time ago that this plant was pre- pairing to resume, it is now known that the receivers have made their final ar arrangements to begin business as soon as they shall feel confident that the res toration of business is permanent and dependable. As yet they have not done anything toward putting the machinery in shape. It Is stated that the company has 100000 feet of timber cut and lying along the road ready to be hauled to the mill. This timber is deteriorating every day it lies out.
 Although so many of the mills have re- sumed, there is no indication that the present volume of business does not jus tify them in re-entering the field. The wholesalers on the Hattiesburg market, who are ordinarily disposed to be bear ish, are found to be full of encourage ment for the mill men. They declare the prices are holding up well and are abso- lutely firm, and that the demand is suf- ficient to give business for all the mllis.
 The export trade is holding up well and Is doing it's part toward feeding the ntlls with business. There have been signs of late of weakening demand in that di- rection, and prices are inclined to droop, but at the same time some unusually big orders have been placed during the past week. including one special order for Il million and a half feet of big stuff.
 At the same time 1t is apparent that the railroads are going to be giving the car foundries something to order yellow pine lumber for The Illinois Central, through President J. T. Harahan, has just announced that an order for mil lion dollars worth of freight cars has been placed The other roads of this section are likewise going into the market for repairs and for new rolling stock and with these positive examples right here at home the lumber manufacturers believe they are justified in assuming
  will be buyers.
 A remarkable and perhaps unprece- dented instance of liberality and. good feeling between an investment company and a community has just been given at Laurel, Miss, where the Wausau Lum- Der company is preparing to put In big mill The Wausau company is Wis consin concern that controls something like 100000 acres of fine timber land in South and East Mississippi About year ago the company made known the fact that it was preparing to erect sawmill. one of the largest in the state, to cut out it's timber and approached the people of Laurel to see if they would donate a site by way of bonus for such a desirable enterprise. The Laurel peo- ple grasped at the prosposal and donated to the company fine tract of 300 acres close to town. The land cost the peo- pie total of $21, 900. And now the Wau- sau company refunds the money to the people, The local bank at Laurel has been authorized to draw upon the com pany for the full amount. The company officers say that they were not out for donation of any kind but that before To- eating their enterprise in Laurel they wanted to test the spirit of the people. They found the spirit all right, and they return the money. But this does not mean that the company Is abandoning or delaying it's building project. On the con trary, it is made known that construc- tioy of the plant will be commenced at once. They will put up a building of steel and concrete, which has recently come into fashion as the architecture de riguer for the larger lumber concerns. If will be a double-band sawmill with capacity of 100000 feet per day, and the planers, dry-klns and other departments will be on proportlonate lines. It will be a valuable acquisition for Laurel.
 The Okatoma Lumber company is the name of a new and important corporation that Is now In process of formation for the exploitation of extensive timber hold ines in the counties immediately north of here The company will embrace the interests of the Sverthorne brothers, who of late have been taking over all the timber and sawmill properties they could pick up in Jones and Covington counties. A feature of their plans will be the con struction of a railroad from Collins, on the Gulf and Ship Island railroad, to Ellisville. on the New Orleans and North eastern line While this road will be built primarily for lumber purposes, it will be used for commercial traffic from the start, and a great future for it is pre- dicted, since 1t Will trdNerse popu- lous and opulent country and will have valuable connections on both ends. The Okatoma company has the big mill of the Williamsburg company, at Collins. and the other big mill of the Anchor com pany, at Ellisville and the railroad con- meeting these two mills will run through the heart of timber areas that 1t has cost the company close to a million dollars to acquire. MT. J. F. Lee will be the resi- dent manager of these properties. and will probably make his home at Hatties- burg so as to be in touch with all the points of interest.
 All doubt about the rebuilding of the sawmill plant of the J. J. Newman Lum- Der company at this point has been set at rest by the official announcement from headquarters at Scranton, Pa, that the contract for the buildings has been let to the firm of Siler & Stovall of Milwaukee, and it is expected that during the coming week the first work on the contract will be done. The mill building will be of steel and concrete, and the sawmill will be equipped with double-band saws and resaws, and the other equipment will be in proportion. By way of bonus from the city, the properties of this company have been cut out of the corporate limits, so that for all time the company will be exempt from municipal taxation. The company Is now operating its other big mill at Sumrall on full time and is turn ing out an immense quantity of lumber of all grades.
 The Follansbee Lumber company is a new corporation just formed for the pur- pose of dealing in lumber and lumber