Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1924-05-22
VISIT HUssMANS MILL
Cottonwood Chronicle)


The editor, Tuesday, accepted the
invitation of A. II. Nau to take a
trip to the Hussman sawmill where
he went to assess our friend, Bill
Hussman. While we have been by
the plant several times this was our
first visit to the mill when it was in
operation and we were indeed sur
prised to find such a splendid equip
ment for handling logs and for saw
ing them into lumber.
Our first surprise came when we
saw the large number of men work
ing about the plant, there must be
something like 20 in all. Every man
knew his duties and performed it
with clock like precision. Small logs
and big logs were handled like tooth
picks and were sawed into lumber in
less time than it would take some of
us to turn them over. Henry Hattrup
handles the big saw and he under
stands his business judging from the
way he gave signals that caused inch
boards, 2 inch board and other dimen-
sions to come rolling from the saw.
This job we would not care to have
for we fear some of our signals would
get mixed up and as result the
building doctor would have to con-
denim the lumber and saw it into his
famous slab wood.
On the carriage we found Roy Will
liams, a good place for Some Of the
speeders about Cottonwood, who like
to travel fast. He, like the head
co a,.yfordc hfc bIrcinaco ond
has his hands full. This is a job we
would absolutely refuse. One travels
fast enough and always riding but
never gets anywhere, always over the
same route.
In the engine room was Ben Fors
man, and to us it looked to be the
easiest job about the place. Sawdust
is burned for fuel which is conveyed
to the very door of the firebox. Would
not mind this job but they told us it
meant early hours in the morning to
have the steam popping off when the
crew arrived at for the days work.
Taking the lumber away from the
saw, handling the slabwood and the
other small tasks about the
mill are handled the same way. Every
thing is done by machinery and the
work made as easy as possible.
We found Bill about the premises
giving directions here and there and
his job appealed to us most of all
and the only objections we would
have to this task is that we might
ruin his reputation as a building doc
tor.
Last fall Mr.. Hussman construct
ed a small pond into which the logs
are rolled and pulled from the pond
to the saw by power. This one i'm
provement Mr.. Hussman remarked
saved much hard work. The rolling
of the logs into the pond takes place
when the mill is Shut down and the
saw is sharpened, which is about four
times a day. In former years this
was one of the hardest task about the
mill but it now has become a pleasure
for the boys get quite kick out Of 1t.
Several of the boys have received
good duckings while attempting to
ride the rolling logs in the pond. The
entire crew always keep their eyes
vide open when Bill gets out on one
If the logs for they hope to see him
ret his dueking before the seasons
.un is over, which will be about Sat
lrday.
In all seriousness we can indeed |
iay we enjoyed the visit and little did
We realize that such plant existed
10 close to Cottonwood and we pre-
,ume there are hundreds of others
Who have lived here for years and
,ova vet IN 500 their first sawmill in |
operation.
When the Saving is finished at the !
Iussman mill the crew will go to the
Iattrup mill to assist in the spring
awing there.
Did you know that you can get !