The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1946-04-11
Saw Mill Came
To Libby 40
Years Ago
Western News Issue April
II, 1906 Tells of Coming
Of Lumber Industry
DAWSON LUMBER co.
BUILDS LIBBY MILL


BUILDS LIBBY MILL
The following articles are taken
from the April IL, 1906 issue Of
the Western News and tell of the
start of the lumber business in Lib
by:
~. E. Leary, secretary of the
Dawson Lumber Co., who arrived in
Libby on Saturday, gave some in
teresting information about the COM
pany of which he is one of the Of
ficials and which will make interest
ing reading to the people of Libby
and this part of Flathead county
generally. He says the company is
a Montana corporation and is capt.
talized for $4,000. D. E. Dawson
is president, F. ]. Mcbride is treas
urer and J. E. Leary is secretary
and these three gentlemen and
James Hurley are directors of the
concern.
GAS soon as they determine a site
for the mill active work will be
commenced and the mill placed in
position and ready for operation
without further delay The mill
will have capacity of $4,000 feet
in ten hours and will employ in
and around the mill and in the tim
Der over 100 men, In addition to
the sawmill there will be a lathe
mill and a shingle mill, this being
proposition which will be deter
mined later. There will be plan
ing machines but for the present
they will not manufacture doors
or sash.
Zone car of machinery arrived in
Libby on Sunday and several other
carloads are on the way AS soon
as the question of site is determined
which probably will be in the next
week or ten days, the machinery
will be hauled to the site and placed
in position.
"Mr. Leary says there will be a
whole lot of other people connected
with the enterprise coming along
in a short time and they intend to
build up one of the finest plants
here to be found in the Northwest.
All those connected with the en-
terprise are practical mill men of
large experience and the success
of the venture is assured. The con-
stantly increasing demand for lum-
Der and the high prices which now
prevail are great incentives for in
Vestments of this character and
aside from the fact of the employ
ment of so many men here the mar
ket which this plant will afford
for timber will mean prosperity for
all who own timber throughout this
section"
The following paragraphs tell of
people who came to help start the
mill in Libby:
Following are new arrivals in
Libby, coming here in connection
with the Dawson Lumber Company,
reaching Libby on last Saturday
evening: Joseph Ament, James Croft
-eau, Otto Zimmerman, w. H. Kemp,
James Franklin, Frank Pival and
Frank Krummel."
Following are some of the ar
'iVals from Merrill, Wisconsin, who
ire connected with the Dawson
Lumber Company They arrived on
evening: Mr.. and Mrs. ].
:. Leary and four children, Mr..
md Mrs r. Crotteau and son and
James Mcbride and sister, Miss Nc
Bride. Mr. and Mrs. Leary and
Mr. and Miss Mcbride will occupy
me of the Geiger houses in Libby
md Mr.. and Mrs. Crotteau will oc-
upy one of Mr.. Pratt's houses in
he eastern part of town. On Tues
lay afternoon Mr.. and Mrs. D. E.
Dawson and four children arrived
n Libby. They will occupy the
ones residence in south Libby. Mr..
Dawson is president of the Dawson
lumber Company. The people of
libby extend a cordial greeting to
hese people and are pleased to have
hem become part of the COM
nunity"
Vernon T. Crotteau called our at
ention to the fact that the mill
vas started in Libby forty years ago.
lie also mentioned that the main
,art of Libby was then located
where the Neils' Mill now stands.
later it moved toward the railroad.
When the log cabin which still
lands on Mineral avenue was built
he location was surrounded by
woods, The -Weleeme- to the new
rivals was very cordial, people
rom all over the country meeting
hem at the train with a celebra-
ION which the travellers tired of
luch quicker than the residents.
mother fact Mr.. Crotteau men
Toned was that there were seven
cen saloons in one block in Libby
yhen they arrived. The Commun-
~ was then made up of miners and
heir families and it is notice
BILE fact that the lumber industry
not mentioned in the old papers
rior to that time.
Mr.. Crotteau also mentioned Franz
iigmund as being among the early
rivals although we failed to find
is name among those listed in the
arly papers.