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About The Coos Bay times. (Marshfield, Or.) 1906-1957 | View Entire Issue (March 23, 1912)
THE COOS BAY TIMES, MARSHFIELD, OREGON, EVENING EDITION imps-tin Lumber Co., Pioneers h The Development afr Timber Resources or L rv OOS ii r !T!neS th u fiW' CAl'T. A. M. SIMPSON, Nestor of the Liimb' r tin n on tne Pnelfis oontt, wbj ii'.'' rounder of tin Glmnson Liini'ip- Co., the pioneer cornnrntion In the development of tho great Cooa Ho nnmo w M mwin occupy n proml rent pln-f nn mil! the pioneers who did the a' 'i--volopmeit work f this sect on It wiih In 18"G tbnt Copt A M Simpson purchased a Htimll OP' in i and uii I near Su ' nmber Cimpany Is largely the per- The venture proved successful and i Informed 3ona! lilatiry of Kb founder, Captain the entering wodre of Ills career as water In ib A. M. Simpson, and Its development a in inner man was securely urivun In later years is interwoven with the pnrupr if his son. L. J. Simpson, who timber resources of the i has devoted me aim uueiii 10 mo f-inriirv. Tho Simpson business established by his father. ( iipit ol .. M. .Simpson. riw !lf" nnd work of Captain A. .-Utilise n lo.milor of the S inpson ,,i. r i mpiitk-v who is now re ii in M-i'riiiii'nt In San Frnn- indelible Impress VdMiwttllKtOBI9VPSs4i ' -ssiSSBfjSH In 1S51 a vessel partly owned by him called the Potomac was pnrtlaLy wrecked on the Columbia river ba. and was towed to Port. and by tha historic steamer Lot Whltconib com manded by Captain Joseph Kellogg. A brother of Mr. Simpson. L. P. Simpson supervised the work of heaving her out nt the city front of Portland where she was r .'paired and loaded with lumber mid pi. lug. Whnt Is now the waterfront or Portlnn 1 was at that time a bank covered wlf.i alder nnd various other shrubs. Front street was full of stumps and the thoroughfare was lined with small wooden buildings and numer ous tents. The lower part of the street near the Conch elnlm was for I the most part unimproved but back nient of n coal mine and Mo-is , ,-,1 Hooker that "The ,!i .Mile Creek was too hlirli fm- Mi ;n t" cross. In 1 """'. M" Simpson made n trip to Coos ll.iv by way of Port Orford walking along the beach and through the forest m Umpire City n distance of fort in Hen party from the valley had c mo In tho year before nnd "located there. Captnln Harris had taken tin- Umpire City claim nnd among other who had settled then were Perr H. Marple. who headed the partj of exploration and w.io gave Coo Hay Its name: Mr. Foley who hud an adjoining claim; (Jnlirle: Cooper, .lames Flanagan, .lames Aiken, (lien Aiken and Northrup and SlinoiuN who had come frn:n Portland with a stock of liiorohi.ndi to start a store. Messrs. Flunng- i and Rogers hud begun the dove' of the great dcolopors of t..e mosl Important Imerests of Coos Hay, lumbering and snipping, while It bare'y hints at the gigantic enter prises which he has promoted and fostered during the past nan con- turv will give the present generation enough of an Idea of the n'tiiost brother Captain i Joint muuagerg -. tries which he daughter, Kdlth. prominent euHti Hoy M. Pike, nii'i natl, Ohio. Dr. Is a resident or s r M. ... Brcat im,, nl'hed Z ;" '"arrie "iisIdcm J1.' "uiiiy OXH OK TIIK HIMPSOX 1.0(1 ItOO.MS. mill In California, shipping It on a two-masted schooner to North Ucnd. Ills brother, Lewis Simpson, was cap tain of this vessel. The vessel was wrecked and Captain Lewis Simpson lost. They succeeded, however, In saving most of the machinery and romovod It by llghtcro to North Hend where the following year tho llrst aw mill was constructed. This mill was operated by a Hash caw and had a capacity of ft, 000 feet per day of 12 hours, under favornblo circumstances. It wan located at what Is now known as the Old Town, at which p. ace a general niorchnn JIbo Jtoro was also started, and a few dwellings for employes nnd a mess Iioubo for the men, were con structed. From tills modest beginning the Logluuliig has grown to Its present splendid pioportlou with a licet of VOosoU that curry Coos Hay lumber to South America, Australia and the Orient. Cti plain Simpson r -'tired from tho active mniiagouicut of the rrunt biiflliU'SH his genius had created Bcny ynnra ago and the enterprise Is now under the skillful and suoc'ssi ful uufurvls.im of his two sous, L, .1. Slmppnn and Cnpl. Kdgar Simpson. In 1808 a ship yard was started. The llrst votool io be built was called tho 'Argo " She was built out or white cod u (rallies and Is mill In corc'xixnlr-n, nitunigh not owned by the Blir.p un lyiiiiber Co. She was A email two iieuted Hchooner wlih a capacity of about I'.'fi.iHio feet full cur go. Tlio old i III nan operated until 188H, nt wined time the prevent till i located nt the Old Town win. con structed with u cupacliy of nbiint .10.- 000 per day. The capacity or this will lias been gradual!) raised to ii lio nt. lift, (MM) per day. The ship .wad wan operated enti rely nt the Old Tiiwii until IPoH. it was then moved to Its present loca tion nlougslde the Porter mill. In JIHIU. In the mouth or Decem ber, the llrst grading wiih done on the streets or tin. new tou unite or pen the record of the development f t .o lumber Industry of tho Pacific 'oast and the history of Coos Hay. 'robnbly none of tho pioneer Inhabl auts of this section are more widely ;nown than he, and none contrlbut 'd In a greater degree toward the levelopmeut of tho timber Interests it Coos County during t:.e half cen tury of his opsratlons. Through thw vista of long years of anions toll, rendered still more difficult and ills jDiiraglng at various times by renson or the many difficulties of the pion eer period and tho well nigh Insur mountnb'e obstncles of ear y days In i new and undeveloped country, this dauntless factor In the building of a new empire Is able to review with feelings of highly Justifiable pride the record of a successful career whose climax has Inen the enroll ment or his nnmo rinnng those or he comparatively row men who wl'l always live In history as tho chief builders or the great Coim country. A. M. Simpson wiih burn In limns wick, Maine, February 21, lSlMi. a ion or Thomas and Mary Simpson. Wter attending the common schools Mid ncnd'Hiiy he learned tho trade if ship builder, nnd ror some time vns engaged In that calling In his unlive stale. When 'he news or the llecovory of gold In Calirornln reneh d the eiiKt he could not resist the 'mpiils-' to Join the army or (ni'tune hunters which iilmist Immediate y uuugurnteil the rush ror the new 1-21- dorailo. Having bceiue the owner i or a onn llilriy si'eoud ' me In ll'e hlp lllrmlUKlinm ami e.ii'o he ar-i i-aiiKeil to set nail lu her In lb J cnpii-. tltv nf Minitti-Cfii-Lm In Inn- IfiiiHniii' ! around Cape Horn. After touching I it Valparaiso the Hlrmlirjham e.in tinned her Journey to the northward panning through the (iolden (late April 7. I SMi. Soon nTer his arrival In San Fruiiclsco .Mr. Simp. on took n parly or llne to S oeUton by bant or his own const rui" Ion, t hence to the mines on the Tuo'uniiie river and mined there with succesi ror iibout three weekti. Iteturuing III of Third street the country was nil primitive forest nnd of n very heavy growth. After seeing the Potonmc loaded Mr. Simpson again secured the services of Captain Kellogg and the steamer Lot Whltconib and had her towed to Astoria whence he united her to San Francisco, his lint voyage as captain on the ocean. In 1852, Captain Simpson became interested in the construction of a lumber mill at Astoria. Not having had any experience lu this line of work tho mill wiib a ful. tiro because of defective construction but chiefly because of the great and sudden fall In tho price or lumber. In addition to this, 111 luck beset the owner lu other wnys and he determined to try a new Held. Kar'.y In April 18i"2. ho made the pioneer trading voyage to tho Umpqun river entering that water with a schooner called thr Harriot. At that tl'io there w's r 4 lr HHhIIHMIsHHkjV-i ' iiLsLsHHHLYV'iVLsLsLsLsLsLsLsHRBHw'rlI w t. B8pS& ' j' ' ''";'sisisB& "H slsVHHK)A,t- - ' 'nclllBKHA.' f-JBrrTI slslslsBW.4lsilislslslslsisBEQiC---!iE3iH VIIIW OK l'UHTKH MILL. Louis Jerome Slinmon. Whoever labors lor tho wl(r of his community and not solely fcr his own personal profit Is entitled t rniiK--among mo proRreislvo til North Head, laid out by I.. .1. Slmii-i Sl,n .lv,""'!,M"1 ' ''''K'1" ,l"' dWpoHl j uon. " ,m' "' eiirgo and with the Tho followlne xenr. IP03. the I'm-. ' '"" wnieti le liiul nceiiiuulareil tor mill war ii.irelnik.xl fi-.un Hi., ,.. ' ' gold IlllllHS iurehilMi ail ill- colors or the obi I'alirni-iil.i Lniiihei-1 1,,',", " ' eniiier called the II. T. ! Co b the SlmpMUi Lumber Co. nnd ' 1",-v; ,lu'n '" """''v r ooiiiiruo'lou remodeled hluc which time It 1IW 'i'''li i' l,l,m'(1 '" I' ""' dUllne'loii be-n coustaul.y in iiieratlon. The " ,,i,, "'; llr':, """"ne- b iKt III orlglnnl cat-aelty i.r the mill wn M'" '",' "' " 'b.ir. The dreuin About b.-..0Uii reel per dnv. but with 'f ' "' "W"''!- or t.ils enift was soon lino improveuienis It ban a capacity J (l ,,l'i'il limo t r ir lnieiid or the of 13D.000 pur day. ' ounce or Hold diikt which they e- in ilioa, lb.) Slmpou Lumber Co. i ",,,h'!11 ,0 ,',,,,,N', w ,,,,,,1 imi'seuger strrted the coiuiriicilon of the wish I ln,v,,,,,l '." '"' fr"M1 'Sl,u,u""' "' Sl1'- AUd door fiucoo. which has been i , " " ", '''v compel en to re run as a suiMia'e ii.ipi.riulnn ever "" , " . ' "Vl ". "" since, undor the min.e or the North ' r"'',Kl" ,,'a!,' '", P-oportlon o ., riniiii iM i.-ii iirriviu in oilier LsLsLsVSQtdfiBflBnRMHffliw4 HHBLssVlBHisisLss BBNbHHBEPUEvi HssLsflHssLsLsLsH isisisH -'fysBtiBWILsBi ' fflHHfll BisBia9&Jv t'W tisBslHLijisw t mBKSKSBM IsVHHPSv jtu( i it J HIsBislsV lb k SnKsHISsHlsislsV IslslslsHiisBIHHp'nlHBvllslBK'- "9BBH9rsjSfllHisS ssisisisinssisHtsBV'ri ''' IfficV tKmk.' - iIsBbbbIHisisbU IsisSisisSiBHisBbdr.i'iI, I iHun AtisW. jHHslBBisisim IsisisislissisVisBsnBHf ' THfMlri 'nJBSmk BBHsssiBisisiSH SBSSBSSBSSBBBSBSBSSHn&9ltrtMBlDsT f&OSt ' BHssShBBSSBSSHI nBSSBSSBSsflBBSSBSSBSSHKlSaWHBBn tftSHp.1 s!IBBBVHBBBBsfl BSSBSslBSSwBBSRHBSSBSBBSBSBiDahHSButtiuf SEtitJUr 'sEffo t L T ' EVPvmHCH Northrup and Slntonds had a stnrted a coal mining enterprl e and Mr. Simpson furnished vessels n carry the coal to San Franclsc where It was In grent demand Freight rates were attractive b it ns steam tugs were then almost uu known on the roast, trnnsportu'lon or this eharncter was attended bj grent risks. Captain Simpson losing throe vessels before obtnlnlng n tug Tho llrst accident of this kind not only resulted In heavy pecuniary los to Mr. Simpson but was attended by a snd feature, tho death of hh brother. L. P. Simpson, who was lost at sea from the vessel bringing boundless possibilities of this coun the machinery for the first saw mill try of marvellous resources to on to bo built on Coos Hay. Enough of courage thoso among them who nro tho machinery was saved to erect the ambitious to continue tho work bo mill. It was a very nrlmltlve affair auspiciously begun by this kltrg"of consisting of an old fashioned down pioneers, It Is n fact strongly em- public spirited men of hli rejlit east sash saw with a capacity of six phnsUed by Mr, Simpson that abtin- Such a dlstlnci'on worthy behtiji to ten thuiiEaml fan per day. Thl dnnt opportunities along tho lines to LouIh Jeromo Simpson, tho Mi!. I active mnlinuer of tint s mmni i... her Company, mayor of North 1)J and principal promoter of !ti n gross nnd prosperity. Slnco bin r rival on Cooa Hay In ISO), to n fltiino tho nctivo ii.nnngcnicnt o! l'i father'h ninuiifiicturliig nnd fhlpj!:( Interests he has galiiefi a rcputitlei ror public spirit and enterprise tht has been worthily won, He wiih bom In Oakland, Califor nia, September 1, 1875, His (-dilation was received llrst nt the pC: schools of Oakland and later tit military academy at San Hafael. Sab Hoquently, In 18!)ft, ho entered lit University of California but h!i University career was cut short ct lug to Illness nnd the following jeir ho took n sea voyngo to South Alrl ra, returning tho next yenr tnucb la proved In hcnlth. Ills first practM business oxporlenco wns with tit Simpson Lumber cniupnny as di nger of tho shipping department it Iloqulam, Washington, which U maintained for a year and a half, h 1809, ho ciimo In North Ucnd to tilt ehnrgo of tho Coos liny Interest! ct the linn. From IiIh vnntngo ground of lies tlilcntlon with tho largo lumber t:l ' aliliuilllir iinlirlirlKIl of Ills COIDDl-f ' ho entered with zest Into varlou other liidiistrlal nctlvllloa, He axi not permit business to absorb t entire tlmo nnd attention but P' freely of both time and m ncy t public; servleo mid liuprovenieni, m Is president of tho Port ComniUi.-i of tho Port of Coos liny, mayor North Honil nnd tnkes n keen iatir- 1 est In repiibllcnn politics, being o ' Honed its enndldiite for Cons"1' f-om this congrcurloii.il dl8tr!- i SlinptoirH iiupiibrln and lnnK ! are In no wise llm"cd becauw 1 wan born Into n commence but m icnhnnced becntiso liailir-? lcJ "' .' 1....... I.n ,.,..l..u Ml, I tOSt Of fall ' I ,., I, ,,J ,,,,,. ... --- l.mlo ,.! lmultinuu il'lillty m :" ,. ,,n ,,,, ....- - -- FrnnelHco. California he was unite! lu ninrrlugo with Ci !e iwtm who wns born In Con ng. .Nc c"- iluee the fine to live dollar with on no- n.i Hi,.,,.. ...... i.... ,. iniiiii ui i.ie arrival in oner stenni- v" '" -.,...i v.. in, ..in... , .... 'Or.,u,i UiClr IlflV l'HMlk llll.. In...., Inilt."- " " "" "-' "" HI lllil . . " " " llm la ,.f M.iu.,ll..i. 'I'l.l.. I... IIIXIII blocl protec thriving settlement at (WPT. A. .M. SI.MPSO.V. Xeslor of IMclilc (..( Lumber .Men ami Hullder of the FlrM Saw Mill on (ls ,,. Scottfburg, was In lSftC. HISTORY OF NORTH BEND ly inforwar! XSiT TZZ TO ..Ata!"' !""0 "." S"'" ' ..!'"s -''.-- ,bo who annua I J h" ollnwwl Mill exist through are In the ship ni.U of the Slmpm.u T , '"'"V"""- "" ,ww Lumber Company and they have eon-! ",Hl J" 1,,ro uf ,,wIvw"r trlbnted Iu.koI t the d 'Nelop.uen. .' h, V.f "m '"i"""-'' M.r' S,,w,wt Sinilm or .MuKellan. This meant the ml the on bad . lioiieiullv imesied. siaiN In Lumber llu-.lness. Indians who were quite numerous I "hitler, a'l or which w Oenernl Joseph Hooker who was In j cfiMtlon of tho Whistler wo charge of the post afterwards built " Co8 Uay' and prosperity of thin section. It wns lu tbebo khlp MiriU that the! f1rll llll'.ll filllr ,,,l,l lit... .........1 i '.... . .. ... , , """ "": ""' iiuiiigii .mi. Muipsou was uiuani n wagon road from ScotiKiiin- m schooner oer built on (be Pm-iii.- n,. ui,i, ,i... i i. . i i.... ;. .h" "HU ,ro"' otousnuig to .nnr, ... ,.A , . o. . i i , "lml" HiiDiiiiviB in hub uokeuurg, ,. i i. i ",""'"""" "' "i- nine me itiuiir ,u the transport!!- A. C. Olbbs afterwards eovornm first b..M heided su-unor mis built Hen enu-ipnse .t,d.,-ed hi... to ship of Oregon w ns !!"' i . ,, 01 ! " l'nt'Bl, "5 ""H'i-r on the Hlrnilng- time having taken up a elnlm under of the Simpson i ham to SiwUton and Sacramento, the Oregon donation of congress ---where the city of Gardiner now sianas. Hl-cmers Coos Hjiy, While waiting on the I'mpqua for a load of piling to be out for n re- turn cargo to San Francisco Mr. , hlmpson and two friends started , ... .. . iiki Tiiiiitiiiiiii !i iinn-.vi ii,,.. m xi. ii in i in i- n if ii iiii.i !, M i t in no ,xt l?..... I. ...... . ' " "H"'l IIHU III IIVO tKT't'hSIIII HIIIH'.I. . ,,. i.j ltlt't ll illlUllll'Ill . ----- !.. ..... . it . "4'-" I . There wns also a govern-1 J'1'"8.0 s rrom Sn I'lnneUeo to Po.-- ,",,.'., V . l.y "re ,0 oei lu I station below Gardiner with n I '""" Among the vesse s onvrnsjd ""... "",,v""",ub l''iu ny the In- r liow.. ..I.,..,, i i t ...Ill tills trade were tlm iiu-ii,.i im... l,,ll"K exn'.ip.e he hits sot fnr timm I " ......, i,llliit-ll- nil- Mil) i ,., . ,,i- n.l ,. .... ...... . -- ...vim linn ,f 1)1.7. I,,l,nl. I. ....... t I inill l) H alitor, the Mi.!ini.rli., .....I """ ivi ""Klliy. Ileterilllnnt nn nnr. --- .-. llltlliuilklllin lllllll I the Whl. tier, a'l of which with tlu Here I'h arly liisTi i WMWSSM ro built Mr. Simpson purchased of Tlcho. nor and Hyxbee a mill located near Port Orford built In 185-1 but this was completely destroyed by n for est tire with all logs, lumber, hou ses. stables, office and tools. So ut terly was every Improvement wiped out of existence Hint he never visit ed the plnco again, but gnvo tho land to Joseph Nay. It is n nm. worthy fact that at various, times, Mr. Simpson has suffered loss of! uioie ninu twenty vesse's which hnvi severance and eten.nl vigilance be ... , ..... , ItjllllllLU ti.elr motto and net nn.nr,un,.i.. rhn ) ,Uc'-T. Wlls u,,l,etl " mnr t snlJV", .H,,c,no- Wisconsin, to Sop lie U. Smith, a nntivo of that Hvi: '.0Ur chllt,ren n" of whom nro living blMMd this union. Mrs. Simp son passed nwnv nimnt -o ,.L ago. Tho eldest son, L. J. d his In tho year 1003 - petition filed with tho Com.', Court of M Count of Coos, S- "" ' OreJ0.' praying that tho Clti - f N""1 Bt might bo Incorporn' "def genernl laws of tho ' o of Ores0 This potltlon sot fort M bouncUn of tho proposed city in-l P"1 , to an order of tho ( unty Coos County, Oregor. r. special rf Hon was hold on tlr 77-,. Juno, 1903, which rcai'ted Inrlfv vntn In fnvor C" inC0rP0r (Continued from vS9 7.) lionil wrtinlrA.I nn .., ni low., the beach for the purpose of and elsewhere nnd o In ',11s Xl discover., what Is now known as have been destroyed bv Ore ntdlf Coos Ha Having learne.l nf its fi in L i." " "i mt .nt "lf- existence i),m.,tf), ..... 1 ,...,. ,,...u 7 ' '. .. '""." "". lMV ""l8 "' " "0110 "."...","" ". """" "iiui ui niese losses tins he been l-oliniiiii-B St'HVH AT SI.MPSOV l.()(J(H(i CAMP. -in. iiiHi i.iai 11 was line Sun" down ed by any Insurance. Ho has nfin uisV'rMlecS'.-l,r??or'hM,.aS ,W 'T ,MpdIftl t0 " ! ul , stream a party of Indians with paint- nnd 1 ". rojenn Jo, Snev tat u", ?' lZrJZ .!!" " been 'St.lnikWJS : s- .f r 0.S .s 1 00?,s X a VJ ffw'-sK v..v :nvo vAiuuiiTk parieyca ror half In th an hour. At the end of that tlmo concluding that the soles of their shoos were too thin to enable them to cross the stream they decided to glvo up the remainder of tho trip. Upon their return to Umpqua they e great San Francisco fi who, tho stock, buildings nnd factory In nn eleven million foot lumber vard were destroyed. This has not been re-established and now flve Individu al ynrds occupy tho site. This outline of the career of one l-HwT lHiBHilHisisisislF v Tfn. - . -- . iliSWfF!8 r R.j-Ti.'riMJi. --JtV ' COOS BAY DAIRY