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About Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 28, 1933)
MEDFORD Af ATT. TRIBTJNE, MEDFORD, OREGON", TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1933. PAGE THREE Expansion Will Increase Present Large Annual Payroll Glimpse of tbe Timber Product Company's staff, taken last year. Slnoe this photo was taken the number of men employed has not been materially reduced. Many men connected with the extensive logytnj and trucking operations of the Timber Products Company are not Included In this group photograph of the company's Med ford organization. IMPORTANCE Prult raising has ben a principal industry of the Rogue River valley since early In the present century, but until the year 1018 practically all of the boxes used In the packing and shipping of Jackson county fruit were shipped In from outside dis tricts, many coming from California and quite a large quantity being shipped In from the Klamath Basin by a circuitous route, being hauled as fur south as the base of Mt. Shasta. Jackson county, then as now, con tained a large stand of pine timber of excellent quality for the manufac ture of quality fruit boxes, and many cltl&ens were willing and anxious for tho opportunity of converting It Into a finished product. In the spring of 1918 the Tomlin Box company was organized and a small amount of box making machinery was Installed In the building on North Fir street, which is now occupied by the poul try division of Swift & Company, which was then known as the Kore nlck building. Lumber was purchased from many small sawmills then located or soon after built In various sections of the valley. Local fruit packers were ex tremely loyal to this new Industry and It was not long before Jackson county products were being carried to market in containers manufactured by local labor from local raw ma terials. A box factory located close to the packing plants, closely, In touch with local problems, sympa thetic and well acquainted with southern Oregon changing conditions was of distinct advantage, and delay ed deliveries and shook shortages, which before that time, had been quite common, were practically elim inated. For several years the operation of the factory was limited to the manu facture of boxes for local consump tion only and the factory remained Idle many months of the year. To lengthen, If possible, the operating season, an effort -was made to pro cure business outside the immediate valley and boxes were' soon being manufactured for shipment to fruit districts In California and northern Oregon. As the variety of containers manufactured broadened the operat ing season of the small plant was materially lengthened and the plant was soon furnishing box shook s for many different commodities In many different seasons and giving needed employment to local residents during many months of the year. It was soon evident that the orig inal quarters' were too small for this growing Industry and a small tract of land .was purchased adjacent to the Southern Pacific tracks at the end of North Central avenue. The first unit of the present box factory was built and additional machinery installed. By this time the require ments of the box faotory were such that additional raw material was needed and In 1921 "a small sawmill was built to convert Jackson county, logs into lumber for the box factory. Additional land was purchased ad- Joining the factory site and a mod ern seasoning yard was laid out for the proper handling of the products of the new mill and necessary planing mill machinery was Installed for the milling of the upper grade lumber produced by the sawmill for ship ment to eastern markets. This sawmill operated steadily dur ing the cutting seasons until It was destroyed by fire in the fall of 1926. the box lumber produced being con sumed In the growing box factory unit and the other grades of lumber being shipped to almost all of the eastern Industrial centers. During this time In addition to the lumber produced In the sawmill, considerable lumber was being purchased from other southern Oregon sawmills and additional units were added to the box factory and new machinery was installed until the box factory be came one of the principal operations of Its kind on the Pacific coast. Immediately after the sawmill fire, construction of a new mill was start ed and the mill was completed In time for the 1927 cutting season. The new sawmill, which waa built on the original site. Is modern In every particular and equipped with the lat est and most up-to-date sawmill ma chinery. This mill has operated every year since that time, setting up an enviable record In efficiency, capac ity and the quality and manufacture of the lumber produced. The original plant site has grown from a few acres until It now covers an ra of almost 30 acres, and mar kets have been expanded until the products of the mill and factory are shipped to most of the states of the union and several foreign countries. From an original seasonal operation of a few months the operating seson has been expanded until year around employment la given many men and the sawmill, box factory, yard and woods operation represents one of the largest payrolls In this part of the state. Many Industrial boxes are manufactured and fruit boxes and vegetable crates are shipped Into al most all of the principal producing sections of the country. In 1939 the name, Timber Prod ucts Company, was adopted as more Indicative of the varied business of the company which manufactures, !n addition to boxes and crates of al most every description, pine factory lumber and selects, cut stock of vari ous kinds, pine and fir finish (um ber and dimension, timbers, plank, lath and almost all Items manufac tured by western milling operations. To further the use of local prod ucts and In an endeavor to furnish as much employment as possible dur ing the present business recession, a new department has been added for the wholesale and retail sale of lum ber and building materials. A mod ern shed has been constructed and anyone Interested in building, re modeling or repairing will find a complete line of all articles needed, together with facilities which assure prompt and efficient service. It would be hard indeed to find a more truly local Industry than the Timber Products Company. Locally owned and operated, It Is engaged In logging, transporting, cutting and re manufacturing southern Oregon pine, cedar and fir timber Into the many Items for which It Is well suited for shipment to the many points where It is consumed, thereby creating much local employment at a time when It is sorely needed. 4 . WALL PAPER Up to the ml nut 1933 Pattei.ua at K. D. ROSS CO., 22 8. Grape. FIRE PREVENTION LECTURE SERIES PLAN IN In a program extending from March 1 to March 10, the United States for est service and the state forest serv ice will conduct a lecturing campaign in the county, covering all phases of fire prevention, according to an nouncement made today. George W. Griffith, representative of the U. S. forest service, and W. P. Fuller of the state forest service, will made their headquarters here for that time, and will show motion pictures, many of local scenes and Interest never shown here previously, they stated. The lectures and pictures will be given at service clubs, schools and granges throughout tbe county, with out any charge. Included among the motion pic tures will be three reels of "What Price Fires," showing recreation use of forest, damages, etc.; one reel of "The Singing Reel," a fishing picture; a reel of "Tlmber-r-r," a Ponderosa Pine logging picture; "Fair Play In the Forest," one reel presenting vari ous uses of the forest, one reel of "Forest Fires," methods of locating and putting out the fires and "For est Fire or Game," a reel showing the relation of green forest to fish and game; and "Oregon's Coast High way," a reel of scenic pictures of re cently completed highway. Included among the places to be visited are Applegate Grange, Copco Forum luncheon program, Talent, Phoenix, Eagle Point, Sams Valley, Lake Creek and Jacksonville Granges, and Klwanls and Rotarlan noon luncheon meetings at Ashland. WASHINGTON. Feb. 38. (AP) The senate bill to extend the mora torium to water users on construc tion payments on federal Irrigation projects was passed today by the house. It goes to the president. Rangers To Give Talent Program At the next meeting of Talent Grange, the forest rangers will put on a program of movies and a lec ture. According to Mr. Robinson, the Orange lecturer, the program Is quite Interesting and educational, and all members are urged to attend. The movies are free. BRITISHERS CHALLENGE GAR WOOD FOR RACE LONDON. Feb. 28 (AP) The oyal motor yacht club, acting for H. Scott Paine, today cabled a challenge to Detroit for the Harmaworth trophyt premier motor boating prize held by Gar Wood. A Cordial Invitation MJ E cordially invite the people of Southern W Oregon to inspect our new RETAIL LUMBER 9 and BUILDING MATERIAL YARD which has just been completed. The construction of this new addition to our properties expresses our confi dence in the early recovery of business prosperity and the future of this city and valley. Timber Products Company END OF NO. CENTRAL AVENUE All Southern Oregon Will Be Interested in This Wednesday, March 1st. will Mark the Opening of -0 Q ivieuioru & newest iv and. Building M etail Luni aterial Yard ber Offering the Most Complete Stocks and the Last Word in Service Large Assorted Lumber Stock The most complete stock of pine, fir and cedar lumber in Southern Oregon is now available for your inspection including the finest of select pine finish, in both clear and knotty types, fir lumber in all standard sizes and patterns, and logs available for special cutting on quick notice if required. Our stocks include cedar shiplap, flooring and dimension lumber, particularly adapted to poultry house and rabbitry construction. Our stock is large for your convenience, made up of quality merchandise and manufactured in Jackson County. Complete Stock of Quality Building Materials For your further convenience in building or remodeling, we will offer a diversified stock of standard brand building materials, including the following: LATH DOORS PLASTER WINDOWS CEMENT SASH LIME PLASTERBOARD ROOFING INSULATING MATERIALS METAL LATH PLYLOCK BRICK MOULDINGS OAK FLOORING Super Perfect White Cedar Shingles OUR STOCK will feature the white cedar shingles as manufac tured by the Depoe Bay Cedar Shingles Co. from the best shingle timber available In this state. We have personally inspected the product of every shingle mill In Oregon and part of Washington and assure you that the Depoe Bay SUPER PERFECTS are superior in every respect to any other shingle available in these districts. It good business for yon to inspect these shingles before buying. End of North Central Ave. S COMPANY . . PnOIie NO. 8 Mectford Oregon O I! 11 K DUC1