Bellgrade Lumber Co.

Standard gauge, steel rail Headquarters: Memphis, TN Mill Location: Bellgrade (Hard Cash), MS ( Washington Co., later Humphreys County) Mill Capacity: 35,000 ft/day  Years of Operation: 1907-1914 Miles Operated: 8 miles in 1910 Locomotives Owned: 2 known	Other Equipment: 20 log cars and 1 Clyde Loader in 1910	Click Map for Larger Version
History by Gil Hoffman:
ROSTER by Gil Hoffman:      Road No.   Type   Builder   C.N.   Date   Cyls.   Dri. Dia.   Engine Wt.   Previous Ownership   Disposition   999   18-2 Shay   Lima   1998   7/1907   2-7x12   26   34000   New.   Transferred to Isola, MS, in 1914.   2   23-2 Heisler   Heisler   1219   1911   11x10   30   46000   New.   Transferred to Isola, MS, in 1914.

Standard gauge, 56-lb rail Headquarters: Memphis, TN Mill Location: Isola, MS ( Washington Co., later Humphreys County) Mill Capacity: 50,000 ft/day  Years of Operation: 1914-1920 Miles Operated: 8 miles in 1917 Locomotives Owned: 3 known	Other Equipment: Purchased Clyde Iron Works Ground Skidder #2161, shipped to Isola, Miss. 11-29-1913. Purchased Clyde Iron Works Rapid Loader #250, shipped to Isola, Miss. 1-13-1917.	Click Map for Larger Version
History by Gil Hoffman: The Bellgrade Lumber Company, of Memphis, TN, began construction of an 8-foot bandmill at Isola, MS in February 1914, which was completed and began operation in the first week of April 1914. The cutting capacity was 50,000 feet per day. The company owned some 60 million feet of hardwood timber near Isola, most of which was gum. Five miles of standard gauge logging railroad was built to log this timber. According to the Mercantile Agency Reference Book, this mill continued in operations through 1920.
ROSTER by Gil Hoffman:      Road No.   Type   Builder   C.N.   Date   Cyls.   Dri. Dia.   Engine Wt.   Previous Ownership   Disposition   999   18-2 Shay   Lima   1998   7/1907   2-7x12   26   34000   Transferred from Bellgrade, MS, in 1914.   Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co. #1051 Estes Lumber Co., stes, MS, on 3/10/1915. Southern Iron & Equipment Co. #1034, on 12/1/1915 in trade on #1. Baxter Lumber Co. #1, Wildsville, La., on 4/5/1916. Re. #9. Scrapped 2/1926.   2   23-2 Heisler   Heisler   1219   1911   11x10   30   46000   Transferred from Bellgrade, MS, in 1914.   Transferred to Louise, MS.   ?   2-4-0   Baldwin   19799   12/1901   12x18   42   41000   Tremont Lumber Co. #11Bob, Tremont, LA. Lettered “Tremont & Gulf R.R.” Cartwright Logging Co. #11, Tremont, LA, by 8/1905 (leased). Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co. Bellgrade Lumber Co., on 7/17/1914. Baldwin class 6-18 C 13   Transferred to Cary, MS. Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co. #1267 St. Bernard Cypress Co., Ltd., Arabi, LA, on 4/1/1920.

Standard gauge, 56-lb rail Headquarters: Memphis, TN Mill Location: Louise, MS ( Yazoo Co., later Humphreys County) Mill Capacity: 40,000 ft/day  Years of Operation: 1917-1936 Miles Operated: 12 miles in 1928 Locomotives Owned: 3 known	Other Equipment: Purchased Clyde Iron Works Rapid Loader #256, shipped to Louise, Miss. 5-28-1917. Purchased Clyde Iron Works Rapid Loader #345, shipped to Louise, Miss. 7-29-1921. Purchased Clyde Iron Works Ground Skidder #2233, shipped to Louise, Miss. 2-27-1923. Purchased 1 gondola 80M ex-M&O from GC&L $250 3-1925.	Click Map for Larger Version
History by Gil Hoffman: By November 1916 the Bellgrade Lumber Company had selected a mill site at Louise, MS, on the main line of the Y&MV Railroad. This mill was to cut a tract of 7,500 acres of hardwoods near Louise recently bought by the company. A mill at Zwolle, LA was purchased and moved to Louise where it was reassembled. Operations began on February 5, 1917. The Louise mill had a cutting capacity of about 40,000 feet per day and was operated in conjunction with the company’s other mill at Isola, MS. According to the Mercantile Agency Reference Book, the Louise mill continued in operation through 1936.
ROSTER by Gil Hoffman:      Road No.   Type   Builder   C.N.   Date   Cyls.   Dri. Dia.   Engine Wt.   Previous Ownership   Disposition   2   23-2 Heisler   Heisler   1219   1911   11x10   30   46000   Transferred from Isola, MS.   Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co. Kelley Lumber Co., Wilmot, AR, on 4/25/1922. Long-Bell Lumber Co., Wilmot, AR, in 6/1923.   3   26-2 Heisler   Heisler   1355   1917   12x10   30   52000   New.   Transferred to Cary, MS.   7   32-2 Heisler   Heisler   1457   7/1922   12½x12   33   64000   New.   Unknown.

Standard gauge, steel rail Headquarters: Memphis, TN Mill Location: Cary, MS ( Sharkey County) Mill Capacity: 0,000 ft/day  Years of Operation: 1919-? Mill still in operation into 1960's Miles Operated:  Locomotives Owned:	Other Equipment:	Click Map for Larger Version
History by Gil Hoffman:
ROSTER by Gil Hoffman:      Road No.   Type   Builder   C.N.   Date   Cyls.   Dri. Dia.   Engine Wt.   Previous Ownership   Disposition   ?   2-4-0   Baldwin   19799   12/1901   12x18   42   41000   Transferred from Isola, MS. Baldwin class 6-18 C 13   Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co. #1267 St. Bernard Cypress Co., Ltd., Arabi, LA, on 4/1/1920.   3   26-2 Heisler   Heisler   1355   1917   12x10   30   52000   Transferred from Louise, MS.       4   32-2 Heisler   Heisler   1397   1919   12½x12   33   64000   New.   Re. #1.   5?   26-2 Heisler   Heisler   1445   1920   12x10   30   52000   New.   Washington-Western Ry. #3, Jenkins, LA Green Brothers Gravel Co., Franklinton, LA Converted to gasolene power. Scrapped 1957.

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