Jones County Hardwood Co. (1925-1926)
Wells Hardwood Co. (1926-1927)
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36" gauge, 35-lb rail, changed to standard gauge about 5-1926 Headquarters: Mill Location: Tuckers Crossing, MS (Jones County) Mill Capacity: 0,000 ft/day Years of Operation: 1925-27 Miles Operated: Locomotives Owned: 2 |
See also: Long Branch Lumber Co. Equipment:
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History by Gil Hoffman: On January 31, 1925, C. K. Wells; A. B. Cleaney, both of Birmingham, Alabama, and Ivan K. Deblieux, of Laurel, purchased the assets of the Long Branch Lumber Company, at Tuckers Crossing, Jones County. The purchase included the sawmill, railroad logging equipment and timber lands. To operate this property the same men incorporated the Jones County Hardwood Company at Tuckers Crossing on February 24, 1925, with authorized capital stock of $50,000. Tuckers Crossing was about three miles south of Laurel on the Gulf, Mobile & Northern Railroad. C. K. Wells was president of the company. The Oden-Elliott Lumber Company, of Birmingham, Alabama acted as sale agents for the company's lumber. The Wells Hardwood Company was organized in May 1926 as a partnership of Carl K. Wells, John E. Wells and Ivan K. Deblieux, and assumed control of the Jones County Hardwood Company. On October 11, 1926 the partners transferred the mill at Tuckers Crossing and timber holdings in that vicinity to J. W. Oden and J. J. Elliott. Apparently this property continued to operate under the old name. On June 19, 1925, the Jones County Hardwood Company purchased approximately 10,000 acres of hardwood timber rights near Mossville, in Jasper County, from W. H. Alexander, of Bay Springs. A mill and logging railroad were built to log this timber. On July 16, 1925, the contract with Alexander was transferred to the Wells Hardwood Company. On January 21, 1926, the contract was transferred back to the Jones County Hardwood Company. In April 1927 the Wells Hardwood Company was succeeded by J. B. Hogue & Company, of Laurel.
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| ROSTER by Gil Hoffman: 36" Gauge Locomotives: 3 2T Shay Lima 858 2-1904 28 3-10x10 66000 Purchased by Jones County Hardwood Co. from Long Branch Lumber Co. #3, Tuckers Crossing, MS, on 1-31-25. Built as Otter Creek Boom & Lumber Co. #5, Hambleton, WV; to Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co., Birmingham, AL; to Wood-Russ Lumber Co. #3, Red Lick, MS, on 2-28-17; to Long Branch Lumber Co. #3, Tuckers Crossing, MS. Sold to Jackson Mill Co. #3, Jackson, AL, before 5-1926. Standard Gauge Locomotives: 9? 2T Shay Lima 943 10-1904 28 3-10x10 66000 Purchased by Jones County Hardwood Co. from Tallahoma Lumber Co., Montrose, MS, in summer of 1925. Probably used at Mossville operation. Built as East Union Lumber & Manufacturing Co. #9, Hammond, LA (Hammond & Eastern Ry.); to Ship Island Lumber Co., Sanford, MS; to George W. Howell & Co. #9, Montrose, MS, in 1919; to Tallahoma Lumber Co., Montrose, MS, in 11-1921. To Wells Hardwood Co., in 5-1926. |
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For more information contact Tony Howe at tonyhowe76@yahoo.com or David S. Price at dsprice46@bellsouth.net