Marathon Lumber Co. (1914-1929)

Robert G. Bruce Co. (1929-1936)

Standard gauge

Headquarters: Wausau, Wisc.

Mill Location: Laurel, MS (Jones County)

Mill Capacity: 150,000 ft/day 

Years of Operation: 1914-1936

Miles Operated: 15 miles in 1917

Locomotives Owned: 8 known

Equipment:

 

 

Click Map for Larger Version

History by Gil Hoffman:

The Marathon Lumber Company was incorporated in Wisconsin in 1913 with the following officers: president - Walter H. Bissell, Wausau, Wisc.; vice president - B. F. Hammond, Wausau, Wisc.; secretary - Cyrus C. Yawkey, Wausau, Wisc., and treasurer - Charles Edgar, Essex Falls, N. J. The company was affiliated with the Wausau Southern Lumber Company, of Laurel, Miss. In January 1914, 50,000 acres of pine timber were bought in Jasper and Newton counties. Work on a double bandmill with two resaws began at Laurel on February 1, 1914 with operations beginning on November 18, 1914. The mill cutting capacity was 150,000 feet in 10 hours.

In November 1914 logging began in Jasper County near Montrose., 36 miles from Laurel. Logs were hauled from the woods to Montrose, then over the New Orleans, Mobile & Chicago Railroad to the mill in Laurel by the company's own locomotive and cars. The company's timber was mostly shortleaf pine, with about 25 percent hardwoods and 10 percent longleaf.

About July 1929 the mill cut out and closed. On November 25, 1929 the sawmill at Laurel, 15 miles of railroad and logging equipment were leased to the Robert G. Bruce Company, of Memphis. The lease was to run four years at $35,840 per year. At the end of the lease, the company was given the option to buy the property. The Bruce Company remodeled the mill to cut hardwoods, beginning operation in April 1930.

For a detailed history of this company, see our new book YELLOW PINE CAPITAL available HERE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ROSTER by Gil Hoffman: 

   

1      2-6-0   Lima 1379      10-1914       48     19x24      96000

Purchased new. Renumb. #61.

 

2       2T Shay    Lima 2670      4-1913      36      3-12x12      120000

Purchased from Southern Iron & Equipment Co. #1296, Atlanta, GA, on 6-25-18. Cost $12,500. Built as Carolina Spruce Co. #1, Pensacola, NC; to Southern Iron & Equipment Co. #1296. Renumb. by Marathon Lumber Co. to #60.

 

42      2T Shay     Lima 2763     7-1914      30½      3-10x12      84000

Purchased new. Leased to Robert G. Bruce Co. #42, Laurel, MS, on 11-25-29.

 

44     2T Shay    Lima 2764      10-1914      30½      3-10x12      84000

Purchased new. Leased to Robert G. Bruce Co. #44, Laurel, MS, on 11-25-29.

 

50     2T Shay    Lima 3124      8-1920      33      3-11x12      100000

Purchased new. Cost $16,560. Leased to Robert G. Bruce Co. #50, Laurel, MS, on 11-25-29.

 

60      2T Shay     Lima 2670       4-1913      36      3-12x12      120000

Renumb. from #2. Sold to Eastman, Gardiner & Co. #60, Laurel, MS, in 9-1929.

 

61      2-6-0      Lima 1379      10-1914      48      19x24      96000

Renumb. from #1. Traded to Georgia Car & Locomotive Co. #486, Atlanta, GA, in 6-1922 as part-payment on #460; to American Cast Iron Pipe Co. #104, Birmingham, AL, on 10-12-22; to Baron Iron & Equipment Co., Chattanooga, TN, to Rocky Mountain Arsenal, Denver, CO, in 1942.

 

460     2-8-0      Baldwin 14411      8-1895      51      20x26      150000

Purchased from Georgia Car & Locomotive Co. #460, Atlanta, GA, in 6-1922. Cost $13,500 plus #61 in trade. Built as Buffalo & Susquehanna 1st #101, renumb. #112 in 1899; to Evansville & Indianapolis #501, in 1-1917; to Evansville, Indianapolis & Terre Haute #501, in 6-1920; to Georgia Car & Locomotive Co. #460. Baldwin class 10-38 E 61

 

 

 

 

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For more information contact Tony Howe at tonyhowe76@yahoo.com or David S. Price at dsprice46@bellsouth.net