Native Lumber Co.
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Standard gauge, 60 and 40-lb rail Headquarters: Moss Point Mill Location: Howison, MS (Harrison County) Mill Capacity: 70,000 ft/day in 1910 Years of Operation: 1899-1928 Miles Operated: 25 miles in 1917 15 miles in 1926 Locomotives Owned: 4? |
Also see: L. N. Dantzler Lumber Co. Equipment: 2 locomotives and 30 cars in 1910 12-31-1927 inventory lists 1 Heisler, 3 rod locos, 4 flat cars, 37 skeleton cars, 4 wrecked skeleton cars, 1 grocery car, 1 steam log loader, 7 eight-wheel log wagons, 2 feed cars, 7 stationary camp cars, 13 camp cars on wheels |
Click Map for Larger Version |
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History by Gil Hoffman: The
Native Lumber Company was incorporated at Howison, Harrison County, on May
16, 1899, by L. N. Dantzler, J. L. Dantzler, L. N. Dantzler, Jr., G. H.
Howze, Joseph Bozeman, Henry Colmer, George Bowen, Alexander McInnis and
John Alberts with authorized capital stock of $75,000. L. N. Dantzler, Jr.
was president. On June 10, 1899 the company purchased the sawmill plant and
timber holdings of the former J. F. Welch Lumber Company, at Howison, from
L. N. Dantzler, Jr., for $75,000. The
sawmill had a capacity of about 70,000 feet daily and cut principally for
export, most of the product being marketed by the L. N. Dantzler Lumber
Company. A planing mill was added in 1901. The mill cut out in January 1928 and the
company was officially dissolved in December 1931.
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Click Map for Larger Version |
A stunning view of an unidentified 2-8-0 and 2-6-0 #2 "Daisye" at the Native Lbr. Co. mill at Howison. Another unidentified engine can be seen in the machine shop in the background. |
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P. N. "Posey" Howell was Dantzler's head logging superintendent and considered to be the father of forestry in Mississippi for his efforts to reforest cutover land instead of clear-cutting that was common with almost all other mills in the state at the time. |
Howell's home at Howison. |
Posey Howell on left. |
Native Lumber Co. #1, a new Heisler locomotive at Howison. |
The two story building was the company-run hotel at Howison. |
In 1966, the remains of the logging railroad trestle over the mill pond were very evident at Howison. |
| ROSTER by Gil Hoffman:
2
2-6-0
Baldwin
16289
11-1898
36
12x18
42000
Purchased
from L. N. Dantzler, Jr., Howison, MS, on 6-10-1899. Built
as J. F. Welch Lumber Co. #2, Howison, MS; to L. N. Dantzler, Jr., Howison,
MS, on 4-27-1899. Baldwin
class
8-18 D 90 Still in operation in 1927 per company inventory 3
2-8-0
Baldwin
37
15x18
60000
Purchased
from Kilby Locomotive & Machine Works, Anniston, AL, on 4-25-1901. 4
2-6-0
Baldwin
56
16x24
70000
Purchased
from Southern Iron & Equipment Co. #312, Atlanta, GA, on 10-29-1904.
Cost $2,850. Built
as Lake Shore & Michigan Southern #
; to Southern Iron & Equipment Co. #312. 1
2T Heisler
Heisler
1286
-1913
36
15x12
84000
Purchased
new.
103 unk probably transferred from Bond Lumber Co. #103 On hand by 12-31-1924
222 unk Probably transferred from Ten Mile Lumber Co. On hand by 12-31-1924. |
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For more information contact Tony Howe at howe6818@bellsouth.net or David S. Price at dsprice46@bellsouth.net
