Pritchard Brothers Lumber Co. 1916-1922
Batson Lumber Co.
1920-1922
Webster County Lumber Co.
1922-ca.1927
Cumberland & Northwestern
Railroad
Standard gauge, 30 and 35-lb rail
Headquarters:
Mill Location: Cumberland, MS (Webster County)
Mill Capacity: 25,000 ft/day
Years of Operation:
Miles Operated: 8 miles in 1922
Locomotives Owned:
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Other Equipment:
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Click Map for Larger Version |
History
by Gil Hoffman:
On March 31, 1916, the
Pritchard Brothers, of Columbus, Lowndes County, bought a tract of timber
from J. D. McCullough near Cumberland, Webster County. By June of 1917 they
had in operation at Cumberland a circular sawmill of 25,000 feet daily
cutting capacity and three miles of standard gauge logging railroad.
Pritchard Brothers was a co-partnership composed of H. W. and R. F.
Pritchard. The firm also operated a planing mill in Columbus.
On
February 21, 1920, N. Batson, of Hattiesburg, MS, bought the sawmill plant
and timber holdings of Pritchard Brothers, at Cumberland, Webster County,
for $25,000. To operate this property, the Batson Lumber Company was
incorporated at Cumberland on June 11, 1920, by N. Batson, A. Batson and S.
H. Batson, all of Cumberland, with authorized capital stock of $10,000. The
logging railroad was incorporated as the Cumberland & Northwestern Company
on June 11, 1920, by N. Batson, W. M. Moore and S. H. Batson with capital
stock of $10,000. N. Batson was president of both companies.
Timber for the Cumberland mill was mostly pine with some hardwoods. The
sawmill was of the circular type with a cutting capacity of 25,000 feet per
day.
On April 17, 1922, the
sawmill plant, logging railroad and equipment, and timber holdings were sold
to the T. C. Clanton Lumber Company, of Shreveport, Louisiana. Two small
sawmills and a planing mill located at Mineral, Arkansas were also included
in the sale. The price for the entire property was $25,000.
On April 17, 1922, the T. C. Clanton Lumber Company, of Shreveport,
Louisiana, purchased from the Batson Lumber Company its sawmill plant at
Cumberland, Webster County, logging railroad and equipment, and timber
holdings in Webster, Calhoun and Chickasaw counties. The price was $25,000
which also included two small sawmills and a planing mill in Mineral, Sevier
County, Arkansas. The Cumberland mill was located on the Gulf, Mobile &
Northern Railroad. The president of the company was T. C. Clanton and the
mill superintendent, in late 1924, was A. L. Slade. Although the mill was
operated under the name "Webster County Lumber Company," practically the
entire property was owned by the T. C. Clanton Lumber Company.
On September 16, 1924, the planing mill, logging
railroad and one Shay locomotive, together with all timber holdings were
sold to the Bays-Slade Lumber Company, a partnership composed of F. B. Bays
and A. L. Slade. F. B. Bays took over as manager of the mill. On June 16,
1925 the same property was sold to W. G. Kirkland, who became mill
superintendent. He in turn sold the property to F. B. Bays on February 8,
1926. During the period 1924-1926 the sawmill remained in the hands of the
T. C. Clanton Lumber Company and the plant continued to operate as the
Webster County Lumber Company.
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ROSTER by Gil Hoffman:
Road No. |
Type |
Builder |
C.N. |
Date |
Cyls. |
Dri. Dia. |
Engine
Wt. |
Previous Ownership |
Disposition |
1 |
33-2
Shay |
Lima |
930 |
11/1904 |
3-10x10 |
28 |
66000 |
F. S. Wise & Co. #2, Winterburn, WV
Gilfillan, Neill & Co., May, WV
Pritchard Brothers, Cumberland, MS, ca. 1919.
Batson Lumber Co., Cumberland, MS,
on 2/21/1920.
T. C. Clanton Lumber Co. #1, on 4/17/1922. |
For sale 10/1925. |
2 |
33-2
Shay |
Lima |
1527 |
6/1905 |
3-10x10 |
28 |
66000 |
Brown Lumber Co. #99, Shamrock, LA (Shamrock & Western Ry.)
Bradford-Hutchinson Lumber Co. #99, Lake End, LA
T. C. Clanton Lumber Co. #2, on ? |
For sale 10/1925. |
? |
42-2
Heisler |
Heisler |
1171 |
1909 |
15x12 |
36 |
84000 |
Emporia Manufacturing Co. #10, Emporia, VA
Weldon Lumber Co. #2, Weldon, NC
Southern Iron & Equipment Co. #1012,
on 5/21/1915.
Morgan & Fentress Ry. #4, Catoosa, TN,
on 10/29/1915.
Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co.
T. C. Clanton Lumber Co., for:
Webster County Lumber Co., on 2/1/1923. |
Refused & returned to:
Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co. #1455, on 2/28/1923, in trade
on Baldwin 2-6-0.
Chicago Mill & Lumber Co., Blytheville, AR, on 4/21/1923. |
? |
2-6-0 |
Baldwin |
29762 |
12/1906 |
14x22 |
44 |
70000 |
Texas, Arkansas & Louisiana #3, Atlanta, TX
Dorsey Land & Lumber Co. #3, Texarkana, AR, by 4/1920.
Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co.
Webster County Lumber Co., Cumberland, MS, on 2/28/1923.
Baldwin class 8-22 D 296 |
Returned to:
Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co.
Ingram-Day Lumber Co. #12, Lyman, MS, on 11/24/1923.
Batson & Hatten Lumber Co. #12, Lyman, MS, ca. 3/1924.
Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co.
Georgia Car & Locomotive Co. #533,
on 8/29/1924.
J. W. McWilliams Co., Inc. #12, Fort Myers, FL, on 10/10/1924.
Dowling & Camp, Inc. #12, Slater, FL |
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