Standard gauge, 56-lb rail
Headquarters: Wiggins, MS
Mill Location: Wiggins, MS (Stone County)
D'Lo, MS (Simpson County)
Mill Capacity: 175,000 ft/day in 1910 (Wiggins)
225,000 ft/day in 1916 (D'Lo)
Years of Operation: Wiggins- 1901-1929
D'Lo- 1916-1929
Miles Operated: 50 miles in 1917 (Wiggins)
18 miles in 1917 (D'Lo)
Locomotives Owned: see roster below
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Also see: Niles City Lumber Co.
Wilbe Lumber Co.
Equipment:
5 locomotives, 100 cars, 2 American loaders in 1910
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Click
Here for Google Map version of Finkbine Lumber Co. logging railroad map |
History
by Gil Hoffman:
WIGGINS
MILL
On
October 12, 1901, the Finkbine Lumber Company, of Des Moines, Iowa,
purchased the two sawmills belonging to the Niles City Lumber Company
(composed of J. H. and S. O. Gary), at Wiggins, Harrison County, for
$13,300. As part of this agreement the Garys became sole logging contractors
for the Finkbine mills at Wiggins in an area extending 36 miles east and
west and 12 miles north and south of the town for a total of not less than
100,000,000 feet of pine logs and not exceeding 150,000 feet per day. On
April 2, 1903, all of the timber lands owned by the Niles City Lumber
Company were transferred to the Finkbine Lumber Company.
In
January 1903, a new double band mill with a cutting capacity of 125,000 feet
per day was completed at Wiggins. Machinery throughout was by the Allis-Chalmers
Company. Other features were five dry kilns, a large planing mill and
dressed lumber shed. The mill cut longleaf yellow pine, being primarily a
dimension stuff mill. Some timbers were also cut. Business was both domestic
and export, with export being handled through Gulfport, MS
Officers
of the company were E. C. Finkbine, president; W. O. Finkbine, vice
president, and W. E. Guild, treasurer. In January 1903, W. E. Guild took
over as general manager at Wiggins.
On
July 1, 1929, the mills and remaining timber lands at Wiggins and D'Lo were
sold to the Wilbe Lumber Company.
D'LO
MILL
In
July 1915, the Finkbine Lumber Company began construction at D'Lo, Simpson
County, of an all electric sawmill containing two band saws, a gang saw and
a resaw. When operations began in July 1916, this mill had a cutting
capacity of 200,000 feet in 10 hours. The timber supply extended over parts
of Simpson, Rankin, Smith and Scott counties, running east from D'Lo for
about 50 miles. Offices of the company were moved from Wiggins to Jackson,
MS, in December 1918.
About
August 1927 the supply of pine was cut out, after which the mill switched to
cutting redwood shipped from the Finkbine-Guild mill in California through
the Panama Canal to Gulfport. The D'Lo mill cut out for good in August 1929.
On
July 1, 1929, all timber lands, mineral leases and railroad rights-of-way in
Simpson County belonging to the Finkbine Lumber Company were sold to the
Wilbe Lumber Company.
Other
sources:
See court case pertaining to the sale of the Finkbine railroad running
east of Wiggins to the G&SI here.
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Click Map for Larger Version |
Click Map for Larger Version |
Click Map for Larger Version |
Finkbine Lumber Co. letterhead from 1919 |
Finkbine Lumber Co. 3-truck Shay #54 was bought new in 1920 for the
D'Lo mill, and taken to California when the company moved operations there
in 1927. |
The new Finkbine Lumber Co sawmill at Wiggins under construction in
1902-03 that replaced the smaller mill bought from Niles City Lumber Co.
in October 1901. |
Finkbine Lumber Co. log train unloading logs at Wiggins circa 1910.
Note the use of leased Gulf & Ship Island RR flat cars, in addition to
those owned by the lumber company. |
An American Hoist & Derrick Log Loader at work east of Wiggins.
After the 1906 hurricane blew down much standing timber, Finkbine Lumber
Co. created ponds along their logging railroad to store the downed timber
until they could be cut at the mill in an attempt to salvage as many trees
as possible before rot and insects destroyed them. |
A 1920's postcard view looking southeast towards the mill at
Wiggins. |
An early postcard view of the mill pond and sawmill at Wiggins. |
A nice panoramic photo of the new Finkbine Lumber Co. sawmill at D'Lo
looking northeast. The mill opened in July 1916 and could cut 200,000
board feet of lumber per day. |
When Finkbine Lumber Co. shifted logging operations from the area east
of Wiggins to the southwest in 1914, they established a logging camp
called Stillmore. This camp was later moved a few miles further southwest
close to Silver Run and called New Stillmore. This rare photo from Russell
Hatten is the only photo known to show the camp at New Stillmore. |
A derailment has turned over one of Finbine's American Log Loaders.
Shays 11 and 12 have been sent to help #5, an unidentified rod engine.
Number 11 still has factory lettering, so it probably dates this scene
close to 1910. |
Another nice view of the same wreck with Shays #12 and #11 assisting
#5. These are the only known photos showing #5. |
60-ton 3-truck Finkbine Lumber Co. Shay #11 in later lettering. The
locomotive was bought new by the lumber company in 1906, and remained with
the company at Wiggins until it was sold to Wilbe Lumber Co. in
1929. |
An earlier view of Shay #11 at the mill pond in Wiggins. |
An early view looking west across the mill pond toward the planing mill
and powerhouse. |
Another early view of the Wiggins sawmill of Finkbine Lumber Co. |
Finkbine Lumber Co. logging crew at Wiggins. Unfortunately nobody is
identified in the photo. |
An early Finkbine logging scene east of Wiggins using oxen to haul logs
to the closest logging railroad spur. |
Finkbine's large commissary at Wiggins was run by Kew Mercantile Co.
The name was derived from the initials of the first names of the primary
Finkbine officers: K. E. Jewett, E. C.
Finkbine, and W. E. Guild. |
Circa 1910 view of the water tank, dry kiln, and mill sheds at
Wiggins. |
Another early view of the Finkbine sawmill at Wiggins looking
west. |
Finkbine Lumber Co's large engine house and machine shop at Wiggins. On
the left is the water tank from a 3-truck Shay. |
Water tank and lumber sheds at the Wiggins mill looking northwest. The
company office is in the distance. |
Finkbine's planing mill and power house at Wiggins. |
Mill houses at Wiggins circa 1906. |
Lumber yard at the Wiggins mill looking southeast. |
An early postcard showing one of Finkbine Lumber Co's 4-6-0's on a log
train at Wiggins. |
Finkbine Lumber Co. grading crew building logging railroads near
Wiggins. |
An American Log Loader at the mill at Wiggins. |
American Hoist & Derrick Co log loader that ran on rails on top of
the log cars. |
Finkbine Lumber Co. office at Wiggins circa 1905-07. |
Finkbine office staff and crew erecting a flag pole in front of the
office... probably around World War 1. |
Two views of Finkbine Lumber Co.'s Clyde Iron Works skidder. These huge
machines were used to drag the cut logs to the logging railroad spur using
cables. |
A very early Clyde Iron Works skidder used by Finkbine Lumber Co. near
Wiggins, probably circa 1910. |
Probably another log pond used to store storm-downed timber after a
hurricane. |
Finkbine Lumber Co. planing mill at Wiggins. |
One of Finkbine's 3-truck Shays meets 4-6-0 #30 in the woods. Number
30, a former Central of Georgia engine, was bought secondhand from Georgia
Car & Locomotive Co. on 10-13-1919. |
Finkbine Lumber Co. Shay #10 was bought used from Birmingham Rail &
Locomotive Co. on 11-22-1913. Here is appears to have a new cab from a
former Gulf & Ship Island engine with the distinctive round porthole
windows. |
Another nice view of 4-6-0 #30 on a log train, complete with caboose on
the rear, at a Finkbine log camp. |
A scene of the Finkbine Lumber Co. logging railroad near White's
Crossing, east of Wiggins, in July 1914, just before the railroad was
removed as logging operations were being shifted to the area southwest of
Wiggins. |
Finkbine Lumber Co. bought this nice 4-6-0, Number 59, from the Gulf
& Ship Island Railroad by 1919. |
Finkbine Lumber Co. purchased 2 McGiffert log loaders from Clyde Iron
Works in late 1915 for use at Wiggins and D'Lo. |
Finkbine's McGiffert log loader at D'Lo. Empty log cars were pulled
under the loader as they were loaded. |
Circa 1916 postcard view across the log pond at D'Lo. Too bad we don't
have a better view of that nice side-door caboose lettered for Finkbine
Lumber Co. barely visible in this photo. |
Left section of a panoramic photo of the Finkbine Lumber Co. sawmill at
D'Lo. |
Middle section of a panoramic photo of the Finkbine Lumber Co. sawmill
at D'Lo showing the planing mill and lumber sheds. |
Right section of a panoramic photo of the Finkbine Lumber Co. sawmill
at D'Lo showing the large lumber sheds. Note the Hormel wood refrigerator
car being used to haul lumber. |
Finkbine Lumber Co. club house at D'Lo. |
Various views of Finkbine buildings in D'Lo ca. 1916. |
More Finkbine Lumber Co. buildings at D'Lo ca. 1916. |
Finkbine Lumber Co. log train near Wiggins from an original glass plate
negative. |
For many years before starting Finkbine Lumber Co., the same owners
operated this large department store in Iowa. |
All three of these Shay locomotives were transferred from Wiggins and
D'Lo, Mississippi, to Rockport, California when the company started
logging redwood there in 1927. |
Abandoned roadbed of the Finkbine Lumber Co. logging railroad near D'Lo
in 1940. |
Abandoned roadbed of the Finkbine Lumber Co. logging railroad at D'Lo
in 1940. |
Far left section of the 1920's panoramic photo at Wiggins looking
north. The company office is on the left, and the planing mill on the
right. |
Middle left section of the 1920's panoramic photo at Wiggins looks
northeast. The planing mill is on the left, and planing mill powerhouse in
the foreground. |
1920's panoramic photo of the Finkbine Lumber Co. sawmill at Wiggins.
Far left is looking north towards the company office and club house,
middle of the photo looks east over the mill pond, and far right looks
south past the mill and machine shop. |
Middle right section of the 1920's panoramic photo at Wiggins looks
southeast. The sawmill and timber dock is in the foreground, and green
sorting shed on the right with lumber carts lined up. |
Far right section of the 1920's panoramic photo at Wiggins looks south.
The roundhouse and machine shop is in the center and dry kilns on the far
right. |
Kew Mercantile Co. store at D'Lo. |
Postcard view of the D'Lo mill. |
An early (ca. 1910) postcard view of the Wiggins mill looking
north-northwest. |
Log train at the mill pond at Wiggins. |
Postcard view looking southwest towards the planing mill at Wiggins. |
Postcard view looking across the mill pond towards the sawmill at
Wiggins. |
Another postcard of the Finkbine planing mill at Wiggins. |
The Finkbine Clubhouse at Wiggins still exists today. |
To develop cutover timberland, Finkbine established a large pickle
plant at Wiggins in 1912 as the American Pickle & Canning Co. It was
later sold to Widlar Co., and later Standard Brands Co., then Brown-Miller
Co. and operated until 1983. |
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LOCOMOTIVE ROSTER by Gil Hoffman:
WIGGINS:
4
4-6-0
Baldwin
13623
8-1893
56
18x24
96000
Purchased
from Louisville & Atlantic #4. In service by 3-1906.
Built
as Richmond, Nicholasville, Irvine & Beattyville #4, Richmond, KY;
to Louisville & Atlantic #4,
in
5-1899.
Baldwin
class
10-30 D 327
5
2-6-0?
Unk
1st
10 4-6-0
Schenectady
57
18x24
96000
Purchased
secondhand. In service by 1906.
Sold
to Georgia Locomotive Co. #49, Atlanta, GA; to Cincinnati, Flemingsburg
& Southeastern #10, Flemingsburg, KY, in 1910.
2nd
10 2-6-0
Danforth-Cooke
52
18x24
90000
Purchased
from Georgia Locomotive Co. #47, Atlanta, GA, in 7-1908.
Formerly
Atlanta, Birmingham & Atlantic #1002.
For
sale
11-1916.
3rd
10 3T Shay
Lima
886
6-1904
36
3-12x15
148300
Renumb.
from #50.
Sold
to Wilbe Lumber Co. #10, Wiggins, MS, in 8-1929.
11
3T Shay Lima
1646
2-1906
32
3-12x12
126600
Purchased
new.
Sold
to Wilbe Lumber Co. #11, Wiggins, MS, in 8-1929.
12
2T Shay Lima
1685
4-1906
28
3-10x10
66000
Purchased
new.
Transferred
to Finkbine-Guild Lumber Co. #12, Rockport, CA, in 3-1926; to Southern
Redwood Corp. #1, Rockport, CA, in 9-1928; to Cottoneva Redwood Co. #1,
Rockport, CA, in 2-1933; to Rockport Redwood Co. #1, Rockport, CA, in
2-1938; to Clifford C. Bong & Co. #1, Lathrop, CA, about 7-1942,
later at Dominguez and El Monte, CA. Scrapped 1947 or 1948.
30
4-6-0
Baldwin
16263
10-1898
56
19x24
124000
Purchased
from Georgia Car & Locomotive Co. #425, Atlanta, GA, on 10-13-1919.
Cost $11,000.
Built
as Chattanooga, Rome & Southern #26; to Central of Georgia #1367, in
6-1901, renumb. #1385 in 1910; to Wrightsville & Tennille #30,
Dublin, GA, in 7-1917; to Georgia Car & Locomotive Co. #425.
Transferred
to Finkbine mill at D'Lo, MS.
Baldwin
class
10-32 D 608
50
3T Shay Lima
886
6-1904
36
3-12x15
148300
Purchased
from Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co., Birmingham, AL, on
11-22-1913.
Built
as Kaul Lumber Co. #5, Hollins, AL; to Sumter Lumber Co., Sumter, AL, by
11-1907; to Hardaway Contracting Co. #50, Squaw Shoals, AL; to
Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co.
Renumb.
#10.
51
3T Shay Lima
2514
2-1912
36
3-12x15
140000
Purchased
from Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co., Birmingham, AL, on 10-30-1915.
Built
as B. H. Hardaway Contracting Co. #51, Searles, AL; to Birmingham Rail
& Locomotive Co.
Transferred
to Finkbine mill at D'Lo, MS
52
3T Shay Lima
2515
4-1912
36
3-12x15
140000
Purchased
from Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co., Birmingham, AL, on 10-30-1915.
Built
as B. H. Hardaway Contracting Co. #52, Searles, AL; to Birmingham Rail
& Locomotive Co.
Transferred
to Finkbine mill at D'Lo, MS.
53
4-6-0
ALCO-Dickson 26598
10-1902
56
20x26
140000
Purchased
or leased
from Gulf & Ship Island #53. See Note 2.
Built
as Gulf & Ship Island 1st #30, renumb. #53 in 1903.
58
4-6-0
Baldwin
32284
11-1907
52
18x24
120000
Purchased
from Missouri, Oklahoma & Gulf #101. In service by 6-1918.
Baldwin
class
10-30 D 520
59
4-6-0
Baldwin
24745
10-1904
56
19x26
140000
Purchased
from Gulf & Ship Island #59. On hand by 5-1919.
Baldwin
class
10-32 D 793
Note
1: At least two other locomotives are known to have been on
the roster.
Note 2:
Engine #53 shown in G. & S. I. records as condemned 9-1-1926.
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LOCOMOTIVE ROSTER by Gil Hoffman:
D'LO
30
4-6-0
Baldwin
16263
10-1898
56
19x24
116000
Transferred
from Finkbine operation at Wiggins, MS.
51
3T Shay Lima
2514
2-1912
36
3-12x15
140000
Transferred
from Finkbine operation at Wiggins, MS.
Sold
to Pascagoula Hardwood Co. #51, Laurel, MS, in 3-1929; to The Mengel Co.
#51, Laurel, MS, on 11-29-1935.
52
3T Shay Lima
2515
4-1912
36
3-12x15
140000
Transferred
from Finkbine operation at Wiggins, MS.
Sold
to Eastman, Gardiner & Co. #52, Laurel, MS, in 4-1929.
53
3T Shay Lima
2847
5-1916
36
3-12x15
146000
Purchased
new.
Transferred
to Finkbine-Guild Lumber Co. #53, Rockport, CA, in 1927; to Southern
Redwood Corp. #53, Rockport, CA, in 9-1928; to Cottoneva Redwood Corp.
#53, Rockport, CA, in 2-1933; to Rockport Redwood Co. #53, Rockport, CA,
in 2-1938; to Camino, Placerville & Lake Tahoe R.R., Camino, CA (for
parts).
54
3T Shay Lima
3101
7-1920
36
3-12x15
158000
Purchased
new. Cost $22,700.
Transferred
to Finkbine-Guild Lumber Co. #54, Rockport, CA, in 1927; to Southern
Redwood Corp. #5, Rockport, CA, in 9-1928; to Cottoneva Redwood Co. #5,
Rockport, CA, in 2-1933; to Rockport Redwood Co. #54, Rockport, CA, in
2-1938; to Atlantic, Gulf & Pacific Co. #54, Dahican, Camarines Norte,
Philippine Islands, in 7-1941.
58
4-6-0
Baldwin
24744
10-1904
56
19x26
140000
Purchased
from Southern Iron & Equipment Co. #1672, Atlanta, GA, on 7-12-1921.
Built
as Gulf & Ship Island #58; to Southern Iron & Equipment Co. #1672.
Baldwin
class
10-32 D 792
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