Mississippi Rails

Mason Lumber Co.

36" gauge, 30 & 35-lb rail

Headquarters:

Mill Location: Gandsi, MS (Covington County)

Mill Capacity: 60,000 ft/day

Years of Operation: 1901-1910

Miles Operated: 8.5 miles

Locomotives Owned: 4

Equipment:

1 Decker loader, 22 log cars, 1 tank car.

Click Map for Larger Version

History by Gil Hoffman:

R. T. Sleeper & Company, of Ellsworth, Michigan, moved their sawmill from Michigan to North Seminary, MS, with operations commencing in December 1901. The cutting capacity was 25,000 feet per day. To operate this mill, the Mason Lumber Company was incorporated at Seminary, Covington County, on July 15, 1902 by H. Louis Lehmann, R. T. Sleeper and J. W. Post with authorized capital stock of $30,000. The name "Mason" was adopted by Mr. Post because it was the name of his home town - Mason, Michigan.

In 1902 Frank E. Park, of Mish, MS, bought the Mason Lumber Company from Sleeper and Post. Mr. Park, who took over as president and general manager, had the mill town name changed to "Gandsi," the acronym for "Gulf & Ship Island." Soon after Park took over the plant he built a new mill with a cutting capacity of 60,000 feet of longleaf yellow pine in 10 hours. Between 150 and 200 men was employed. Stockholders in the company were Frank E. Park, his brother Ray L. Park and Rhoda Dixon, a cousin of J. S. Butterfield.

In April 1909 the company sold 28,000,000 feet of standing timber and 3,500 acres of cut-over land to the W. C. Wood Lumber Company, of Collins, MS. In 1910 the mill machinery at Gandsi and logging equipment were moved to Reform, AL, where Mr. Park and F. H. Lathrop organized the Lathrop-Park Lumber Company.

ROSTER by Gil Hoffman:
?                  2T Shay         Lima                        613                      6-1900                     26                    2-7x12                     26000

                                  Purchased from R. S. Phillips Lumber Co. #2 "Mollie," Blackburn, MS, on 5-21-03.

Gone by 1-1907.

?                  2T Heisler      Stearns                   1032                    -1899                      30                    12x10                      40000

                                 Purchased through Goodman & Wright, Cincinnati, OH, on 4-28-05. See Note 1.

Sold to Lathrop-Park Lumber Co., Reform, AL, by 3-1910; to Lathrop Lumber Co. #2, Reform, AL, on 9-15-11.

?                  Class B           Climax                                                 11-1906                                                                           64000

                                 Purchased new. See Note 2.

Sold to Lathrop-Park Lumber Co., Reform, AL, in 1910; to Lathrop Lumber Co. #1, Reform, AL, on 9-15-11.

?                  2-6-0               Baldwin                  13755                  9-1893                     37                    13x18                      49000

                                 Purchased from Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co., Birmingham, AL, on 9-27-07.

Built as Southern States Land & Timber Co. #3, Pensacola, FL; to Southern States Lumber Co. #3, Pensacola, FL; to Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co.

Sold to Lathrop-Park Lumber Co., Reform, AL, in 1910; to Lathrop Lumber Co., Lathrop, AL, on 9-15-11.

Baldwin class 8-20 D 91



Note 1        Goodman & Wright, of Cincinnati, Ohio, were the general distributing agents for the lumber produced by the Mason Lumber Company.

Note 2    Railway Age, July 27, 1906, p. 129, lists the Mason Lumber Company, of Gandsi, MS, as ordering one 33-ton locomotive from the Climax Mfg. Co., of Corry, PA. A news item in the Corry, PA newspaper, dated November 24, 1906, mentions a Climax locomotive being shipped to the Mason Lumber Company, of Gandsi, MS.

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36" gauge, 30 & 35-lb rail Headquarters: Mill Location: Gandsi, MS (Covington County) Mill Capacity: 60,000 ft/day Years of Operation: 1901-1910 Miles Operated: 8.5 miles Locomotives Owned: 4	Equipment: 1 Decker loader, 22 log cars, 1 tank car.	Click Map for Larger Version
History by Gil Hoffman: R. T. Sleeper & Company, of Ellsworth, Michigan, moved their sawmill from Michigan to North Seminary, MS, with operations commencing in December 1901. The cutting capacity was 25,000 feet per day. To operate this mill, the Mason Lumber Company was incorporated at Seminary, Covington County, on July 15, 1902 by H. Louis Lehmann, R. T. Sleeper and J. W. Post with authorized capital stock of $30,000. The name "Mason" was adopted by Mr. Post because it was the name of his home town - Mason, Michigan. In 1902 Frank E. Park, of Mish, MS, bought the Mason Lumber Company from Sleeper and Post. Mr. Park, who took over as president and general manager, had the mill town name changed to "Gandsi," the acronym for "Gulf & Ship Island." Soon after Park took over the plant he built a new mill with a cutting capacity of 60,000 feet of longleaf yellow pine in 10 hours. Between 150 and 200 men was employed. Stockholders in the company were Frank E. Park, his brother Ray L. Park and Rhoda Dixon, a cousin of J. S. Butterfield. In April 1909 the company sold 28,000,000 feet of standing timber and 3,500 acres of cut-over land to the W. C. Wood Lumber Company, of Collins, MS. In 1910 the mill machinery at Gandsi and logging equipment were moved to Reform, AL, where Mr. Park and F. H. Lathrop organized the Lathrop-Park Lumber Company.



ROSTER by Gil Hoffman: ? 2T Shay Lima 613 6-1900 26 2-7x12 26000 Purchased from R. S. Phillips Lumber Co. #2 "Mollie," Blackburn, MS, on 5-21-03. Gone by 1-1907. ? 2T Heisler Stearns 1032 -1899 30 12x10 40000 Purchased through Goodman & Wright, Cincinnati, OH, on 4-28-05. See Note 1. Sold to Lathrop-Park Lumber Co., Reform, AL, by 3-1910; to Lathrop Lumber Co. #2, Reform, AL, on 9-15-11. ? Class B Climax 11-1906 64000 Purchased new. See Note 2. Sold to Lathrop-Park Lumber Co., Reform, AL, in 1910; to Lathrop Lumber Co. #1, Reform, AL, on 9-15-11. ? 2-6-0 Baldwin 13755 9-1893 37 13x18 49000 Purchased from Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co., Birmingham, AL, on 9-27-07. Built as Southern States Land & Timber Co. #3, Pensacola, FL; to Southern States Lumber Co. #3, Pensacola, FL; to Birmingham Rail & Locomotive Co. Sold to Lathrop-Park Lumber Co., Reform, AL, in 1910; to Lathrop Lumber Co., Lathrop, AL, on 9-15-11. Baldwin class 8-20 D 91 Note 1 Goodman & Wright, of Cincinnati, Ohio, were the general distributing agents for the lumber produced by the Mason Lumber Company. Note 2 Railway Age, July 27, 1906, p. 129, lists the Mason Lumber Company, of Gandsi, MS, as ordering one 33-ton locomotive from the Climax Mfg. Co., of Corry, PA. A news item in the Corry, PA newspaper, dated November 24, 1906, mentions a Climax locomotive being shipped to the Mason Lumber Company, of Gandsi, MS.