Page 16 • The Enumclaw Courier-Herald • Wednesday, July 24, 2013
www.courierherald.com
Family memories of the White River Mill
M
y grandpa Chris Nelsen worked worked for Weyerhaeuser for 42 years. I think at the White River Lumber one of his first jobs was working on log pond. Company. I don’t know what his Dad’s job was to use a long pole to shove the logs first job was but when he was older toward the saw mill. One day Dad fell or slipped off a log and went under. Another guy he developed a bad heart. They laid him working there saw Dad fall and pulled off because of his health and he became him out. It might have been the end to very depressed. Our grandma felt so bad that job because he couldn’t swim. seeing him feeling like he was worthless Dad loaded lumber into box cars for 16 she went down to see his doctor and ask years. After they stopped using the train him if he could do light work. The docSallie Box to move the lumber, he put lumber onto tor said he could, so the next stop for her trucks. One trucker told Dad that one was the mill to ask the boss if they would please find something for him to do. They gave town he had to go through had a parade so he him a clean-up job of sweeping the floors. He felt just got in line and drove through because his worthwhile again. I don’t think he ever found out load looked good. Dad was a brakeman on the train so he had to jump off the train while it was what she did for him. My dad, Bill Rogers, quit school in the eighth moving so he could switch the track so it would grade to help his mom and dad support the five go to a different rail. One time he jumped off sons and the eight daughters they had. Times and he fell on the coupler, breaking several ribs. were tough back then and with a large family Sometimes he would take Mom, my brother on a coal miner’s wages several boys had to quit Grant and I up to the mill after dinner so he when they were in the eighth grade. One son, could finish his boxcar. I remember the wonderEnoch, worked in the coal mine and Lew worked ful smell from all the lumber, and how huge the making timbers for the mine. I don’t know what shipping shed was. year Dad started working at the mill, but he It was scary walking on a plank from the walk-
way to the box car. It was a ways down to the ground. The mill was a place where pranks were played. One time my dad was going to eat his lunch and he grabbed his lunch bucket handle and was going to pick it up and someone nailed the bucket part to the table. The mill had strong men with big hearts. I remember in their lunchroom they would share their lunch with some tiny mice that would come and eat by the guys. The management heard about all the mice and said they had to put poison out to get rid of all the mice. The guys felt bad they had to do that to the little mice that were like pets. My brother Grant worked as a filer in the saw mill for 35 years. He sharpened something called knives to make some of the wood chips and other saws, too. Our son Curt worked at Weyerhaeuser for 15 years as a millwright. The mill was a place where not only friends but families worked. It was a big shock when they closed the White River Mill after 150 years in Enumclaw. White River Lumber Company became a branch of Weyerhaeuser Timber Company in 1949.
3 Full Days - July 26, 27 & 28th
PRESENTED BY ENUMCLAW ROTARY FOUNDATION
Entertainment Schedule
FRIDAY, JULY 26 10AM-11:30AM ........The Summer Januaries(fiddle/guitar vocal duo) Noon-1:30PM ...........The Bridge Band (classic rock) 2PM-2:30PM ............Zumba!!! 4PM-6PM .................Dakota Poorman Band (formerly Small Town Boys, Southern and country rock) 6PM-7PM .................Dance it Up! (Local Youth Dance)
6TH ANNUAL
5K
Run Walk
RACE
SATURDAY, JULY 27 10:30AM-11:30AM ... Eric Ode (Children entertainer) Noon-1:30 .................CoCo Loco (Latin Band) 2PM-3PM .................Dance it Up! (Local Youth Dance) 3PM-4PM .................Joe Black –Magic show 5PM-7PM .................Palmer Junction (Classic Rock)
Saturday Morning at 9AM!
Sponsored by: Enumclaw Regional Healthcare Foundation
*Family registration includes 2 adult shirts and 1 youth shirt. Additional shirts can be purchased.
DATE: Saturday, July 27, 2013 START TIME: 9 AM SHARP! KIDS DASH starts at 8:45AM (just under a mile) REGISTRATION AND BIB PICK-UP BE PART OPENS AT 7:30 AM OF IT!!! START/FINISH LINE: Corner of Railroad and Myrtle (next to Library)
New this
KidZone
REGISTRATION FEES
Register Early & Save at: www.enumclawstreetfair.com
EARLY
REGISTRATION
DAY OF
Presented by Clown’s Unlimited
RACE
Kids Dash ........................... $10 .....................$15 Adult .................................... $20 .....................$25 Family (2 Adults and 1 Youth).... *$50 .....................$65
FAMILY FUN FOR ALL AGES - AFFORDABLE!!!
Toddler Zone - All-day bracelet ...................................$5 Kid Zone - All-day bracelet ........................................$12 Kid Zone - 3-day bracelet ...........................................$30 Individual Tickets................................................$1 each
Early Registration (Ends 7/21/2013 at 10 pm)
www.enumclawstreetfair.com
831783
New this year- BEER & WINE GARDEN!
for more information:
Year!
eet Fair SUNDAY, JULY 28 @ the Str 10AM ....................... Sunday Morning Praise Noon-12:30 ............... Dance it Up! (Local Youth Dance) 1:30AM-3:30PM ....... Convergence Zone Bluegrass
A Big THANK YOU to our sponsors below!