Pope and Talbot Centennial Year Heralds Growth lVest Coast Lumbering

Tire year 1949 is a notable one for the state of California, since it marks the centennial anniversary of so many significant events of pioneering days. In the lumber industry, one of these early events which later came to have great importance was the organization in San Francisco on December 3, 1849, of the lumber finn of Pope and Talbot. For ever since, the story of Pope and 'Ilalbot's growth has been interwoven through the dramatic pages of the history of California the firm-one at Oakridge the other at the Hood Canal near Port Gamble.

George A. Pope, Ir. and the West.

Direct descendants of the founders occupy executive positions today at the firm's modern offices at 320 California Street, San Francisco.

George A. Pope, Jr., president, has been in that position since 1940. Practically all his life has been spent with the company, beginning when he worked as a helper in the sawmills atPort Gamble during his school vacation periods. In the last war, Mr. Pope served as a major in the Transportation Corps of the United States Army. He is a grandson of Andrew J. Pope, one of the founders.

President

Today Pope andTalbot has three big sarvmills rvhich cnt logs into lumber at the rate of a million board feet a day. These mills are located at Po;t Gamble, \\rashington ; and St. Helens and Oakridge, Oregon.

Branch offices for administration and sales are locatecl throughout the United States from Vancouver to San Juan. A total ol l2A0 Pope and Talbot .ivorkers are entployed in the lumber division alone. A perpetuating timber supply is furnished by two Tree Farms operated by

Fred C. Talbot, first vice president, has also gained his entire business experience with thefirm, largely in the Iumber divisir,,n. Before taking up his present duties, Mr. Talbot was the manager of the Puget Mill Division, following a number of years spent in the rvoods and mills. He is the grandson of Captain William C. 'falbot.

The Graduate School of Business of Stanford University, recognizing the part played by, Pope & Talbot in the development of the Western United States during the past century, has just completed a comprehensive history of the firm titled: "Time, Tide and Timber." This book, comprising about 500 pages, authored by Edwin T. Coman, Jr., and Helen Gibbs is the first of a series of books to be published by the Stanford University Press ccncerning Pacific Coast businesses, and is scheduled for release in December of this year.

The history of lrope and Talbot lumber operations is a tale interwoven u'ith the story of winning the West, starting with the Gold Rush in 1849.

When Andrerv J. Pope and Captain William C. Talbot came \Mest a century ago, it was not for gold to be panned out of a mountain stream-but rather for the profits to be made in the lumber business in booming San Francisco. This business, Pope and Talbot, Inc., rvas begun December 3, 1849.

In 1852, with a grolving trade assured, Pope and Talbot both journeyed back to Mair-re to get the required backing for a neu, enterprise : a logging and sawmill operation in the vast timberlands of the Washington Territory. They secured the aid they needed, made arrangements to have all necessarv equipment (including a prefabricated sarvmill) sent by ship around Cape Horn to the Pacific Coast, ahd then returned to San Francisco to make further preparations for their project.

During the nextyear, 1853, Captain Talbot chose a site on Puget Sound called Teekalet by the Indians (now I'ort Gamble).

The following interesting account taken from the book, "Time, Tide and Timber," describes the dense timber stands that met the eye of Captain Talbot on his exploratory voyage:

"Iintering the ten-mile wide strait, close to the American side, the Pringle sailed for miles along the curved line <.rf the upper Olympic Peninsula, past miles of land so densely rvooded that a later traveler was led to exclaim, 'Timber ! timber-till you can't sleep.' Even at a distance, the coast line showed a covering of forest so dense that jungle seemed a better word than timber. The trees presented a continuity of green, impenetrable shade. They extended to the water's edge, and on the headlands tlrrust their arrowlike heads higher into the horizon. Even Mount Olympus in the distance reared its snow-capped crest above a collar of firs. Nothing was visible except an expanse of rvater and the still broader expanse of the 'forest primeval.'"

In September of 1853, the sailing ship L. P. Foster, 154 days out of Boston, was anchored in Puget Sound discharging her valuable cargo of machinery and equipment for the mill. By the end of the year lumber production s'as under \vay, and five years later the Port Gamble mill u'as the largest of 37 sawmills operating in the Puget Sound area.

In the 1870's the company bought two other milis in the Puget Sound area, one at Port Ludlow and another at Utsalady. With these and the Port Gamble millin operation, Pope and Talbot continued to bethe largest producer of lumber in the Northwest up to 1890.

The period from 1880 to 1900 was one of achievement and rapid growth. Duringthe 1880's production at the three mills was approximately 99 million board feet annually. In 1882 arc lights were installed in the mill at Port Gamble, and the company thus became the first user of electricity in the Washington Territory. In 1887 and '88 there was a real estate boom in Southern California, and Pope and Talbot spurred the rapid growth of that area by supplying millions cf board feet of lumber to builders. The following year, 1889, Seattle was the scene of a major fire; Pope and Talbot answered the call for help by contributing money and sending boatloads of supplies to aid the victims, andlater supplied great amounts of lumber to help rebuild the city.

Again in 1906, after the great earthquake and fire disaster in San Francisco, lumber from Pope and Talbot mills played an important part in rebuilding the city.

The year 1909 marked the establishment of a large lumber mill at St. llelens, Oregon, which was to come under the company's control at a later period. Three years after the mill was put into operation, a giant wood preservative treating plant was built in the same area.

The next big step came in October, 1925, when the company effected a merger with the Charles R. McCormick Company of Delaware, which also had large interests in lumbering. The result of this huge transaction was to create a new leadership on the Pacific Coast.

During World War II, Pope and Talbot turned every facility and all its manpower to helping the war effort. An Army-Navy "E" Award-one of only six given among 750 sawmills in Washington and Oregon-was presented to the mill at St. Helens for its outstanding production record.

Operations in the Pope and Talbot Lumber Division today are a great contrast from the first Port Gamble Days of 1853, when a 45x70 foot mill was producing only 2000 bcard feet a day with a simple sash saw as a head-rig. Today the three modern large sar,vmills at Port Gamble, Washington; St. Helens, and Oakridge, Oregon, have a normal output of one million board feet daily.

Always a West Coast leader in the lumber industry, Pope and Talbot today ranks third in production among I'acific Coast organizations. Production is almost entirely concentrated on Douglas fir lumber. Its extensive timber holdings in the Pacific Northwest total more than 137,000 acres, with cutting rights on a great deal more land.

Tr,vo large tree farms have been established by the firm. Early in 1947 an area of 60,000 acres near Port Gamble was designated as the Hood Canal Tree Farm. Subsequent purchases at this tract have increased thetotal acreage to 75,000 acres. About a year later an area of 30,000 acres was set aside at Oakridge, which is now known as the Upper Willamette River Tree Farm.

In addition to President Pope and Vice President Talbot, officials of the firm include:

Hiilman Lueddemann-vice president and general manager, whose ofifices are in Portland.

J. Harold Cyr-acting Northern California sales manager (San Francisco).

W. B. Wickersham-manag'er, Southern California (Los Angeles).

In announcing the firm's Centennial Year and looking ahead to the future, George A. Pope, Jr., president, stated:

Double coursing creqles deep shodow lines, gives doubte insulotion qf no exlrq cosl. No wonder CEDARWAIIS, double cooled by the new WonderKole process, cqrry q double soles punch. No wonder lhey're populor qs qn exlrq profit moker for deqlers.

"The past century of growth of Pope and Talbot is an accomplishment of which we are naturally proud, since the achievement is shared by thousands ofloyal workers who have played their own important parts in the firm's history. Building on the sound foundation laid down by Andrew J. Pope and Captain William C. Talbot, employees of the past and the present-at the sawmills, on the ships, and in the offices-have made this company a vital force and a leader in the development of the West.

"Strength and leadership in any industry today and in the years ahead, in order to be rvorthwhile, must be accompanied by a deep sense of responsibility to the welfare of our citizens and our country. Pope and Talbot has always endeavored to follorv policies which serve the public interest as well as itsown-and lve will constantly strive to chart our course by the same standards in our second century ahead.

"It is our thought that the sound pioneering spirit of individual and collective enterprise which led to the establishment of Pope and Talbot 100 years ago still prevails today. With this steadfast resolution we look forward to continued progress for the welfare of our customers, our employees, and our nation."

Pope and Talbot, Inc.

Chronology of Lumber Division

1849-December 3, Pope and Talbot started in business.

1850-First lumber sales rvere early in January. First intercoastal lumber cargo, brought on the brig, "Oriental," by Capt. William C. Talbot, arrived in San Francisco March 4.

l853-Teekalet (Port Gamble), \\rashington, chosen as the site for the company's first lumber mill. Machinery and equipment were shipped from Boston to the Puget Sound location, and the mill was in operation by the end of the year. In the fall of the year, Captain Talbot brought the first cargo of lumber down the Pacific Coast-from Seattle to San Francisco.

1870's-Port Ludlorv and Utsalady mills on Puget Sound purchased.

1880-1890-Period of growth. Up to 1890 the company was the largest lumber producer in the Northwest, with an annual output in the 1880's of 99 million board feet. Port Gamble mill had electric arclights installed in 1882, marking first use of electricity in Washington Territory. Growth of Southern California helped by supplying lumber in the real estate

Survey Shows Preierence For Dining Room Color Scheme

What is the best color scheme for a dining room? According to homeowners and prospective homeowners all over the country, it's pastel r'vallpaper for the r,valls, rvith painted or enameled doors in white or cream. This is shorvn by a nationrvide survey of decorative preferences recently made by Ponderosa Pine Woodwork. Paint or enamel in white or cream is also preferred for dining room trim, the survey disclosed.

boom of 1887-88. Helped in Seattle fire disaster of 1889.

1906-Shipped 32 million feet of lumber to San Francisco to help rebuild the city following the great earthquake and fire disaster in 1906.

7925-Company merged with the Charles R. McCormick Company of Delaware, creating a new West Coast leadership in the lumber industry.

l94l-1945-War service. Achieved output of almost three hundred million board feet annually with double shift production at both mill sites. Pope and Talbot ranked third among 566 lumber producers on the Pacific Coast.

7947-Hood Canal Tree' Farm offrcially established.

1948-Third sawmill of company started production in April at Oakridge, Oregon. Three mills operate: Port Gamble, Washington; St. Helens, and Oakridge, Oregon.

1949-Upper Willamette RiverTree Farm officially established.

Pope & Talbot, fnc., Lumber Division Executive Offices

320 California Street, San Francisco 4, California

George A. Pope, Jr., President.

F. C. Talbot, First Vice President.

E. N. W. Hunter, Vice President and Assistant to Mr. Pope.

Charles L. Wheeler, Executive Vice President.

J. L. Paiva, Secretary-Treasurer and Controller.

I-umber Division Headquarters

3070 N. W. Front Avenue-Portland 10, Oregon

Hillman Lueddemann, Vice President and General Manager and Northwest Manager.

Cyrus T. Walker, Vice President.

Saxton B. Ferrell, Sales Manager.

Fred C. Talbot, Jr., Assistant Sales Manager.

W. N. Hammerschmith, General Mill Superintendent.

Clyde W. Osborne, Manager Creosoting Plant.

Port Gamble Mill-L. U. Hammerschmith, Manager.

St. Helens Mill-Nels Johnson, Mill Superintendent.

Oakridge Mill-A. M. Brooks, Manager of Operations.

St. Helens Creosoting Plant-R. B. Williamson, Plant Superintendent.

San Francisco-J. Harold Cyr, Acting Northern California Sales Manager.

Los Angeles-W. B. \\rickersham, Manager Soutl-rern California.

Nen' York-A. P. Leatherbury, Atlantic Coast Manager. San Juan, I'. R.-Emil G. Lassus, Manager.

Although paint leads in preference as a finisl"r for dining room doors, waxed or natural rvood finishes run a close second. The survey showed that 42.1/o of those responding preferred paint or enamel, while 30.6% preferred waxed or naturalwood. In woodwork trim, horvever. 48.8% preferred paint or enamel, while 25.6/o preferred waxed or natural wood. The preference for the natural woodlook u'as especially strong in the north central and 'ivestern regions, the survey shorved, while the northeastern and southern regions tend to prefer painted interior doors.