Interestins Old Book Tells The Early History of European Sawmills

The Corley Manufacturing Company, of Chattanooga, Tenn., publishes a house organ under the title "We Lumbermen," in a recent issue of which was a most interesting article on the historv of the earliest sawmills on human record. The article is based on a book entitled "A History of Inventions and Discoi'eries," written hundreds of years ago by a German professor named John Beckman, and translated into English in 1814, and printed in I-ondon at that time. This book contains a chapter on''sawmills" and their earliest recorded history.

It is stated that undoubtedly saws in various forms existed long before Christ, but sawmills are first recorded much later. The author is inclined to the opinion that the first saw was made by an ancient Greek named Talus, who made one out of the jawbone of a snake, and used it to cut through pieces of wood.

The first sawmills, so the author believes, existed about the fourth century after Christ, driven by either wind or water, but his conclusions to this effect are based on deductions frorr, writings of that period, and no attempt is made to describe or locate these mills.

The first mills this book actually records were located in the town of Ausburg, Germany, about 1332, and they are referred to in the Surveyor's Book of that town at that time. A man named Giss Saegemuller is the first sawmill operator named, and the town paid him for lumber or "deals" sliced from logs for town use. For the next hundred years sawmills became fairly plentiful in many European countries, so this writer states, and some detailed history of sawmill building in various countries is given by the author in the following interesting paragraphs: the writer of his travels thought it worthy qf a particular description.

"When the Infant Henry sent settlers to the Island of Madeira which was discovered in 1420, he ordered sawmills to be erected there also for the purpose of sawing into deals the various species of excellent timber with which the island abounded, and which were afterwards transported to Portugal. About the year 1427 the city of Breslau had a sawmill; and in 1490 the magistrates of Erfurt purchased a forest in which they caused a sawmill to be erected, and they rented another . mill in the neighborhood, besides.

"Norway, which is covered rvith forests, had the first sawmill about the year 1530. This mode of manufacturing lumber was called the new art; and because the exportation of deals was by these means increased, that circumstance gave occasion to the deal-tythe, introduced by Christian III in the year 1545. Soon after the celebrated Henry Ranzau caused the first mill of this kind to be built in Holstein. In 1552 there was a sawmiil at Joachimsthal, rvhich, lve are told, belonged Jacob Guesen, mathematician. In the year 1555 the Rishop of Ely, Ambassador from Mary, Queen of England to the Court of Rome, having seen a sarvmill in the neighborhood of Lyons.

"In the l6th century, however, there were mills with different blades by which a plank could be cut. into several deals at the same time. (This would be the first gang saw.) Pighius saw one of these in 1575 on the Danube near Ratisbon. The first sawmill in Holland was erected at Saardam in the year 15!)6, and the invention of it is ascribed to Cornelius C.ornelisen. (This is denied.) Perhaps he was the first person who built a sawmill at that place, which is a village of great trade and has still a great many sawmills.

"The first mill of this kind in Sweden was erected in the year 1653. At present that kingdom possess€s the largest mill perhaps ever constructed in Europe, where a water-wheel 12 feet broad drives at the same time 72 sws- In England sawmills had at first the same fate that printing had in Turkey, the ribbonloom in the dominions of the Church, and the crane at Strasburgh. \\rhen attempts were made to introduce them they were violently opposed because it rvas apprehended that the sawyers would be deprived by them of their means of getting subsistence. For this reason it was found necessary to abandon a sawmill ercctd by a Dutchman' near I-ondon in 1663; and in the year 1700 when one Houghton laid before the nation the advantages of such a mill, he expressed his apprehension that it might excite the rage of the populace. What he dreaded was actually the case in 1767 and 1768 when an opulent timber merchant, by the desire and approbation of the Society of Arts, caused a sawmill driven by wind, to be erected at Limehouse. A mob assembled and pulled the mill to pieces; but the damage was made good by the nation and some of the mob punished.

"A new mill was afterward erected which was suffered to work without molestation, and which gave occasion to the erection of others. It appears, however, that this was not the only mill of the kind then in Britain, for one driven also by wind had been built in Leith, Scotland, some years before."

(No description of the mills or machinery or saws appears in this translation.)

Retail Training Courses Making Major Upron Company Boostr FHA Contribution Towards Industry Efficiency

For the fifth straight year, the 30-Day Courses for employees of retail lumber and building materials dealers are making a major contribution toward industry training and efficiency. Developed by the Educational Department of the National Retail Lumber Dealers Association on the lines of a training program originally set up by the Western Retail Lumbermen's Association of Seattle, 17 of the clases have already been scheduled in 14 colleges for the current school year.

Dealer interest in the courses is heightened today because they offer a convenient and timely method of training nerv employees to replace those rvho are called into the armed forces.

Another factor expected to contribute to increased enrollment.in the 30-Day Courses now scheduled for the 1950-51 school season is the fact that this is the last school year during u'hich veterans of World War II rvill be able to qualify for educational benefits under the G. I. Bill of Rights. Attendance at a 30-Day training class is covered by the G. I. provisions.

NRLDA points out that expenses incurred by dealers in sending their personnel to the classes are deductible as "business expenses" for income tax purposes, and those rvhose employees have participated in the program in the past readily testify to its being a sound investment.

Four years of experience have demonstrated that employees, rvho have gained a comprehensive vieu' of the rvhole industry, as well as a better understanding of their o\\'n particular responsibilities, through the classes, do better rvork, give better se:vice to customers, and are more generally useful to the employer. This, in turn, means increased sales and profits, plus a chance for the employer to transfer a great deal of his routine s,ork-load to other capabl'e hands so that he is free to concentrate on business expansion and to devote more time to such activities as buying, employee t.aining. planning improvements. and participation in community affairs.

The subject matter of,the Course is divided into three groups. First are the product subjects. in rvhich the properties and uses of the various species of lumber and of most major building materials are analyzed.

The second group covers general business topics s'ith g.hich everyone holding a responsible position in a retail building materials company needs to be.familiar. Among these subjects are Advertising, Business Records and Bookkeeping, Business Law, the Writing of Business Letters. Industrial Safety, Credit and Collections, I\fortgage Financing, f nsurance, Pricing. and Purchasing, Selling, and Store and Yard Arrangement.

The third and last group consists of construction and estimating subjects, including Blueprint Reading, Design and Construction, Estimating, and Farm Structures.

Prior to the present school year, some 4000 employees from 3000 yards had already completed 89 of the 30-Day Courses. The 19 colleges where these courses were given include: City College of New York, the College of the Pacific, the University of Denver, the Georgia School of Technology, the University of Illinois, the University of

A Booklet entitled "Lets Get Better Acquainted With Your Friend FHA" has been published by The Upson Company of Lockport, Nerv York, as a special tribute to the Federal Housing Administration on the agency's l6th birthday.

The Company, rvorld's largest producer of laminated fiber rrall and ceiling panels, points in its booklet that in the 16 vears of FHA operation nearly 13 million families have been assisted in building, buying, refinancing or improving their homes or have been privileged to live in new rental units financed rvith FHA insurance.

The booklet declares: "To the hardworking, extremely able men rvho comprise the personnel of the FHA must go the credit for the achievements of this extremely worth while government agency. From private industry, their compensation rvould undoubtedly be higher but it is to their credit that rve nevertheless have received in full measure the fruits of their loyal efforts. Through the untiring efforts of these public servants, the public is getting better housing and on easier terms than at any time during the history of this nation."

The L-pson Company has announced that the booklet will be sent, among other places, to public libraried. business organizations and to members of Congress.

Pcbco Announces Color System

No one element of decoration can equal the importance of color. This trend represents today's greatest potential in the merchandising of paint, and alert dealers have recognized the importance of a suitable color system to increase paint sales through broader service to the consumer.

The latest entry into this field is The Paraffine Companies, Inc. of San Francisco, Portland, Seattle and Los Angeles. Under the rvell known Pabco trade name comes the announcement of "California Originals" Decorator Tones, a paint color system for interior decoration. According to a statement b;- Pabco this is claimed to be"The simplest and most practical color system yet devised."

Als'a;-s a problem to dealers, inventories of basic ingredients seem to have been satisfactoril.v answered by the nerv Pabco color system. Under the name "California Originals" the system rvas developed.from twleve basic colors (including white) that are intermixed by simple formulas to produce a variety of fifty-four decorator tones.

Louis Senrente of Francisco, returned calling on Southern

Servente Hardrvood Lumber Co., November D from several rveeks' hardrvood lumber mitls.

San trip

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Here is a brief story of a man u'ho didn't have to leave home to be successful, who overcame depression difficulties in the 1930's, and who built shingle and shake plants when he couldn't get materials to sell in the war years. He is ope of the most widely known and best liked men catering to the needs of lumber dealers in Southern California.

A native Californian, born in Los Angeles, Hugh W. Mason, president of Fisk & Mason, South Pasadena, moved to Pasadena at an early age. He received his education in Fasadena schools, and his first experience of selling rvas in the insurance business. This was interrupted by World War I. He joined the Navy and after four years' service as an Ensign came home and became interested in hardwood flooring.

In 1923 he formed a partnership rvith Jackson Fisk to carry on the business of hardwood flooring contractors at 835 1\{ission Street, South Pasadena. Hand-split shakes began to come into prominence about this time as a highgrade roofing material, and they decided to get into the roofing contracting field also.

Fisk & I\{ason was incorporated in 1925. Jackson Fisk passed away a year later, and Hugh Mason rvas elected president by the stockholders, and has managed the business for the past 24 years. They moved to their present location at 855 El Centro Street, South Pasadena, at that time.

The depression years presented many problems, but Hugh brought the business through. During these years he became more and more interested in selling shingles and shakes exclusively, wholesale and retail, s'ith most emphasis on the wholesale end.

In the years preceding World War II he brought in by cargo and stored many thousands of squares of shingles at the Los Angeles Harbor as well as at the South Pa.sa= dena yard. At that time the firm of Fisk & Mason was considered to be the largest distributor of shingles in the United States. The government restrictions on the lumber and shipping industries made it very difficuult to operate,