Pioneer lrumbering in Lros At geles

By \flm. F. Montsomery Santa Ana, Calilornia

(Mr. Montgomery found this article in his scrdp book, which wos written in 1929. He is uncertain whether it made itsappearance in print, but if so, it would now have d n€w list of readers.)

When I first came to I-os Angeles, 45 years ago, there were eight lumber companies located here. First came the J. M. Griffith Company located .on Alameda Street, just north of the present Kerckhoff yard. This yard was one of the two original yards established here during the 60's, Mr. Griffith previously having operated a stage line from Wilmington. They also operated branch yards at drfferent towns in what is now Orange County. ,The business was under the direct management of Mr: J. M. Griffith assisted at different times by his five sons, only two of whom I believe, Fred and Bob, are now living. Mr. Nichols of the Credit Men's Association was bookkeeper at that time. Mr. Griffith was something of a martinette, was a business man of undoubted integrity and was highly regarded by the lumber dealers. He conducted the business until his dtlath about 25 years ago, and as his sons did not seem to care to continue it, it was liquidated, the yards in Orange County being taken over by the Bowers interests.

Next came the Kerckhoff-Cuzner Company which moved to their present location in 1879 and have operated continuously at this location since that time, establishing a record as the only yard operating on their original location at the present time. The business was in charge of Mr. James Cuzner and Mr. W. G. Kerckhoff, Mr..Robert Cuzner being located at the Pomona yard. This company also operated a number of branch yards in the San Gabriel valley.

Mr. Kerckhoff afterwards retired to take up hydro-electric development and Mr. Cuzner also became the "grand old man" of the California Club, and Mr. Robert Cuzner took active management which he has retained to this date assisted by younger members of the two families.

A short distance north on Alameda Street the Reardon Company of Flagstaff, Arizona, operated a small yard in an endeavor to find an outlet for their common lumber. This venture however did not pan out well and was discontinued after about a year's operation.

Next came the old W. H. Perry Company yard located on Commercial Street near Alameda, Mr. Perry having graduated from operating a carpenter and coffin shop in the early 60's and branched out into the lumber business.

Mr. Perry and Mr. Mott were identified with the business which was under the active management of Mr. W. A. N{or- gan, a very competent and aggressive young Englishman and they were active factors in the business for a good many years, until the death of Mr. Morgan about twenty years ago when the business was liquidated, there beitrg'no young blood in the family to continue it. This company also operated a number of branch yards in what is now San Bernardino and Riverside Counties.

The C. Ganahl Company was located on First Street, corner of Alameda. I will leave the history of their operations for the moment and pass on to the Davies Henderson Lumber Co. located on First Street nearly across from the Ganahl yard. This yard was started about the year 1885 by Mr. Davies, a capitalist from Topeka, Kansas, and uncle to Ed and Will Davies, afterwards prominent in lumber circles. Associated with him were C. F. Smurr of Cass & Smurr, and Mr. Henderson, and Mr. Marshall who afterwards established the California Hardware Co. This company did a large and successful business for about ten years, being finally taken over by the L. W. Blinn Company.

Next came the yard located in an orange grove on Fifth and San Pedro, operating under the ambitious title of Los Angeles Storage, Commission, and Lumber Company, under the management of Mr. Horace Hiller. This yard had been started under the joint ownership of the Griffith-KerckhoffPerry interest to offset the second grade material. They also dealt in lime and cement which was stored in the old Santa Monica railroad depot building on the premises, and at the time of my arrival Mr. L. E. Beyhmer, future impressario was salesman in the warehouse, loading and unloading barrels of lime and cement.

The business was afterwards acquired by Thos. Vigus, Sid Hiller and Captain Skinner, operated under the name of the L. A. Lumber Company. They in turn sold to the South West Lumber Co. which was owned by the Perry-Nelson interests, with L. W. Blinn as manager. He was succeeded by t\Ir. W. T. Wheatley and the operation was continued until about the year 1910 when the South \Mestern Lumber Co. was combined with the Nofziger ,Lumber Co. who operated a yard on the corner of Eighth and Main streets, under the name of the Consolidated Lumber Co. This was the inception of the Consolidated Lumber Co. who have been a large factor in both wholesale and retail operations since that date. The South Western yard was disposed of to the Montgomery & Mullen Lumber Co. about 1910 who operated it until about 1918 when it was sold to the Patten & Davies Lumber Co. who still occupy a portion of the yard at the present time.

The writer worked as a day laborer for a short time in 1885 in this yard and therefore had the novel experience of 25 years later acquiring ownership of the business in which he had worked in a menial capacity.

Located way out in the suburbs on San Pedro St. near Sev-