A Short History (conrinued) of the -PART TWO Pucitic Goast Wholesule Hurdwood llistribulus fissociution

By Early Individual Histories Don ond Chqrles White San Francisco

Among the first harclu,ood ltusinesses in San Francisco in the 6Ci's of the last century, rvere Str:rttt \\rhite & Co.' Walrath & Hunter, and Jol-rn Wigmore. Peter White, of Straut White & Company, severed his conr.rections u'ith that concern in 1872, and joined with his brother, Asa L. White, establishing the house of White Brothers. They bought out the firm of Walrath & llunter and are the oldeit existing hardrvood concern on the Iracific Coast. Mr. Straut died sorne years later, and his business rvas carried on by his widon' for a nurnber of years, tu_t-finally failed and ihe stock rvas taken over by Edrvard F. Niehaus. John Wigmore continued his business until he died in the 90's' The business \vas carried on by his son until finally the stock was bought out by White Brothers. J. H. Dieckmann, an imporler, opened a hardrvood yard l'ith a sau'mill, for cutting irp tropiCal rvoods such as Mahogany, Spanish Cedar, and Piitlta Vera, in the late SO's, employing Edu';rrd Niehaus, who a fer,v years later branched out for himself by buying the bankrupt stock of Straut & Cornp-any. Thc Dieckmann Hardi'vood Company r",'er-rt out of bttsincss in 1926.

The Allen & Tuggle Lumber Company l'as completely destroyed by fire in 1885. Mr. Tuggle dicl not c:tre tcr resume business and Mr. James E. Higgins, Sr., pttrchased his half-interest in that year. Upon the dcath of Mr. Allen in 1902, N{r. Higgins purchasecl his hzrlf intercst also, and the firm continued under the natle of Allcn & I{iggins until 1913, u,hen the name rvas chalrged to J. E. Higgins Lumber Co. In the year 1927, the J. Ti. Higgins Lumber Company absorbed the Strable I'Iardwood Company of Oakl-and. In 1925, they bought the stock of Cadu'allader Gibson Con'rDany in San Francisco as well as the stock of E. F. Niehaus -& Company, and in 1929 purchased thc remains of the Richards Hardr'vood Company.

In 1889, NIr. Ir,. S. Holvard, with Frank C. Mott, toolt over a hardrvood lumber business in Oakland, succeccling W. C. Fife t'ho commenced business in 1885, :rnd namecl the concern Flon'arcl & Xlott. In i893 he moved to Sltn Francisco :rnd adoptcd the firm title of E. A. Hor.r'ard & Company.

Mi. M. William Davis entered the hardrvood lumber business in 1894, and in 1913 started the Davis Hardwood Company. Mr. Davis lr'as the first hardwood traveling salesman on the Pacific Coast. He lvas knor'vn from Vancouver to San Diego as "Carload Davis." llomer B. N{aris, sot-t oi a verteer manttfacturer in In-

In 191 1, E. F. Niehaus died and his business was carried on by his r'vidorv and two nephews, lirst Adolph -Niehaus and, -after his death, by Otto Wahlefeld until 1920, rvhen the business was closed up and the stock bought out by J. E. Higgins Lumber Company. Otto Wahlefeld started ir small -6usiness in Berkeley, l-randling principalll' trir oanels. He died in 1928.

- Felix Richards, in 1907, established the Australian Hardu.ood Company rvith N{r. Simmott as a partner. They clealt first in Australian Ironbark and Spotted Gum, but gradu:rlly added to their stock American hardwoods, flooring and panels. The name rvas later_ch_anged -to the ILichards -Hardn'ood Company. Felix Richards died in 1927. The business continued on for several ycars and u'as finally closed out by the creditors. -Ihe J. E. Higgins I-umber Company bought the remaining stock.

In 1908, Georle H.- Brou'n and Walter King entered the llardu'ood business in Oakland, California, under the title of Brorvn-King Company. I-ater the r-r:lme of the croncern rvas changed to the Straltle l\ifanufactttring ComI)any. The N'Iichigzrn Lumber Nlanttfacturers of that namc Lecarne financially interested ancl undcr 1\Ir. llroll'n's control, continued until 7927, when it u'as llought out by J. E. Higgins Lumber Company and still coutinues as a subsidialy. Mr. George FI. Ilrou'n, after a.bout -a. y91{i retireinent, four.rcl a life of leisure urtltearable. and in 1928 bought himself a stock of harclrvood lumber,. flooring-and veneered lranels, ancl commencecl ltttsiness again in Oakland urrder the trame of G. H. Br<trvu Hardn'ood Compan-v.

Samuel Forsyth, .,vho had been a s;rlesman for E. A. Hou'arcl & Co. for severzrl years, started in San Francisco rr'ith the help of Nl[<-lnson Brothers, contractors ancl millmen, a hardu'ood'lumbcr enterprise under the name oi Forsyth I{ardrvcrod Comp:rnv tn 1917. This business cor.rtinued trn<ler l.ris nrar.ragement until 7927, when he sold ottt his interest to Itobert Kahn, u,ho had been in his employ since 1,921 , ancl \\rilliam Scl-riemann. Mr. Schiemann retirecl irr 1931.