Blue Island Lumber District

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1885

South Branch Lumber Co.

(See adv. page 1092)

Harper’s Weekly, October 20, 1883

THE LUMBER INTERESTS OF CHICAGO.
On the southwestern border Chicago another city whose buildings are the blackened piles lumber and whose busiest highways are the passages between just large enough afford entrance for a wagon. Through this district flows the sluggish water the South Branch the Chicago River, its current changing direction with the wind and odors unvarying except grow little more intolerable when some huge propeller is fast in the mud, and her own screw, aided the tugs pulling her, stirs the oozy bottom.

Extending into the yards either band are long slips from which rise the graceful spars of the lumber schooners the stumpy and blackened masts of the barges. Some of these carry nearly a million feet of lumber. The “lumber shovers” who unload them wear a leather apron extending from the belt to the knees, and leather guards to protect the palms of their hands. During the cold, raw weather of early spring these men can be seen at work stripped to the waist, regardless of the freezing rain and the brisk lake winds which make such sad havoc with weak lungs.

Almost as far as the eye can distinguish objects through the smoky atmosphere the vast expanse is roofed with the sloping tops of the lumber piles. Here and there rises a a planing mill or sash factory, or more conspicuously the huge grain elevators, with their iron roofs and slate-covered sides. Tracks and sidings admit to the heart of the lumber district the locomotive with its string of cars of almost every road in the country, coming to be loaded with the rough lumber, packing boxes, or the finer manufactures of doors, stair rails, and the like. The trains make quite a study of color in the otherwise dingy prospect. Even the cars of the same lines are of different shades from varied exposure to the weather. The air resounds with the hum of the planing-mills, the snorting of the busy switch-engines, the joining of the wagons on the corduroy roads, the rattling of tackles and the whistling of tugs on the river. Scores of chimneys and stacks fill the air with smoke, and the breeze carries with it the finer dust from the saw-mills, which finds snug lodgement in the eyes of the visitor, whose efforts for relief bedaub his cheeks with the damp soot deposited there.

The Lumber District of Chicago—View From The West Side Water-Works.

Scattered about other localities generally along the river are other yards singly or in groups, aggregating as large an area as that of the “Lumber District” just described. Even at the mouth of the river, on artificial ground, the mills and lumber piles extend eastward half a mile or more beyond the site if the old Lighthouse and Fort Dearborn, The stock of lumber on hand varies from four to seven hundred million feet of sawed stuff and timber, one to three million shingles, forty to seventy million laths, with pickets, cedar posts, etc., in proportion.

The shipments sometimes reach two hundred million feet of lumber and one hundred million shingles in a single month. The local trade amounts annually to over five hundred million feet.

The town of South Chicago, at the mouth of the Calumet River, twelve miles south, has extensive yards, and, according to the interested parties, bids fair to rival the present city in the future. Many of the citizens of Chicago wish the lumber trade was transferred entirely to the Calumet, for they look with apprehension upon the acres of dry lumber, and fear a repetition of thr calamity of 1871. A fire getting good headway in this locality, if fanned by the strong southwest winds prevalent in the sumer and fall, could hardly fail to destroy the city as completely as before, despite the efforts of what is called the nost efficient Fire Department in the world.

The region produces this enormous quantity of lumber extends along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan and half the length of the western side. Reaching far into the interior of the State are streams which bring down the logs rafted together to the saw-mills at the river mouths. These lumber towns along the shore are wooden to the last degree. Many are built upon piles driven into the sandy marshes, the buildings all frame, and even the roads made of sawdust, into which the foot sinks as though in dry sand. Their well water is frequently as yellow as saffron from the decaying wood through which it comes. It seems almost a miracle that any of the forest fires which occasionally sweep through the lumber regions attacked their town. No provision is being made to perpetuate the forests, but they are being cut down right an left, making it only a question of time when the white timber will be as rare as rose-wood. As a gentleman connected with the lumber interest remarked, “We re doing nothing for prosperity except to decree that they shall not build wooden houses.”

The lumber os brought to Chicago market chiefly by schooners, propellers, and barges, the latter being towed two or three at a time by powerful tugs. The receipts of lumber by rail, except from the south, are comparatively light, although the Chicagoans think it would make a comfortable business for what they facetiously call the ” suburban towns,” riz., Milwaukee, St. Paul, and St. Louis. The immensity of ther lumber district, and spending an afternoon in the rooms of the Lumberman’s Exchange, poring over the statistics compiled by the secretary. There are two hundred ad twenty firms engaged wither as brokers, manufacturers, or dealers in lumber. Last year one, firm alone handled one hundred and twenty-five million feet, averaging in value about eighteen dollars a thousand.

Besides this trade in pine, the hard-wood lines are increasing demand. The costly hard woods, domestic and imported, and the cheaper hard pine from Mississippi form no inconsiderable item the years receipts. During the last year the receipts lumber Chicago made grand total 2,676,757,842 feet and 1,215,455 494 shingles this three hundred million feet were of hard wood. The long-leaf yellow pine heavy almost mahogany and pitchy that sliver will burn like taper rapidly grow ing favor for interior work. Good selected stock has a beautifully figured grain and when darkened a little time is surpassed in effect by but few of the more expensive hard woods. The shipping trade in lumber from Chicago extends northwest, west and south the limits the country not always stopping there. Some of the lumber towns of Michigan are active competitors for the trade with the Eastern States; but, nevertheless, the city of railroads manages to forward a goodly amount into their markets.

Chicago, being in the centre of a vast system of water and rail transportation lines, is destined to become a large dealer in lumber every year, although ow the largest market for forest products in the world. The millionaire in the metropolis and the section hand on one of the new western railroads both buy the material for their homes from her yards. The boards for the farmers’ fences and the ties on the road-bed of the railway which carried him to his Western home pass through he hands of the Chicago lumbermen. The forests of Michigan are still enormous, and the undeveloped West demands their wood. The trade is guaranteed for years to come, and fortunes await those who can skillfully conduct it.—James J. Wait.

History of Chicago, A. T. Andreas, 1886

In 1868 a movement was started to transfer the lumber business and yards to what has since been known as the New Lumber District. A series of canals was excavated by the South Branch Dock Company, extending from the River to Twenty-second Street, affording a dock front of twelve thousand five hundred feet, which, together with the river front adjoining, makes a total dock front of nearly three miles. These canals are one hundred feet wide, and were, at first, eleven or twelve feet deep; since then, they have been dredged to the depth of from twelve to fourteen feet.

The lots owned by the South Branch Dock Company were one hundred by two hundred forty-four feet in size, each having a dock and street front, and being furnished with a switch track connecting with the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, thus placing them in direct connection with the entire railway system of the Northwest. These lots were rented to lumber dealers at ten dollars a foot per annum. In 1868, the lumber trade of Chicago reached the enormous proportion of nine hundred and ninety-four million feet, and this immense trade moved southward to the new district as rapidly as it could find accommodations. In the spring of 1869, about forty lumber firms were doing business, besides eight first-class planing mills.

The increase in the amount of lumber handled in the Chicago yards became so great that a still further extension of facilities was imperative, and, in 1881, another district was added upon the South Branch of the river, extending from Thirty-fifth Street to the city limits at the Stock-Yards. Here, in 1884 occurred the first extensive conflagration originating in a Chicago lumber yard. This fire commenced in the yard of the Chicago Lumber Company, being ignited by a spark from a passing locomotive. It was not checked until twenty million feet of lumber and one hundred million shingles, aggregating in value about $400,000 had been consumed.

Chicago Tribune, August 2, 1894

The Blue Island avenue lumber district was the scene last night of one of the heaviest lumber fires in the history of the city. The property loss was nearly $2,000,000. Two lives are known to have been lost. Three other deaths are reported, but not confirmed. Several firemen were injured, some of whom may die:

THE DEAD.
McGinn, Lieut. John, of the fire boat Geyser died from his burns at the County Hospital at 12 o’clock.
Wollenfell, William, No. 683 Union avenue, struck by a cap blown off engine No. 35 at the foot of Paulina street; knocked into the river and drowned; body recovered and sent home,
Unknown man reported knocked into the river and drowned.
Unknown man reported knocked into the river and drowned.
Unknown, boy, 17 years old, burned to death.

THE INJURED.
Burns, Capt., fireman, hit in face with stream of water and eye badly hurt. Will recover. Taken
home.
Flaherty,——, fireman; badly burned by being thrown into the fire by a swinging line of hose. Taken to hospital.
Gary, John, 23 years old, pipeman of engine company No. 26, residing at Twentieth street and Ashland avenue; severely burned about face, body, and arms; taken to 1115 Oakley avenue,
Murphy, Daniel, Lieut., Hook and Ladder Company, No. 103 Fuller street, struck by flying brick; taken away insensible.
Phelan, J. P., No. 2947 Arch street, fireman: hit by swinging line of hose and knocked into fire. Badly burned: will recover. Taken home.
Richter, Otto, 33 Blair street, fell from a lumber pile, had two ribs broken and injured internally; taken to the County Hospital; will die.

MISSING.
Mros, Jown and wife, liged at Lincoln and the river. Driver for S. K. Martin.

Heavy Losses to Property.
Following is a list of the firms who suffered loss in the fire with the statement of the amount of loss and the insurance, where it could be obtained. The figures are based upon the statements of officials of the various firms. An accurate estimate of the losses. however, will not be possible for several days until an examination of the books has been made. The list is at follows:

Discovery of the Fire.
The fire was discovered shortly before 7 o’clock by a watchman for the Lumbermen’s Protective Association. He saw a blaze on the outside of the fence on the east side of Lincoln street near a shingle shed belonging to S. K. Martin & Co. He turned in an alarm, but a high wind blowing from the west fanned the flames and carried them quickly through S. D. Martin’s yard. The first alarm was followed almost immediately by second and third calls, and when the fire still increased in velocity in its progress through the dry lumber and resisted all the efforts of the twenty engines which had then been called out, the firemen sent in call after call for additional apparatus until there were forty-eight engines and two fire. boats playing their streams upon the fire, attacking it from every point of vantage. These engines were supplemented by five trucks and five chemical engines. Chief Swenie was early on the scene and took charge of the battle against the flames. He was assisted by the First and Third Assistant Marshals and four Battalion Chiefs.

The fire attracted the usual crowd of specta-tors. The streets in the vicinity were crowded. Many of the spectators took a band in fighting the fire and were of great assistance to the. firemen. They helped handle the hose and in other ways were of service. On the north side of Blue Island avenue are several blocks of residences and business houses. These were in great danger fron the flying sparks, but upon the roof of every house the citizens stationed themse!ves with garden hose and did good work in extinguishing incipient blazes.

Flames Sweep Over Lumber.
The immense yard of S. K. Martin & Co., extending half a block on each side of Lincoln street from Blue Island to the river, was soon a roaring furnace of flame, and the fire was eating its way through the yards of Perley, Lowe & Co., adjoining S. K. Martin on the east. Each of these yards were estimated to contain from 25,000,000 to 50,000,000 feet of lumber, besides many thou sand shingles and cedar posts. The plant of the Weils & French Car company, employing 2,000 men and extending from Blue Island to the river, between Wood and Paulina streets, was next attacked by the flames. The firemen by hard work were able to save a portion of the plant, but the foundry, the main building of the works, was destroyed.

Near the river, in a corner of the block occupied by the Wells & French Car company, was situated the four-story brick plant of the Siemens-Halske company, manufacturers of dynamos and electrical appliances. The property was totally destroyed. The company furnished the electricity to operate the Twenty-second street electric cars, and the destruction of the plant will cripple that he until other arrangements can be made for obtaining the necessary current.

Adjoining the property of the Wells & French Car company were the yards of Shoe-maker, Higbee & Co.. timber dealers. The wind had veered and seemed to be blowing when the flames attacked this yard more to the south toward the river. The greater part of the yard, however, was burned, as was also that of Conway & Co., dealers in cedar posts. The change im the wind prevented a great damage to the yards of the Edward Hines company and only a small loss was occasioned.

Then came the large yards of the John Spry Lumber company. The firemen succeeded in checking the fire before more than a corner of the yard had been touched by the blaze. In one corner of the S. K. Martin yard was Farnum foundry, a small manufacturing concern, which was destroyed. J. B. McAdam, a dealer in hemlock posts, also suffered a considerable loss.

Hard Fight for an Elevator.
By hard work the firemen succeeded in sav. ing the Santa Fé elevator across the river from the burning yards at Wood street. A large pile of cedar posts, shingles, and lumber on the docks near the elevator caught tire and one end of the elevator was ablaze at one time, but by keeping a stream of water constantly playing upon the structure it was saved. There was greater danger of the burning of the Columbia Elevator on the west side of Slip B at Robey street, on the north side of the river. The rear end of the elevator caught fire, but although the piles of lumber were burning all about the structure by hard work the firemen saved it.

It was probably the hardest fire which the firemen have had to fight in Chieag for some time. Chief Swenie said it was the largest fire of its kind that he had ever fought. He gave great praise to the work done by his men and said they could not have distinguished themselves better.

Many Thrilling Escapes.
There were many thrilling escapes and fire engines Nos. 2 and 28 were abandoned be. cause of the rapid advance of the fire, which drove the men from their posts before they could take their engines with them. The two engines were at work between slips C and D when a sudden gust of wind seemed to bear an avalanche of flame down upon them and the men had to fly for their lives. All, however, reached a place of safety.

The fire boats Yosemite and Geyser had many narrow escapes while working in the slips between the burning piles of lumber. At one time while the Yosemite was working in slip B and had all of its lines of hose playing back and forth on each side of the slip the heat became so intense the boat was compelled to steam out in the river before the hose could be got in proper shape for the boat to retire.

Boy Drowns in the River.
Will Wellendorf was drowned at Ashland avenue and the river. He was standing close to the edge of the water and was tripped up by a line of hose. A hundred men saw him fall in the water, but no assistance was offered him. He sank beneath the surface and never rose again. In the excitement no one seemed to think of assisting him.

Chief Musham was on the fireboat Geyser. While walking close to the boat’s edge he was caught by a gust of wind and thrown into the water. No one saw him fall and he was nearly drowned. His heavy coat and helmet bore him beneath the water and under the boat. He struggled to the surface and by a superhuman effort reached the opposite bank and drew himself up without assistance. No one knew of the accident until he was out of danger.

While the fireboat Geyser was making a sudden move to avoid a toppling pile of lumber which threatened to fall on it three firemen were caught by a sweep of a line of hose and were thrown into a burning pile of lumber. Their names were Lieut. James McGinn, J. P. Phelan, No. 2947 Arch street, and Flaherty.

At 11 o’clock, after burning nearly four hours, the flames were got under control. Thousands of feet of lumber were still burning and engines and fireboats remained, throw. ing water on the piles of lumber, shingles. and posts and ready should the fire begin to spread again.

Lightning May Have Started It.
The exact cause of the fire is a matter of doubt. Employes of the West Chicago Street railway say they saw a bolt of lighting descend in S. K. Martin’s lumber yard from the car barns a few blocks away. A minute later flames were seen coming from a storage shed and in fifteen minutes the yards were doomed.

During the progress of the flames the police arrested twenty-five pickpockets and locked them up at the Hinman street station.

About 2,000 men will be thrown out of employment by the fire, as follows: Siemen-Halske Electrical company. 800; S. K. Martin & Co., 200; Perl, Lowe & Co., 200; and 500 employed by the smaller concerns.

John Mros, an old driver for S. K. Martin, lived with his aged wife on Lincoln street, near the river, in a little old shed. Their house was in the midst of the fiercest of the flames and was burnt in a few moments after the fire started. Nothing was seen of Mros or his wife after the fire started, and it was feared by the employes of the company that they had attempted to save some of their property and had delayed too long, losing their lives.

The firemen of engine company No. 17, who were at work near Slip C, were forced to lie on the ground to avoid being blown into the flames which they were fighting. It was reported that two men were blown into the river at Wood street and drowned. A citizen reported the matter to the police and said the men were upon a dock watching the fire, and that the coming up of the wind was so sudden that they were unable to prevent themselves from falling into the river.

Edward R. Hines Company
Life Span: 1892-1988
Location: Blue Island Ave and 22nd Street
Architect: NA

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1904

Hines Edward Lumber Co.

Chicago Tribune, March 8, 1896

By the sale of its stock of lumber, its planing mill, steam barges, and the lease on its yards to a young competitor one of the oldest and largest lumber firms in the city has gone out of existence.

The deal was concluded on Thursday, but extreme secrecy was kept, as the seller was anxious to keep it from early publication. The Edward Hines Lumber company, financially backed by the Spalding Lumber company, it is said, purchased from the S. K. Martin company everything except its name, good will, capital stock, and outstanding contracts. The property acquired consists of the Martin yards at Blue Island avenue and Lincoln street with approximately 30,000,000 feet of white pine lumber, and having a water frontage of half a mile, the planing mill, etc., and two steam barges. The price paid was a fixed sum for the lease, mill, and barges, and a price, not divulged, for each 1,000 feet of lumber as it shall inventory. The amount is estimated to be close to $500,000.

The Edward Hines Lumber company, which appears as the purchaser, owns the adjoining yard on Robey street south of Blue Island avenue. Each yard was larger than any other in the city, and the combined yards will form the largest lumber yards known. The joint capacity of the two yards is 75,000,000 feet, with over a mile of water frontage.

Rise of Mr. Hines.
Edward Hines, President of the purchasing company, is not yet 35 years old. He entered the employ of the S. K. Martin company nearly twenty years ago as an office boy and rapidly rose in the business, finally becoming general manager with a small stock holding. The policy of the senior Martin was opposed to permitting any stock to be acquired by others, and Mr. Hines four years ago surprised the S. K. Martin company by retiring from it and starting a rival company. Mr. Barth and Mr. Wiehe, Vice-President and secretary of the new company, were also important employes of the older firm and a further defection of the yard foreman and a dozen others severely crippled the S. K. Martin company.

A keen rivalry sprang up which lasted until its culmination in the purchase of the older company’s business by its former office boy.

During the year 1895 the Hines company shipped 150,193,307 feet of lumber, not only the record for Chicago but for the world. Meantime the senior Martin’s health began to fail and his sons were not able to successfully compete against their rivals. Prices had been cut to the lowest figures and the aggressive policy of the Hines company continuing, negotiations were begun for the sale of the stock and fixtures of the S. K. Martin company.

Mr. Martin was unwilling, however, to make an absolute sale of his long established business, and the purchasing company cannot, therefore, appear as the successors to the S. K. Martin company. At the same time the practical result of the sale is the disappearance of the S. K. Martin company.

The Hines company has a lease of its present yards for one year, and the lease on the Martin yards runs for three years. It is believed the Hines company will abandon a large part of its yards when its one-year lease runs out.

Edward Hines in his office.
1892

Backers of Mr. Hines.
All parties to the contract are reticent as to details. but at the Spalding Lumber company’s offices it was practically admitted that company was behind Mr. Hines. The Spalding company is a manufacturing concern and does not care to appear as active in yard interests.

S. K. Martin came to Chicago in 1865, and in the following vear formed the firm of Babcock, Martin & Co., engaged in the lumber business. Their first yards were located at Twenty-second and Lumber streets, where they remained until 1870, when they removed to Throop street. The present yards were taken in 1879. The S. K. Martin company was incorporated in 1884.

The first big contract Mr. Martin got and that on which his fortune was founded was the building of the Exposition Building on the Lake-Front. He had to assume the obligations of the contractors, but successfully and profitably carried them through. The greatest disaster the company suffered was in the great lumber fire the night of Aug. 19, 1894, when $500,000 worth of lumber was destroyed. The same fire also invaded the Hines yard, but was held in check there.

Mr. Martin is counted among the wealthy men of Chicago. His old-time oflice boy has now practically the largest white pine lumber yards in the world.

Inter Ocean, May 14, 1896

For twenty minutes yesterday afternoon it looked as if the lumber district in the vicinity of Blue Island avenue and Twenty-Second street was going to be visited by a good-sized repetition of the disastrous fire of 1894.

A few minutes before 2 o’clock a fire started from some unknown cause in the Lincoln street planing-mill belonging to the Edward Hines Lumber Company. The mill was a one-story frame structure, with an area of 150×300 feet, in the southeast corner being a brick structure used as the engine-room, 75×50 feet in size. The fire started close to the wall of the engine-room, and almost before it could be noticed had spread to a large heap of shavings near one of the machines.

With this inflammable matter to feed upon the flames rapidly grew in size, and by the time the alarm was sent in to the fire department the building was well alight. The flames spread rapidly, and when Marshal Heaney, the chief of the eighth battalion, aT-rived, the entire building was ablaze and the flames had sprung across a space fifty feet wide, and were licking the sides of four cars standing on the Chicago, Burlington and Quiney Railroad tracks. A 4-11 alarm was sent in, and soon fifteen engines were playing on the fire, in addition to eight streams from the fire-boat Geyser, which tied up in the slip 200 feet south of the burning building.

Good Work by the Fire-Boat.
Between the boat and the mill was a one-story frame shanty and over this, and right into the seat of the flames, the firemen on the Geyser threw a solid stream of water three and one-half inches in diameter

For fifteen minutes the firemen appeared to make no headway, but Chief Swenie gradually Rot streams of water playing on the building from all sides, and alowly the fre subsided, being under control within a little more than half an hour from the time of the first alarm. While It burned the fire was one of the hottest the department has had to fight for many months, and at first it was feared that it would extend over the yard. Fortunately the direction of the wind, blowing from the southwest was in favor of the men, and drove the
flames in a direction in which, unless they went beyond control and leaped a distance of nearly 200 feet, the fire could not spread. The heat was such, however, that at that distance piles of lumber and sides of buildings were scorched, while on the railroad tracks the ties in many places caught alight.

Another great danger arose from the wind carrying burning brands to great distances, and while the fire was in progress a large number of firemen were kept skirmishing around armed with band extinguishers, to avoid fires from this danger.

History of the Barned MIll.
The building in which the fire broke out, and which was totally destroyed, was very old, and was the only one that escaped during the lumber-yard fire of 1894. At that time the fire burned all the surrounding buildings and lumber piles, but by one of those vagaries often found in fires, missed the mill. It was badly scorched at the time, and had never been thoroughly repaired. In consequence the hot weather of the last few days had served to make it very inflammable, its total destruction yesterday being a matter of but a few minutes.

After the fire it was found that the walls of the brick addition had become so warped that they had to be pulled down by the firemen. In addition, the smokestack, nearly 300 feet high, is also warped, and today the building department will send a man to inspect it to see if it has to come down.

The burned building stands 200 feet east of Lincoln street and 300 south of Blue Island avenue, and is surrounded by lumber piles on three sides. West and south the yard is occupied by the Edward Hines Company, while on the east the Perley-Lowe Company have several million feet of lumber stacked. North, the True & True Company have the yard, and it was only hard work on the part of the department that prevented the flames spreading to these points.

The alarm from the lumber distriet, followed by the 4-11, created considerable excitement down town, as soon as it became knowa, and the fire department was besieged with personal and telephone calls asking the extent of the blaze. In order that the alarm might be quieted Chief Swenie sent a message giving the scope of the fire soon after be arrived on the scene.

The fire department places the loss at $5,003, but Edward Hines, who arrived after the fire was under control, says that it will be three times that sum.
The insurance on the building and contents, he said, is $19,000, scattered various companies. Besides the building ten planing machines and about 300,000 feet of lumber, according to Mr. Hines, were destroyed.

The mill destroyed was recently purchased from the S. K. Martin Lumber Company by the Edward Hines Lumber Company, and when it was built was valued at $20,000.

The Mining Times, September 16, 1898

A BIG LUMBER DEAL.
Stephenson Company’s Stock at Chicago is Sold.
Chicago, Ill., Sept. 12.—The Stephenson company of this city has sold its entire stock of lumber, lath, shingles and merchandise to the Edward Hines Lumber company. The sale is the largest, in dollars and cents, that has taken place for several years in this city.
that has taken

The Stephenson company is composed of Daniel Wells, Jr.. of Milwaukee, Wis., Isaac Stephenson of Marinette, Wis., the N. Ludington estate and S. W. Wyatt of this city.
It is about the oldest lumber company in the city.

The Edward Hines Lumber company does the largest business of its kind of any firm in Chicago. Jesse Spalding is one of the principal stockholders.

Green Bay Gazette, October 21, 1899

BIG DEAL IN WISCONSIN TIMBER.
Edward Hines Lumber Company of Chicago Made Heavy Purchases of Timber in Bayfield County
The Edward Hines Lumber Company of Chicago has purchased the MeCord sawmill at Superior and 150,000,000 feet of timber in Bayfield County. The consideration for the mill was $150,000 and for the timber $600,000. The timber was bought from E. G. Filer of Manistee, Mich. This, with the other recent timber purchases made by the Hines Lumber Company, makes it the largest holder of timber in northern Wisconsin.

The Labor World, November 25, 1899

S. J. Cusson, of Cusson & Madden, a well known firm of lumber shippers in Duluth, has sold out his business interest in the firm to his partner, J. H. Madden and has accepted the situation of general manager for the Edward Hines Lumber company. This was the most interesting item of news in lumber circles yesterday. Mr. Cusson will occupy the same relation here to the big Chicago firm that L. L. Hotchkiss occupies with reference to the Cranberry Lumber company.

The Edward Hines Lumber company for the next six years at least, and longer if they continue to buy pine in this section, will be one of the biggest manufacturers of lumber in the Northwest. The company owns 400,000,000 feet of standing pine in Northern Wisconsin, principally in Douglas and Bayfield counties. About half of this amount will be manufactured at the head of the lakes, and the other half at Ashland. The pine will probably be cut at the rate of about 75,000,000 feet a year.

The Edward Hines Lumber company acquired its big holdings of pine in this section by a few heavy purchases. One consisted of 200,000,000 feet from the Weyerhaeuser interests. More recently the company bought the McCord Lumber company’s interests in Northern Wisconsin and this deal carried with it the McCord sawmill, on Superior bay. The company also operates the Barker & Stewart sawmill at Ashland, which was built expressly to cut that part of the company’s timber which it acquired from the Weyerhaeusers. In addition to the extensive logging operations this winter for next season’s sawing, the Edward Hines company recently bought the entire product of the Keystone Lumber company’s sawmill at Ashland for next season.

The company owns a fleet of 18 boats, which it uses for the transportation of its lumber. The company this winter will put in between 35,000,000 and 40,000,000 feet of logs for Ashland and about the same amount for the head of the lakes. Most of the logs will be delivered by rail, but some of them will be delivered by water.

Mr. Cusson has not decided whether or not he will remove to Superior. His partner in the lumber shipping business, J. H. Madden, now resides at Ashland, but will immediately remove to this city. Mr. Cusson will go with the Edward Hines Lumber company Dec. 1.

Centennial History of the City of Chicago: Its Men and Institutions, Inter Ocean, 1900

EDWARD HINES.
No more remarkable and extraordinary, not to say phenomenal, instance or illustration of the pluck and enterprise which has made Chicago a synonym for all that is pushing and enterprising in the business world can be found than represented by the history of Edward Hines and the Edward Hines Company. The earlier development of the lumber trade of the city was through men who had been educated in the carpenter or other trades in which the whilom merchant had learned from practical experience in the handling of of lumber for construction purposes of the needs of the building world. With the vast increase of the business at Chicago there sprang up a class of young men, who, from long experience in office work in connection with the business, became, if possible, more intimately acquainted with the wants of the consuming public than had been their employers and educators.

Of this class Edward Hines is one of the most conspicuous illustrations. Born at Buffalo, New York, July 31, 1863, the eldest of seven children and the only son of Peter and Rose (McGarry) Hines, both of whom were natives of the Emerald Isle, he moved to Chicago in 1865, and was given the advantages of an education in the schools of that city. At fourteen years of age he left school to engage as a tally-boy with the lumber inspection firm of Peter Fish & Brother, receiving a salary of $4 per week. No better school of preparation for what was to be the future work of the young man could have been found, his employers ranking among the best in the profession of lumber inspectors, and in their service the young man had good foundations for proficiency in the acquirement of a knowledge of lumber and the conditions connected with its handling from the vessel to the yard of the dealer, and its assorting into the various grades recognized in the Chicago market. After a few months in this occupation he entered the employ of S. K. Martin, one of the largest lumber dealers in the city, and commenced as office boy at a salary of $4 per week, steadily worked up to and through various grades of office service until he became bookkeeper and general office man, rounding out fourteen years of faithful and diligent service, with four years upon the road in the capacity of traveling salesman, thus becoming personally acquainted with a vast concourse of retail lumber dealers throughout all portions of the Northwest, and learning from actual contact with them the individual needs of the several sections in which they were established; thereby becoming of inestimable value to his enterprising employer, while being industrious and frugal in his habits, he was enabled to save from his salary until he had accumulated quite a sum of money.

In 1884 the corporation known as S. K. Martin Lumber Company was formed, and so valuable had Mr. Hines proved to his employer, and so great the confidence left in him by Mr. Martin, that he was taken into the company and elected to the responsible position of secretary and treasurer, in which position he continued until April 15, 1892, when he withdrew from the company and proceeded to organize the corporation which has since been known as the Edward Hines Lumber Company, of which he became (and still continues) president, with L. L. Barth (for many years his fellow employe with the S. K. Martin Company) as vice-president, and C. F. Wiehe, as secretary; and once proceeded to build up a business which within a very few months, had attained proportions which not only astonished his competitors in the trade, but won from them the appellation (as applied to Mr. Hines) of “the young Napoleon” of the lumber trade of Chicago. Regarding the phenomenal success which attended the efforts of the company during the first two years of its marvelous development, the Northwestern Lumberman of January 6, 1894, said in an editorial, commenting upon what was considered a marvel, even among the many extensive and enterprising efforts of Chicago lumbermen;

The sales of this company during 1893 (the second year of its existence) reached the enormous quantity of 102,525,679 feet of lumber, with a proportionate quantity of shingles and lath, the largest volume of business recorded by any Chicago house during that year.

Considering the business depression which prevailed during 1893, involving all classes of commercial industry, and the fact that this was but the second year of the company’s business, the historians warmly endorses the assertion of the Chicago Timberman of about the same date with the statement:

This is an impressive showing, and it is safe to say that no firm of equal age in this or any other country can show results of anything like a parallel nature. As a matter of fact, the Edward Hines Lumber Company has outrivaled all the oldest houses in the trade.

The later record of this company but emphasizes these conditions shown for its earlier years, their shipments in the year 1896 reaching 129,682,633 feet, while those for 1897 were 138,429,000 feet, the largest quantity of lumber handled in one year by any one firm in this country, or in the world, so far as the historian can find any record.

The life of Mr. Hines and his phenomenal business success for the past years since the above statements were made, have caused the reputation of the company to suffer nothing, either in extent of its operations or in the excellent reputation which it has sustained from the outset. This is an example of what industry, intelligent perception of the details and conditions of a business can enable a young man of energy and honest purpose to accomplish. Beginning at the bottom round of the ladder, with an eye fixed upon the possibilities of later years, with no outside help, depending wholly upon his own native talent, he has climbed to a most enviable position as one of Chicago’s leading merchants, even before attaining the meridian of life. With all due credit to his worthy and able coadjutors of the company, it is no disparagement of their energy and enterprise to assert that the master and controlling mind in the development of what is conceded to be the most extensive strictly yard business in lumber in the world, is due to the energy and business acumen of the subject of this sketch.

Chicago Tribune, January 24, 1902

PAYS $2,000,000 FOR LUMBER.
Hines Company of Chicago Buys Over 100,000,000 Feet from Michigan Mills.
One of the biggest deals in the history of the lumber industry has been closed by the Hines Lumber company of Chicago and three Michigan mills. Over 100,000,000 feet of lumber was bought for about $2,000,000. It is estimated that over 2,000 houses could be built from the lumber purchased; that it will cover fifty acres if closely stacked or 25,000 acres if laid out flat. The fleet of the Hines Lumber company, comprising fifteen steamers, will begin the transportation of the lumber as soon as navigation opens.

Inter Ocean, September 24, 1902

Through a purchase just made by the Edward Hines Lumber company, the big fleet of lumber-carrying craft of that firm will find steady work next season. The North Wisconsin Lumber company’s plant at Hayward, Wis., has been purchased by the Chicago concern, together with 40,000,000 feet of timber, To this the Hines company has added 300,000,000 feet standing in territory adjacent to the Hayward mill, and shipping from Hayward will commence next season.

Figures available at this time indicate that 250,0000,000 feet of lumber will be manufactured for the Hines company at the head of Lake Superior this season. The company owns one big mill and has contracted for the output of five others, shipping from Duluth, Washburn, Superior, Two Harbors, and Ashland. Chicago gets most of the Hines lumber, fourteen boats being busy carrying it to market this season. These vessels have succeeded in delivering 90 per cent of the season’s output without mishap. Twelve hundred men are at work in the Hines pineries and on the boats, 400 of them being employed in building twenty-four miles of new timber railroads.

Chicago Tribune, February 7, 1909

Bird’s-eye view taken from tower 200 feet high, showing our three large yards, covering over 45 acres and water frontage of over one mile. The piling (over 1,000 in number) shown just opposite the locomotive are 60 feet long and appear like a bundle of matches. This gives you a comparative idea of the enormous size of our plant.

The Edward Hines Lumber Company was Organized and Incorporated in May, 1892, with Edward Hines as President, L. L. Barth, Vice President, and C. F. Wiehe, Secretary, who still occupy the same positions as when the company was first organized and all of whom are active in its management. The career of this Company since its beginning has been absolutely without parallel in lumber history. During the first year of its operations it handled 93,200,066 feet of lumber and the increase in its annual output since then has been phenomenal. In 1901 its sales reached over 260,000,000 feet and in 1902 with new and extensive manufacturing connection, it handled 476,557,955 feet of Lumber, Lath and Shingles and its 1903 record was 510,029,523 feet, which was far the largest amount of lumber ever handled by any one concern within a single year up to that time and which has since increased by leaps and bounds, handling last year 596,002,582 feet, which is more than four times the amount shipped by any one wholesale lumber firm, not alone in this country, but the world. The first important deal in the purchase of lumber made by this Company was negotiated in the first month of its existence when it purchased the entire Chicago stock of T. R. Lyon, Agent—a transaction which was regarded as immense at that time and aggregating over $200,000.00. The Company then undertook a general wholesale business, shipping to the country trade in carload lots, and during its first year of existence its shipments exceeded those of any concern engaged in the wholesale trade with one exception in the history of the Chicago lumber industry up to that period.

Near the close of the first year of this Company’s existence came the panic of 1893, which stifled all industrial progress, and in this connection it may be properly stated that this firm prospered even during the darkest days of that prolonged financial depression. 1894 witnessed the Company making another step forward in the purchasing of the entire stock of the Arthur Gourley Company, who at that time had a yard opposite that of the Edward Hines Lumber Company on Robey Street. This purchase involved about $150,000.00.

The following year, April, 1895, great surprise was occasioned throughout the country by the announcement of the purchase of the oldest and largest wholesale yard in Chicago–the S. K. Martin Lumber Co., located at Lincoln-st. and Blue Island-av., and which is now the Edward Hines Lumber Co.’s location. This transaction aggregated $400,000.00 and was probably the most extensive lumber deal ever negotiated in this country up to that time, comprising the entire stock of lumber, fleet of boats, planing mill and entire equipment.

In 1897 they purchased and retired from the wholesale lumber business the Hamilton-Merryman Company, which had been in business in Chicago since 1865. The purchase price of this transaction was over $150.000.00.

The next year, 1898, witnessed the purchase of the I. Stephenson Company, who for 45 years transacted a wholesale lumber business in Chicago and had the oldest established yard in the city. This deal amounted to over $200,000.00. Owing to the substantial improvement in the lumber business during the period from 1898 to 1901 the Chicago dealers did not feel disposed to part with their stocks, hence, no further transactions were effected by the Edward Hines Lumber Company until December, 1901, when the Arthur Gourley Company, which had re-established itself at Wood-st. and Blue Island-av., whither it had a few months preceding removed from 22nd and Fisk-sts., and had just purchased the old firm of Perley Lowe & Co., was offered a fair market price for its entire stock, which was accepted. This deal approximated $175,000.00.

Thus it will be seen that within an interval of ten years after the Edward Hines Lumber Company had been incorporated six extensive yard stocks in Chicago were purchased aggregating $1,200,000 in value and it is a matter of general record among the lumbermen of Chicago that in every case the deals as concluded were entirely satisfactory to both buyer and seller.

During this phenomenal progress in Chicago its growth outside of the city in the way of purchasing timber lands, saw mills, railroads, etc., was even more phenomenal, though it was not until 1897 that any important deal was negotiated. In that year the lumber trade of the country was again taken by surprise by the Edward Hines Lumber Company’s purchase of 200,000,000 feet of standing timber located in Northern Wisconsin from Messrs. Weyerhaeuser & Rutledge.

In 1898 the above transaction was almost equaled in the purchase of the McCord & Co. saw mill at West Superior, Wisconsin, together with all their timber holdings, aggregating 150,000,000 feet and including several smaller tracts in the vicinity.

During 1900 they enlarged their timber holdings in the Lake Superior region by purchasing from Street, Chatfield & Co., of Chicago, 60,000,000 feet of standing timber located near Duluth.

In 1901 they acquired 150,000,000 feet of standing timber located a short distance from Duluth, being the tract formerly owned by the Soper Lumber Co., of Chicago, and the Hall & Munson Co., of Bay Mills, Mich., and in February of 1902 they purchased 350,000,000 feet of standing timber in Douglas County, Wisconsin, known as the Superior Timber Co. hold-ings. This, located just west of Hawthorne, Wisconsin, was in a solid block and was practically the last as well as the largest body of standing timber left in Wisconsin.

In 1902 they purchased the entire plant and timber land holdings of the A. A. Bigelow Company, Washburn, Wiscon-sin, comprising over 200,000,000 feet of standing timber, saw mill, over fifty miles of railroad, locomotives, cars, yard paraphernalia, horses, etc., valued at $1,650,000.

Closely following the above transaction purchase was made of the North Wisconsin Lumber & Manufacturing Company, Hayward, Wisconsin, consisting of their large modern saw mill together with their large planing mill, electric light plant, general store and bank, now called the First National Bank of Hayward, valued at $2,500,000.

In 1905 they concluded the largest transaction in the history of their institution up to that time in the purchase of the White River Lumber Company, Ma-son, Wisconsin, consisting of saw mill, general store, bank and over 400,000,000 feet of standing timber, valued at $2,600,000.

During this same year, 1905, they purchased from the Alexander & Edgar Lumber Co., Iron River, Wisconsin, their large saw mill, planing mill, timber lands, etc.

During 1904 the Edward Hines Lumber Company began acquiring large tracts of timber lands in the Long Leaf Yellow Pine belt, near Gulfport, Mississippi, and have been steadily increasing their holdings in that section, and now own over 3,000,000,000 feet of standing timber, which with their large modern steel saw mill, now under construction, will guarantee them an ample supply of lumber for their heavy and steadily increasing trade in this line.

In 1906 they purchased several hundred million feet of standing timber in what is known as the Rainy River district, Canada, which with other large holdings belonging to Weyerhaeuser & Company and Cook & O’ Brien, aggregating 4,000,000,000 feet of standing white pine timber, was recently formed into the Virginia and Rainy Lake Lumber Company, and as stated in the Tribune December 20th, last, is the largest amount of standing White Pine in the Northwest.

Hence, it will be readily seen that the Company is in no danger regarding its ability to meet every demand made upon it for any kind of lumber. It carries in stock everything in the lumber line and enjoys the reputation of selling its goods at a moderate price.

The remarkable growth of the Edward Hines Lumber Company has in no way been better demonstrated than in the increased dockage it has required in the transaction of its business at its Chicago yards. In 1892 when it occupied its first yard on Robey-st., 1,200 feet of dockage was considered ample, but it now requires over 7,000 feet and this is insufficient during the season of navigation when it receives millions of feet of lumber daily. The immense business of this concern demands an enormous planing mill capacity and its equipment in this direction is fully in accord with its pre-eminence in other respects; it has two large planing mills equipped with most modern machinery and capable of handling 600,000 feet of lumber per day.

The expansion of this Company within the last few years is most remarkable and has been based entirely on the strength of its past success. It is very conservative in its policy, but at the same time it has gained more positive advantages by including in its personnel such men of high standing as Frederick Weyerhaeuser, of St. Paul, Minn., and Edward Rutledge, of Chippewa Falls, Wis., gentlemen of the highest type of sound judgment and rare business ability.

Throughout its entire career, the vast business of this Company has been under the immediate direction of its present officers. Mr. Hines, its President, is a director in the Continental National Bank, Chicago, and an ex-president of the Lumbermen’s Association; also is a member of the Union League Club, South Shore Country Club and Chicago Automobile Club. He was born in Buffalo, N. Y.. July 31st, 1863, came to Chicago with his parents in 1865, attended public school until 14 years of age then engaged as tally boy on the lumber market and shortly after secured position with S. K. Martin & Co. as office boy and was rapidly promoted to bookkeeper and general office man, then as traveling salesman and in 1884 when the Company was incorporated was made its Secretary and Treasurer, which position he held until 1892, when he organized and incorporated the Company bearing his name. He was married June 12th, 1895, to Miss Loretta O’Dowd, of Chicago, and has four charming children, three sons and one daughter.

Mr. L. L. Barth, Vice President, who has charge of the Sales Department, has been connected with the Chicago Lumber Trade for the past thirty-three years, and with such well known firms as T. M. Avery & Son, Bryant, Marsh & Wood, D. F. Groves and S. K. Martin Lumber Company, as their traveling representative, which particularly fits him for the department of which he is the head. He is a member of the Union League Club, South Shore Country Club, Midday Club, and Illinois Club, and ex-president of the Lumbermen’s Association.

Mr. C. F. Wiehe, Secretary, is in charge of the Credit Department, and has been connected with the Chicago Lumber trade for the past twenty-five years, and with such firms as the H. Whitbeck Co. and the S. K. Martin Lumber Company. He is a member of the Union League, South Shore Country Club, Illinois Club, Chicago Athletic Association and Illinois Athletic Association.

1914

50 Years Edward Hines Lumber Co., 1942

Hines Lumber Yards

NOTE: It is believed that the Marine Angel stopped at the Hines Lumber Yard to drop off lumber. The President of Hines Lumber had this photo hung in his office.

New York Times, March 6, 1953

Big Ore Ship Is Towed Through Chicago;
Called Largest to Have Done It in One Piece
Tugs maneuvered the 634 foot ship, Marine Angel, thru Loop bridges yesterday and into Lake Michigan. Last night it docked at the mouth of the Calumet river where it will remain until to-morrow, when it will be towed to the American Shipbuilding company yards for preliminary refitting.

A converted ocean-going World War II frater, the Marine Angel is the longest ship to reach Lake Michigan in one piece from the Gulf of Mexico. On the way up the vessel traversed the Mississippi, then negotiated the locks on the Illinois and Des Planes Rivers to Lockport, where it entered the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, which connects with the Chicago River.

It is owned by the McKee Transportation company of Cleveland and when conversion to a coal and stone carrier is completed at Manitowoc, Wis., will join the ore fleet.

The Marine Angel has a steam turbine power plant and is 72 feet wide. It came closest to scraping the river banks at Van Buren st., where it had clearance of only about 7 inches on each side.

Officials of the Dunham Towing and Wrecking company, whose tugs have steered all the big ships to negotiate the river in the last two years, described the Marine Angel job as a routine tow, relatively unmarked by incident.

Dunham tugs took over the ship from federal barge lines towboats at Lockport and towed it the approximately 28 miles to Lake Michigan in 58 hours. The company has been notified that several more converted deep-water fraters will be brought up the river later in the year.

Passage of the vessel thru Chicago brought back memories to Lawrence Krzedict, 4644 S. St. Louis av., who served as second engineer of the Marine Angel for two and one-half years during and after the war, between 1944 and 1947.

Krzedict, then in the Merchant Marine, said the ship customarily carried about 250 army troops and also had a naval hospital aboard with 100 beds, staffed by corps-men, nurses, and doctors. The run during the war generally was from east coast ports to Bombay. After the war, Krzediot recalled that the ship carried missionaries bound for Burma to Calcutta, and troops from India to San Francisco.

The Marine Angel never was attacked while Krzediot was aboard but he said its naval gun crew once shelled fishing boats off the Japanese coast after word that the craft actually were camouflaged small gunboats.

“The ‘Angel‘ makes 18 knots,” the Chicagoan recalled. “and she has good maneuverability. She can go from full ahead to full astern in a matter of seconds.”

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