Long ago mills

Front page story in the Hungry Horse News March 16, 1951, declared lumber payrolls reached $ 15,000 level in Columbia Falls and Half Moon for one week. Report of mill activity in Martin City and Coram showed they were more active than during 1950.

Sawmill at Stoltze Land and Lumber Co. had resumed operations in Half Moon putting an additional 25 men back to work. This brought the total to 100 employees. Present base wage was quoted at $ 1.53 per hour which includes the five cent raise given last fall. Indications were that Stoltze would grant the 7 1/2 cents additional increase being asked by the AFL Lumber and Sawmill workers union. New minimum would be $1.60.5 an hour.

Operations at Plum Creek mill had continued through the winter, and its sawmill night shift started a week ago. There are 80 men on the payroll.

Rocky Mountain Lumber Co. in Columbia Falls employed 25 in office supervision and planer operations. It had operated through the winter.

Superior Buildings Co. had hopes of getting its 30 men back on the payroll. A frozen pipe in the mill pond was called a vexing problem.

Plans of Andy Westberg to reopen Westberg Mill on the Great Northern right-of-way April 1 were announced. Remodeling the custom milling plant was underway. Andrew Westberg, Sr., Flathead lumberman for 48 years, died in October, 1950.

It was reported James Raskin left Rocky Mountain Lumber Co. to open an office in the Cozy Corner building as a lumber broker. His firm name is Summit Lumber Co.

Lumber mills in Martin City and Coram were also included. It was noted Cy Tonner properties were considerably more active than the previous year.

Glacier-Coram Lumber Co. at Martin City, the North Fork Mill at Coram, the Martin City Lumber Co. operated by Ed Leverson and Earl Page in Coram, were all termed in regular operation.

I thought it interesting to note that the longest log haul in the Flathead was the 168 mile round trip from Lost Prairie west of Kalispell to Glacier-Coram mill. One of the big ponderosa pine logs made up a load by itself and contained about 4,000 board feet.

Front page of the Hungry Horse News 56 years ago featured an architect's drawing of Our Savior's Lutheran Church. Gehres Weed, Kalispell, was architect. Plans had been sent to the Home Missions Department of Evangelical Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, who would help finance construction.

Pastor Harry Baker, minister, described the building with a 30 by 90 foot auditorium, adjacent study, rooms for Sunday school, church, youth and other activities.

Gladys Shay is a longtime resident and columnist for the Hungry Horse News.