In the basement of the Pace Library at the University of West Florida is West Florida’s largest collection of historical documents. The archives hold volumes of information relating to the people who shaped local history. In the years before the archives such documents were discarded as only old papers. One of the largest and first collections held by the archives are early business records of the Alger-Sullivan Lumber Company of Century, donated by our society in its early years. Since that time, the society has acquired a few other sawmill company papers for display in our museums. One of the larger artifacts is a binder filled with carbon copies of letters sent from area executives to company leaders in Detroit, Michigan from 1900 to 1902. Due to the space allowed, the following is a very few excerpts from these badly faded copies that reveal much information of local history.
The new Alger-Sullivan company quickly realized two things: the existing sawmill near Foshee, Ala., which had been obtained as part of the Sullivan timberland purchase, was in poor condition and its logging railroad was too short. Also, much of the timber needed for the mill could only be readily supplied via railcars over the L&N railway which charged a high usage fee.
Oct. 3, 1900. “As named to you a few days ago, we plan to continue the railroad which Fuller started. … If we continue the railroad some provision should be made for the additional rail of about 2 ¾ miles of track. We could take up the rail at Wallace and make use of it. … With the railroad built through the three sections referred to we could determine the merits of the steam skidder, would also insure a supply of logs in case Hall’s Creek should fail us during a spell of long continued dry weather.”
Oct. 11, 1900. “With further reference to scaling logs, I find it is customary to scale logs over 40ft long as two logs of equal length. Lower half being scaled 2” larger in diameter, that dia. of top end of half. … The L&N are inclined to crowd us for a contract for running trains between here and Hall’s Creek, and enclosed you will find contract received from them today.”
Oct. 25, 1900. “Regarding your variance in Section 4 of the Hall’s Creek contract, I fear that if I send it to the L&N RR as it is we may complicate matters and they may refuse the right to run trains and at least temporarily shut down the mill as they did on Oct. 1.”
By the end of 1900, the company was looking for a new mill site west of Big Escambia Creek. A site at Flomaton was chosen, but uncertainty of the ownership along a needed creek redirected interest a couple of miles south. Here was a large tract of land with a large pond adjacent to the L&N tracks and to some of the new company’s own timberland.
Jan. 2, 1901. “We think the land if required could be secured without difficulty. The blue lines show area of pond with 5, 10, and 15 ft. head of water. 15ft. brings it within 2 or 3 ft. of the top of the Sullivan grade. The old railroad grade is considerably above this and the land adjacent to the pond is high enough not to be affected.”
At the end of January 1901 the company’s correspondence had largely turned to a new invention, the typewriter. Unfortunately, the carbon-paper used was inferior and a period of history is lost due to faded pages. Luckily however, letters near the end of that year survive. The first legible entry was written by the company’s southern manager Mr. Glover. In it we see a little confusion between the company’s director and Mr. Glover about an unusual product decision, and then progress on a new mill and modern services for a new town that would become Century.
Nov.18, 1901. “Dear sir, your letter 12th inst. received. I in reply would state that when I was in Detroit, Gen. Alger, Col. Hecker and myself discussed the turpentine question and concluded to discontinue same at the end of this present season. … The work of finishing the sawmill goes slowly. I am crowding Hanson the millwright foreman, and while he is pushing the work as much as he can, it is at a stage where the progress each day is not a great deal. … It is not likely that our waterworks will be completed until sometime in December, we have been unable to get the pipe shipped, it is coming from Birmingham and partial shipment was promised last week, but we have no advice of it. The hydrants were shipped from Detroit last Friday, the electric light plant is well under way and one dynamo is here.”
Sometimes, just a few words on a scrap of paper can reveal the most interesting things. Perhaps, a few more excerpts will follow later.
Let me again address a very easy way to help our society if someone you know shops on Amazon. Instead of using the Amazon site, access smile.amazon.com and use your regular login. Then click on “select your charity” or “change your charity” and type in Alger-Sullivan Historical Society and verify. Each time you shop Amazon afterwards through smile.amazon.com, our society will receive 1 cent for every two dollars spent. Have your families put this info on Facebook or “whatever”. It could be a big help to the society.
