Four miles north of Wells, the O. L. Payne Lumber Company (sometimes known as Payne Brothers) was the largest mill in Cherokee County for its time. At first steam-powered, the mill operations were converted to electricity. The local electric co-operative supplied the mill with heavy-duty, three-phase power.
In order to keep its status as a large lumber wholesaler, Payne Lumber purchased timber on former pineries of the Chronister Lumber Company. The company maintained vats for cleaning, not storing, its logs.
Payne Brothers came from Louisiana and operated its own mill town with commissary and tenant houses. Product was shipped out.