Kirby Lumber Company, Mill J; earlier Hooker Brothers
The Kirby Lumber Company’s Mill �J� at Roganville was originally built by the Hooker Brothers (J.H. and W.T.) in 1899. The Hookers constructed a seven-mile tram road to the southeast to bring logs to the sawmill. The newly formed Kirby Lumber Company acquired the mill on January 1,1902, and began to make mechanical improvements to the facilities, converting the circular saw mill into a single band mill before 1904. By 1905, a dry kiln was added to the saw mill and planer. In 1906, the logging road was seven miles in length. J.H. Hooker remained with the mill after its sale to Kirby, serving as mill superintendent. Kirby operated the Roganville sawmill at least through February 1929, but it is believed the mill was closed by July 1930. However, a company map of 1935 shows Roganville’s Mill J as one of the company’s mills.
Geared locomotives were used in logging operations to negotiate what Kirby officials called �rough� countryside around Roganville. The mill was still using tramroads in 1928 to bring in the logs. Keeling noted that the Kirby operations at Roganville used one rod locomotive.
Code
74
Corporate Name:
Corporate Name:
Folk Name:
Incorporated:
Ownership:
Kirby Lumber Company, Mill J. Hooker Brothers.
Years of Operation:
ca. 1899 to 1930
Track Type:
Track Type:
Track Length:
Seven
Locations Served:
Roganville (Rogan), about eight miles south of Jasper, on Thickety Creek, in Jasper County.
Counties of Operation:
Line Connections:
Line Connections:
Track Information:
Track Information:
Equipment:
History:
The Kirby Lumber Company’s Mill �J� at Roganville was originally built by the Hooker Brothers (J.H. and W.T.) in 1899. The Hookers constructed a seven-mile tram road to the southeast to bring logs to the sawmill. The newly formed Kirby Lumber Company acquired the mill on January 1,1902, and began to make mechanical improvements to the facilities, converting the circular saw mill into a single band mill before 1904. By 1905, a dry kiln was added to the saw mill and planer. In 1906, the logging road was seven miles in length. J.H. Hooker remained with the mill after its sale to Kirby, serving as mill superintendent. Kirby operated the Roganville sawmill at least through February 1929, but it is believed the mill was closed by July 1930. However, a company map of 1935 shows Roganville’s Mill J as one of the company’s mills.
Geared locomotives were used in logging operations to negotiate what Kirby officials called �rough� countryside around Roganville. The mill was still using tramroads in 1928 to bring in the logs. Keeling noted that the Kirby operations at Roganville used one rod locomotive.