Saginaw and Manistee Lumber Company/Stone Forest Collection,
Inclusive Dates:
1902-1953.
Physical Description
3 linear feet and twenty ledgers
Description
The Saginaw and Manistee Lumber Company /Stone Forest Industries Collection pertains to the company's business activities in Northern Arizona specifically Williams and Flagstaff. The majority of the collection consists of legal documents created in the 1940's and 1950's. The collection also includes correspondence from the 1930's, financial statements and tax records. There are also twenty ledgers with account and sale information.
Collection Number
NAU.MS.43
Language
English.
Repository
Cline Library. Special Collections and Archives Department.
Northern Arizona University
Box 6022
Flagstaff, AZ 86011-6022
Phone: 928 523 5551
Fax: 928 523 3770
Email: Special.Collections@nau.edu
Historical Note
The predecessor of this company, the Saginaw Lumber Company, was incorporated by Michigan men in December 1892 under Illinois law. At this time, John C. Brown, the first president, purchased timber rights from the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad and erected a sawmill at Williams which began work in the spring of 1893. It burned in 1896 and was rebuilt the following year. The company virtually built the town of Williams and supplied the town with both power and water for nearly the entire first half of the twentieth century.
In 1899, the stockholders of the Manistee Lumber Co. of Michigan, joined forces with Saginaw to form the Saginaw and Manistee Lumber Company as a Michigan corporation until 1921 when ownership was transferred to a new company with the same name but incorporated under Delaware laws. The main office was in Williams and later Chicago.
H. F. Chaney was the company president in Chicago for much of the time period that this collection covers (1893-1954). The Chicago company was in turn owned by Baker and Fentress, a Chicago investment banking firm. Baker and Fentress also owned lumber yards in Loyalton, California and Coos Bay, Oregon. William F. Dermont and William Wente were each managers between 1905 and 1916. R.A. Nickerson became manager of the Williams operation from 1917 to 1930 when J.M. Bedford took over.
In 1941 Saginaw and Manistee leased the Arizona Lumber and Timber Company's mill from Joseph Dolan in Flagstaff and soon moved their entire operations to Flagstaff and sold the Williams plant to Klammath Iron Works for salvage. During the Second World War, Saginaw and Manistee worked closely with the government to make war supplies. The company also worked with the National War Labor Board to solve employment and union problems.
In 1949 Jack Bedford was killed in an automobile accident on Ash Fork Hill. Enfred Johnson began running the mill in Bedford's place until 1953 when James B Edens bought out and shut down Saginaw and Manistee. Edens renamed the company Southwest Forest Industries. In 1987, the company was acquired by Stone Container Company, later changed to Stone Forest Industries (C. 1989). The facility closed permanently on May 15, 1993.
For further information on Saginaw and Manistee's operations in Northern Arizona see: Kenneth J. LaBoone, The Arizona Lumber and Timber Company 1881-19811 and Robert L. Matheny, The History of Lumbering in Arizona before World War Two 1975. Both books are available in the Special Collections and Archives Department, Cline Library at Northern Arizona University.
Scope and Content Note
The Saginaw and Manistee Lumber Company /Stone Forest Industries Collection contains records pertaining to the company's business activities in Northern Arizona specifically Williams and Flagstaff. The majority of the collection consists of legal documents created in the 1940's and 1950's. The collection also includes correspondence from the 1930's, financial statements and tax records. There are also twenty ledgers with account and sale information.
It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her transferees, heirs,legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Arizona Board of Regents for Northern Arizona University, its officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of copyright.
This series consists of sixteen folders arranged chronologically. The majority of the correspondence is between J.J. Scanlon, J.M. Bedford, and E.C. Siddell of Saginaw and Manistee, and T.J. Byrne, attorney at law. The correspondence pertains to land acquisitions and exchange offers.
Box-folder
1.1
Deed, Robert Perrin,
1902.
Box-folder
1.2
Correspondence to E.J. Wilder,
1920-1923.
Box-folder
1.3
Carranty deeds and correspondence,
1927-1928.
Box-folder
1.4
Quit claim deed and correspondence,
1930-1931.
Box-folder
1.5
Correspondence with Arizona Highway Department,
1932.
Box-folder
1.6
correspondence with William Beeson, court complaints and quit claim deed,
1933.
Box-folder
1.7
Quit claim deed, lease and option to purchase and correspondence,
1934.
Box-folder
1.8
Land exchange offer and correspondence with the town of Williams,
January through June, 1935.
Box-folder
1.9
Correspondence with J.J. Scanlon, T.J. Byrne, J.M. Bedford, and E.C. Siddell,
July through December, 1935.
Box-folder
1.10
Correspondence with J.J. Scanlon, T.J. Byrne, J.M. Bedford, and E.C. Siddell,
1936.
Box-folder
1.11
Correspondence with T.J. Byrne (attorney at law) and J.J. Scanlon,
May and June, 1936.
Box-folder
1.12
Correspondence with T.J. Byrne and J.J. Scanlon,
July through December, 1937.
Box-folder
1.13
General correspondence,
1938.
Box-folder
1.14
Correspondence with the U.S. Dept. of Interior and General Land Office, land exchange offer,
1939.
Box-folder
1.15
Correspondence with U.S. Dept. of Interior and General Land Office,
1940.
Box-folder
1.16
Correspondence with C.E. Siddell and J.J. Scanlon,
1942.
This series consists of forty folders arranged alphabetically. The legal documents in this series include: bill of sale documents, copies of annual reports, and various license and operating permits. The majority of the documents pertain to Timber Sale Agreements with the Forest Service and Forest Service Units.
Continental Illinois National Bank and Trust Co. of Chicago,
1933 and 1935.
Box-folder
1.28
Copies of Annual Reports.
,
Box-folder
1.29
Forest Service - cooperative brush disposal, June 26, 1947 - Road #211 trail springs, May 2, 1950 - fire and logging plans, 1952 - cooperative log scaling, November 22, 1950.
,
Box-folder
1.30
Forest Service - Blue Ridge Unit,
April 7, 1952.
Box-folder
1.31
Forest Service - Canyon Diablo Unit, Timber Sale Agreement,
September 19, 1952.
Box-folder
1.32
Forest Service - Clint Wells Unit,
November 24, 1952.
Box-folder
1.33
Forest Service - Jack's Canyon Unit, Timber Sale Agreement,
May 10, 1950.
Box-folder
1.34
Forest Service - Lake Mary Unit,
April 19, 1950.
Box-folder
1.35
Forest Service - Potato Lake Unit, Timber Sale and Contract and Bond,
June 29, 1953.
Box-folder
1.36
H.H. Hyde Bill of Sale,
November 1, 1950.
Box-folder
1.37
KGPH Broadcasting Agreement,
November 30, 1950.
Box-folder
1.38
Lumber Inventory Shortage,
September 22, 1950.
Box-folder
1.39
Map of the town of Williams,
1940.
Box-folder
1.40
Monroe Maintenance Agreements.
,
Box-folder
1.41
Navajo Ordnance Depot Contract,
1953.
Box-folder
1.42
Northern Arizona Light and Power Co. Power agreement and power purchase for service to O'Neil Springs,
October 10, 1950.
Box-folder
1.43
O'Neil Springs Lease,
January 1, 1946-December 31, 1936.
Box-folder
1.44
O'Neil Springs Lease and Option,
January 1, 1950.
Box-folder
1.44a
Power of attorney - Freeman Schultz,
April 3, 1952.
Box-folder
1.45
Purchase Order, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture,
June 10, 1953.
Box-folder
1.46
Quit Claim Deed - Amy A Bedford,
May, 1949.
Box-folder
1.47
Radio Station License and Forest Service Permit,
May 1951 and Oct 1951.
Box-folder
1.48
Report on site for developing water well in TI5N, R9E, in the Coconino National Forest.
,
Box-folder
1.49
List of employees.
,
Box-folder
1.50
Southwest Forest Industries tour guide pamphlet.
,
This series consists of thirty-four folders arranged chronologically. The series contains balance sheets, financial statements, cost statements, and profit and loss exhibit statements.
This series consists of eleven folders arranged chronologically. The series includes tax returns and receipts, tax assessments of railroad property, annual railroad returns, and general correspondence with State Tax Commission.
This series consists of twenty ledgers that contain accounting journals and ledgers and an archival box. Ledgers A and B hold records of assets and inventories, liabilities and sales, and operating accounts. The remaining four ledgers contain sales figures, appraisals, maps depicting land acquisition, and employee profit sharing retirement trust.
The numbers below correspond to a paper inserted into each item. Measurements of the materials are noted in inches by Height, Width, and Depth.
Volume
1
Employees Profit Sharing Retirement Trust. This is a Minute Book for the Trust,
1951-1953.
The Trust was established 12/31/51 with $5,000 initial contribution by the company. The Trust provides that 15% of compensation, after allocating 8% return on company capital, be deposited into the Trust each year. The plan covers full time supervisory, office and sales employees after one year of service. The Minutes disclose that 25 persons were credited with $21,206 on 12/31/51. The only investment then made was two shares of Dant and Russell, Inc. @ $500 each. Trustees elected were Calvin Fentress, George R. Birkelund, and Charles E. Siddall. Minutes of meetings on 4/3/52, 12/31/52 and 4/2/53 are also included.
Volume
2
Appraisement of Saginaw and Manistee Lumber Co. Camp.,
as of November 19, 1951.
An appraisal of the Happy Jack Camp as of November 19, 1951 made for insurance purposes. It lists 20 asset categories, generally broken down into phases of: New Replacement Value, Depreciated Value, Excluded Value; and Insurable Value. It describes buildings and equipment in detail together with values. Total values shown are: $233,525 New Replacement; $184,135 Depreciated Value; $4,179 Excluded Value; and $179,965 Insurable Value.
Volume
3
Journal and Ledger,
January 1, 1931 to November 30, 1931.
This item pertains to operations at Williams, Arizona and consists of a Sales Journal covering the period 1/31/31 to 11/30/31, and a General Ledger. The records disclose that lumber was advanced by the parent corporation, Saginaw and Manistee Lumber Co., to its subsidiary in Williams as initial capital. Financing was also secured from the Continental Illinois Bank. Interest paid to the parent and to the bank was @ 4.5% to 5.5%. The General Ledger shows initial capital of $272,054 and ending capital of $306,060. The Surplus Account shows profit for 1931 of $110,808; for 1932 of $162,161; for 1933 of $149,031, and a 1934 loss of $547.
Volume
4
Sales Journal,
January 13, 1953 to October 31, 1953.
A journal divided into activities of Truck and Car (railroad car) Sales for the period 1/13/53 to 10/31/53. The information is recorded by date, customer, board feet of lumber sold, sales price, freight cost, taxes, weight, and type of lumber. For car sales, the railroad carrier and rail car number are also shown. No indication is given as to location of the plant.
Volume
5
Private Ledger B Saginaw and Manistee Lumber Co.,
January 1, 1919 to January 1,1920.
This ledger discloses that $19,500 in Liberty Bonds was purchased in January, 1919 and sold July 29, 1919. The bank account was kept at the Arizona Central Bank and a balance of around $7,000 was typical. Capital Stock is listed at $550,000. The Surplus Account shows a profit in 1919 of $84,449 and payment of a $55,000 dividend.
Volume
6
Private Ledger A Saginaw and Manistee Lumber Co.,
June 1, 1916 to December 31, 1918.
Private Ledger A Saginaw and Manistee Lumber Co. A General Ledger for the period 6/1/16 to 12/31/18. Discloses that profits were earned in 1916 of $109,104; in 1917 of $88,602; and in 1918 of $21,731.
Volume
7
Payroll Record,
January 1942 to December 1944.
Information is listed by employee name, by department, days worked, hours worked, deductions, and net amount paid. No plant location is given.
Volume
8
Payroll Saginaw and Manistee Lumber Co. Flagstaff,
November 23, 1953 to December 6, 1954.
Covers the period November 23, 1953 - December 6, 1954. Information is listed by employee name, by department, days worked, hours worked, deductions, and net amount paid.
Volume
9
Payroll Journal Southwest Lumber Mills, Inc.,
January 1, 1952 to December 20, 1953.
Information is listed by employee name, by department, days worked, hours worked, deductions, and net amount paid.
Volume
10
Payroll for Arizona Lumber and Timber Co. of Flagstaff, Arizona,
March 15, 1941 to January 21, 1942.
Information is partly machine entered and is similar to items 8 and 9.
Volume
11
Payroll,
June 12, 1953 to April 12, 1954.
No company name is listed. Covers the period 12/6/53 to 4/12/54. Information listed is similar to items 8 and 9.
Volume
12
Sales Journal,
March 1947 to December 1951.
Sales Journal, loose yellow pages not in binder. This is for the Saginaw and Manistee Lumber Co. and contains information in the style of that in item 4.
Volume
13
Payroll,
January 1949 through December 1950.
Payroll for Saginaw and Manistee Lumber Co. Information is listed by employee name, by department, days worked, hours worked, deductions, and net amount paid.
Volume
14
Payroll,
January 1946 through January 1948.
Information is listed by employee name, by department, days worked, hours worked, deductions, and net amount paid.
Volume
15
Payroll,
December 12, 1954 to November 16, 1958.
Payroll Register Southwest Lumber Mills, Inc. Information is by machine entry.
Volume
16
General Ledger of Saginaw and Manistee Lumber Co.,
December 31, 1941 to the sale of the company on October 10, 1931.
Surplus account entries showing profit and loss for the term are on page 2310.
Volume
17
Sales Journal, loose yellow pages not in binder,
1945 through 1947.
Information is recorded in the same fashion as in item 4.
Volume
18
Sales Journal,
March 1941 to December 1945.
The fastening of this binder is broken. Information is listed by employee name, by department, days worked, hours worked, deductions, and net amount paid.
Volume
19
Saginaw and Manistee Lumber Co. Williams Payroll,
1940 to January 1941.
Volume
20
Payroll Saginaw and Manistee Lumber Co. Flagstaff, Arizona,
January 1951 to December 1951.
