Special Collections & Archives
Manuscript Group 135
POTLATCH LUMBER COMPANY
Records, 1901-1979
111 Cubic Feet
The records of the Potlatch Lumber Company were donated to the University of Idaho by the Potlatch Corporation in November, 1983. They were processed by Judith Nielsen between January 1984 and December 1984.
BRIEF HISTORY OF POTLATCH LUMBER COMPANY
The Potlatch Lumber Company, Potlatch, Idaho, was incorporated in 1903 under the laws of the state of Maine, with Charles Weyerhaeuser named as its first president. For timber the company relied on the holdings of the Northland Pine and the Wisconsin Log and Lumber Companies. Soon it acquired mills and timber of Codd Lumber Company of Colfax, Washington, and Palouse River Lumber Company of Palouse, Washington. The Codd mill did not operate and the Palouse mill served only to cut lumber to build the Potlatch town and plant.
In 1904 the building of the largest white pine mill in the world began. It was steam powered and driven by belts and shafts. W. A. Wilkinson of Minnesota was in charge of the design, plans, and construction. The company believed a company town was a necessary investment and a proper step in labor relations and community improvement. When the mill began operating in the fall of 1906 the company had finished 128 houses, 2 boarding houses, 2 schools, a hotel, 2 churches, a store, bank, post office, and an opera house. Saloons were barred and gambling was not allowed in the bunkhouses. In 1952 the town of Potlatch was incorporated and houses were sold to those who wanted to purchase them; the last property was sold in 1982.
Under the general managership of William Deary the mill began operation on September 11, 1906. Assisting him in the management of the mill were Allison W. Laird, assistant manager, and timber cruiser, William Helmer. According to the Palouse Republic, September 14, 1906, "The first log cut will be white pine and the lumber will be fashioned into a desk for assistant manager A. W. Laird."
In 1910 the company built a mill in Elk River which operated until 1930. They also supported their operations through the creation of other companies. In order to haul logs to the mill and lumber from the mill to an existing railroad at Palouse, the company built a 50 mile long railway, the Washington, Idaho, and Montana, which ran from Palouse to Purdue, Idaho. The Townsite Company and its commercial center, the Potlatch Mercantile Company, as well as Potlatch Brick Company, were located at Potlatch, Idaho. They also operated the Palouse Flour Mill in Palouse, Washington.
In 1930 the Weyerhaeuser conglomerate faced the possibility that, due to heavy taxation of privately owned timber land by the state, all of its North Idaho mills would go bankrupt. So, in 1931, they merged Potlatch Lumber Company, Edward Rutledge Timber Company, and Clearwater Timber Company to form Potlatch Forests, Inc., with headquarters in Lewiston. The mills were modernized, managerial talents pooled, and by the early 1940's the business was making a profit. The Potlatch mill was again modernized in 1962 and a new office building was completed in 1964.
The mill continued to operated until August 14, 1981 when, due to a depressed lumber market, it closed. It was thought that this closure, like several before it, was temporary, but on March 16, 1983, announcement of a permanent closure effective April 1 was announced. Shortly thereafter dismantling of the mill began.
Sources:
"End of an Era: Potlatch Unit Closes." Potlatch Times (Lewiston), March/April 1983, pp. 4-5.
Hidy, Ralph W., Frank Hill, and Allen Nevins. Timber and Men: The Weyerhaeuser Story. New York: Macmillan, 1963.
Petersen, Keith. "Life in a Company town, Potlatch, Idaho." Latah Legacy, Spring 1981, pp. 1-11.
Petersen, Keith. "Farewell to the Potlatch Mill." Latah Legacy, Fall 1983, pp. 16-25.
SCOPE AND CONTENT
The records of the Potlatch Lumber Company, Potlatch, Idaho, span the years 1901 to 1979, with the bulk of the material dated 1906-1950. Prior to receipt by the library, the Potlatch office manager removed all personnel records and other sensitive items. The remainder includes 41 c.f. of correspondence, alphabetical files containing both employee and company related materials, contracts and agreements for work to be done or equipment purchases, specifications and blueprints for plant machinery, annual and monthly financial reports, and property tax lists and receipts. In addition, there are 128 ledgers and journals, 24 maps of timber holdings, 285 blueprints of buildings and 355 photographs.
Due to the inter-relationship of the Potlatch organization there are also some records for the company mills at Palouse, Washington, and Elk River, Idaho, and the Washington, Idaho, and Montana Railway Company, the Potlatch Brick Company, and the Palouse Flour Mill. Since the town of Potlatch was a company town there are also records for the Townsite Company, the Potlatch Mercantile Company, and the company ranch.
As part of the Weyerhaeuser conglomerate the lumber company received annual reports for the Humbird and Standard Lumber Companies, and various circular letters and reports from the Weyerhaeuser Sales Company.
Other records include material from the Columbia/Appledale Land Company, 1910-1912, and the Northland Pine Company, 1901-1905, companies in which William Deary, the first general manager of the Potlatch Lumber Company, had ,an interest.
The University of Idaho Library also has other material relating to Potlatch Forests, Inc., which complements these records: George Frederick Jewett Papers (MG 43); Potlatch Forests, Inc., (Coeur d'Alene & Bonners Ferry operations) (MG 96); Potlatch Forests, Inc., Camp 6, Bovill (MG 52); and the records of the Washington, Idaho, and Montana Railway Company (MG 139).
In addition, the archives of the Laird Norton Company in Seattle, Washington, contains 16 cubic feet of Potlatch-related material from the years 1903-1955.
ARRANGEMENT AND DESCRIPTION
The records of the Potlatch Lumber Company were stored in the basement of the office building in Potlatch and had suffered various shifts over time. When they were collected by University of Idaho library staff and removed to the library there was no discernible arrangement to the material; therefore, the series and sub-series designations were created during processing.
The first three series consist of Potlatch Mill records; correspondence arranged alphabetically by year; alphabetical files divided into employee-related and company-related materials, and contracts, agreements, specifications, and blueprints.
The fourth series contains financial reports. The annual reports for 1909-1930 include the Elk River Mill and balance sheets for the Potlatch State Bank and Potlatch Mercantile Co. The monthly financial statements from 1905 to 1915 include Potlatch, Palouse, and Elk River Mills, Palouse Flour Mill, Potlatch Mercantile Co., and Potlatch State Bank.
Material identified as relating to the Land Department or the Logging and Woods Departments form two series; the affiliated companies, e.g., the Mercantile Company, Company Ranch, Townsite Company, etc., were all placed in one series. This is followed by material from Weyerhaeuser Sales Company, part of the parent company, and loose material related to timber and forestry organizations.
The financial ledgers and journals are arranged by department or organization. The forestry maps and building blueprints were collected into one oversize series. The photographs have been separated into three groups: the illustration printing blocks, the mounted photographs, and the oversize photographs.
Where ledgers and journals contained the same information, the journals were removed. Also removed were minor accounting records, such as lath books, invoice record books, order books, transfer binders, and vouchers. In all, the records were reduced by approximately 53.5 c.f.
SERIES LIST
Container
I. Mill Correspondence and Other Papers, 1906-1979 1-10
A. Letterbooks, 1903-1907
B. Correspondence, 1902-1979
C. Other Papers, 1917-1963
II. Alphabetical Files, 1905-1962 10-16
A. Employee Related Material, 1910-1959
B. Company Related Material, 1905-1963
III. Contracts and Specifications, 1905-1953 16-20
A. Contracts and Agreements, 1905-1950
B. Specifications and Blueprints, 1906-1946
IV. Financial Reports, 1905-1950 20-26
A. Annual and Monthly Reports, 1905-1950
B. Property Taxes, 1927-1934
C. Other Financial Material, 1906-1948
V. Land Department, 1903-1942 30-31
A. Correspondence, 1903-1939
B. Other Material, 1910-1942
VI. Logging and Woods Department, 1906-1919 31-32
VII. Affiliated Companies, 1901-1963 33-39
A. Potlatch Mercantile Company, 1906-1963
B. Potlatch Lumber Company Ranch, 1916-1937
C. Palouse Flour Mill, 1909-1918
D. Potlatch Brick Company, 1908-1927
E. Potlatch Townsite Department, 1906-1961
F. Town of Potlatch, 1910-1962
G. Washington, Idaho and Montana Railway Company, 1903-1952
H. Elk River Townsite, 1912-1941
I. Other Companies, 1901-1912
VIII. Weyerhaeuser Sales Company, 1925-1959 40
IX. Forestry Organizations and Forestry Reports, 1907-1962 41
X. Ledgers, Journals, etc., 1901-1955
A. Potlatch Lumber Company, Potlatch, Idaho, 1903-1951
B. Potlatch Lumber Company, Palouse, Washington, 1901-1912
C. Potlatch Lumber Company, Land Department, 1903-1955
D. Potlatch Brick Company, 1912-1913
E. Potlatch Townsite 1907-1951
F. Elk River Townsite and Mill, 1910-1931
G. Others, 1901-1926
XI. Maps and Blueprints, 1906-1979 O.S.
XII. Photographs, 1906-1952
A. Illustration Printing Blocks, 1910-1937 42
B. Mounted, 1906-1952 o.s..
C. Oversize o.s.
INVENTORY
POTLATCH LUMBER COMPANY
Box Folder Description Items
I. Mill Correspondence and Other Papers, 1906-1979
A. Letterbooks, 1903-1907
1 1 Orders, 1904-1905 1 1-4 2-30 Letterbooks, 1903-1907 29
B. Correspondence, 1902-1979
5 31 1902-1903 (William Deary) 74 32 1903-1904 7 33-47 1905 2173 48-50 1906 A-C 486 6 51-61 1906 D-Z 2047 62-67 1907-1908 821 7 68-79 1909-1911 1695 80-90 1912-1923 601 8 91-94 1924-1940 50 95-115 1941-1949 1897 9 120-152 1950-1979 1465
C. Other Papers
153-167 Speeches and Reports, 1917-1961 27 10 168-181 Circular Letters Sent to Employees, 1944-1957 438 182 Railway and Meal Tickets and other papers, 1907-1939 19 183-185 The Family Tree, Correspondence and typescripts, 1935-1956 97 186 The Potlatch Pine Cone, January-October 1955 10 187-188 Brochures, articles, newspaper clippings, 1942-1963 18 189-191 Laird Park, 1932-1938 72
II. Alphabetical Files, 1905-1962
A. Employee Related Material, 1910-1959
192-196 Accidents and Illness, 1947-1962 132 197-199 Employees Information, 1953-1956 11 200-206 Insurance Plans, 1930-1957 107 207-209 Job Descriptions and Instruction pamphlets, 1940-1958 65 210-214 Labor Force Reports, 1944-1948 94 215 Management Meetings, 1955-1958 22 216 Organizational Charts, 1951 8 11 217-226 Personnel policies and reports, 1943-1958 17 227-228 Safety and first aid meetings & programs, 1952-1959 21 229-230 Sales Trainee Program, 1953-1958 17 231-237 Security, 1941-1943 324 238 Suggestions, 1949-1959 31 239 Training Institute Program and Reports, 1958 19 Unions 240-248 4L, 1933-1936 127 249-257 AFL & IEU, 1937-1940 233 258-260 AFL, 1941-1942 159 12 261-265 AFL, 1943 214 266-269 AFL & CIO, 1944 119 270-288 CIO, 1945-1956 644 289-291 AFL-CIO, 1957-1959 61 Wages 292-293 1910 21 294 1916-1918 5 13 295-303 1933-1959 347
B. Company Related Material
304 Airplane Stock Statements, 1918 16 305 Airstrip, 1959 2 306 Arkansas Mills, 1960 10 307 Army-YMCA Fund, 1917 22 308 Automatic Trimmers, 1955 1 309 Automobile License Applications, 1923-1931 244 310-313 Bond Drives, 1940-1945 76 314 Boy Scouts, 1947-1957 7 315 By-Laws, Potlatch Forests, Inc., n.d. 1 316 Car Loading, 1955-1958 13 317-319 Claims, 1952-1962 178 320 Company History, 1936-1960 5 321 Corliss Engine, 1947-1959 4 322 Crane, 1955-1956 9 323 Dry Kiln, 1951-1958 31 324 Elk River Mill Production Statements, 1915-1917 20 325 Fast-on-Lumber, n.d. 1 Financial Statements 326 Accounts receivable, Local, 1953-1954 6 327 Balance Sheets, 1915-1916 6 328 Budget reconcilements, 1950 11 329-335 Budgets, 1950-1959 7 336-338 Costs, 1905-1917; 1951-1960 12 14 339-340 Fire Program & Survey of Equipment, 1954-1960 33 341 Fuel & Power Plant Data, 1952-1961 25 342 Glued Lumber, 1951-1955 15 343 Grade simplification & standardization, 1961 1 344 Harsh Fire, 1919 27 345-346 Honor Roll: Company & Community, 1946 2 347-353 Inspection reports: Fire & Safety, 1934-1963 208 354-355 Insurance Coverage, 1932-1959 219 356-365 Insurance Inspection Reports, 1941-1963 222 366 Jamboree Programs, 1937-1949 6 367 Knot slices used as badges, 1951-1954 12 368-371 Logs, 1952-1960 63 372 Logging Department Horses, 1927-1941 95 373 Lubrication Requirements, 1954-1958 7 374 Lumber Purchased Reports, 1953 15 375-376 Maintenance & Modernization, 1946-1961 59 377 Moulding, 1951 4 378 Noise Survey, 1962 1 379 Office Equipment, 1928-1943 124 380 Paneling, 1954-1956 8 381 Particle Board, 1956 2 382 Patty-o-Panel, 1955-1957 5 383 Planer, 1956-1957 9 384 Plant Operations, 1954, 1957 2 385 Pres-to-Logs, 1952 7 386 Price Lists/Tables of comparative value, 1948-1953 45 Production Reports 15 387 10/4 Match Data, 1951 18 388-389 Arches, Glued & Laminated, 1946-1948 23 390 Briquette Statements, 1938-1940 35 391 Comparative Logging, 1915 15 392 Cup Split Grade & Unstacker Grade, 1957-1959 24 393 Custom Milling, 1947-1948 15 394 Cut-up operations, 1946-1948 31 395-396 Dry Kiln, 1953-1963 114 397 Elk River Mill Cut, 1923-1930 21 398 Glue Dept., 1948 6 399 Green Chain Scale Check, 1951-1953 20 400-401 Green Lumber Check, 1957-1962 52 402 Knot Seal Dept., 1947-1948 16 403 Lath & Lumber Shop, 1913-1914 5 404 Lath Inventory, 1946-1948 33 405 Loading Report, 1960-1962 24 406 Log Lengths, 1960-1961 4 15 407 Log Scale Sawed, 1914-1935 2 408-410 Lumber Movement, 1946-1948 38 411-413 Monthly Production Reports, 1946-1948 36 414 Moulding Dept., 1946-1957 70 415-416 Overrun, 1960-1963 71 417-418 Planer production, 1953-1963 131 419 Pond Inventory, 1957-1963 49 420 Power plant distribution, 1947-1960 55 421-423 Pres-to-Logs, 1940-1958 223 16 424 Production Comparisons, 3 units, 1952-1953 6 425 Rafter Dept., 1947 2 426 Report of Grade from Unstacker, 1957-1958 18 427 Report of Production, 1915, 1925 2 428-430 Sawmill, 1947-1958 154 431 Shipments, Production & Purchases, 1955-1957 28 432 Trim & Edging, 1947-1948 41 433 Progress Reports, May & June, 1956 7 434 Quality control, 1959 3 435 Releases & permits to cross company property or graze cattle on company land, 1936-1939 26 436 Robinson Post-American Legion, 1927-1943 21 437 Sales Analysis, Oct. 1959-May, 1962 56 438 Sel-Set Information, 1956-1958 52 439 Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area, 1961 7 440 Shipping Office, 1951-1956 18 441 Taxation of Mineral Reservation, 1918-1920 80 442 Teletype, 1955 1 443 Tree Farms, 1955-1956 13
III. Contracts and Specifications, 1905-1953
A. Contracts and Agreements
16 444 Allington & Curtis Manufacturing Co., 1911 27 445-452 American Car & Foundry, 1905-1910 194 453-454 American Hoist & Derrick Co., 1916-1923 99 455-456 American Locomotive Co., 1905-1910 105 457 American Steel & Wire Co., 1909-1910 4 458 American Steel Co., 1926 1 459 American Woodworking Machinery Co., 1905-1909 27 460 Anderson, Axel, 1935 23 461 Armstrong Machinery Co., 1920 2 462 Bean Brothers Lumber Company, 1939-1940 41 463 Benewah County, 1938 7 464 Bloyed, Robert, 1948 2 465 Bradstreet Company, 1914-1917 8 466 Breckner Trespass, 1948 7 467 Browning Engineering Company, 1907 20 468 Burns (H.J.) Co., 1909, 1921, 1935 15 469 Burroughs Adding Machine Co., 1919-1932 8 7 470 Carnegie Steel Co., 1906 1 471-476 Chapin (E.T.) Co., 1912-1924 239 477-478 Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Co., 1906-1949 52 479 Clark, Arthur B., 1906 6 480 Clarkia Highway District, 1927 9 481 Clyde Iron Works, 1905-1925 21 482 Colby Engineering Co., 1917-1919 20 483 Colorado Fuel & Iron Co., 1910 40 484 Columbia Lamp Division, 1921-1924 14 485 Commercial Boiler Works, 1911 2 486 Commonwealth Toy Corp., 1917 2 487-488 Continental Oil Co., 1912-1924 64 489 Continental Telegraph Co., 1911 1 490 Diamond Boiler Works., 1905 1 491 Diamond Match Co., 1908-1910 2 492 Dion & Horstkotte, 1915 3 493 Ditto, Inc., 1939-1940 4 494 Dwyer, E.C., 1907 1 495 Edison Lamp Works, 1918-1928 21 496 Eggers Pole and Supply Co., 1922 1 497 Electric Storage Battery Supply Co., 1906 2 498-499 Elk River, City of, 1927-1937 42 500 Eslick & Hartnett, 1926 9 501 Fairbanks-Morse, 1924 14 502 Fisher, Clyde, 1924 1 503 Ford Motor Company, 1929-1936 7 504 Garlock Packing Co., 1921-1922 4 505 General Appraisal Co., 1910-1929 25 506 General Electric Co., 1908-1926 35 507 General Motors Corp., 1936-1940 4 508 General Timber Service, 1932 3 509 Goodyear Lumber Co., 1911 17 510 Granger & Davidson, 1907 2 511 Grinnel Co., 1925 44 512 Hadden, Lynn, 1937 3 513 Hallidie Machinery Co., 1909 1 514 Hayes (P.J.) Sheet Metal Works., 1920-1935 6 515 Hein, Ernst T., 1905 3 17 516 Holley Mason Hardware Co. 1917 5 517 Holt Manufacturing Co., 1920 11 518 Illinois Steel Co., 1910 9 519 Inland Forest Products, 1930 1 520 International Endless Chain Saw Co., 1911 12 521 Interstate Utilities Co., 1923-1924 8 522 Jeffrey Manufacturing Co., 1906-1920 95 523 Johnson, Art, 1936 1 524 Kessler, Otto, 1948 1 525 King & Milbert, 1944-1945 1 526 Kirkpatrick, L.E., 1927-1928 10 527 Knight Brothers, 1936-1938 17 528 Kutulas, Gust. 1934-1935 19 529 Latah Realty, 1910 3 530 Lima Locomotives, 1906-1922 47 531 Lind Air Products, 1916-1923 14 532 Lomax, M., 1939-1941 3 533 Lovsted (C.M.) & Co., 1922-1929 84 534 McDonald, R.C., 1936 2 535 Mann, William J., 1936-1945 36 536 Mill Machinery, 1905 5 537 Minneapolis Steel & Machine Co., 1905-1936 16 538 Morgan Engineering Co., 1910 25 539 Morrison-Knutsen Co., 1927-1934 12 540 Moscow Telephone & Telegraph Co., 1920 1 541 Munro, Donald, 1939 6 18 542 National Lumber Manufacturers Assoc., 1930-1931 22 543 Nelson, Ralph S., 1918-1920 10 544 Norris Safe & Lock Co., 1910 20 545 North Coast Dry Kiln Co., 1906-1910 15 546 Northern Pacific Railway Co., 1906 1 547 Northwest Blower Kiln Co., 1911-1924 70 548 Pacific Car & Foundry, 1919-1920 27 549 Pacific Fire Extinguisher Co., 1906 1 550 Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Co., 1934 4 551 Pawling & Harnischfeger Co., 1924 6 552 Phillips, L.H., 1906 1 553 Phoenix Manufacturing Co., 1910 1 554 Potlatch Highway District, 1937 4 555 Prest-O-Lite Co., 1918-1928 22 556 Renfro Lumber Company, 1923-1931 51 557 Roberts, M.A., 1921 5 18 558 Roberts, Robert, 1906 4 559 Shell Oil Co., 1918-1931 41 560 Smith, Homer R., n.d. 1 561 Sodahl, John, 1939 2 562 Spokane Oxy-Acetylene Co., 1926-1928 5 563-564 Standard Oil Co., 1911-1953 81 565 Standard Steel Works, 1913-1928 81 566 Thompson, George P., 1918-1924 5 567 Union Carbide Sales Co., 1924-1927 14 568 Union Iron Works, 1912 5 569 U.S. Government, 1918-1936 37 570 U.S. Steel Products Co., 1913-1920 108 571 Wagner Electric, 1909-1911 41 572 Ward, W.D., 1938 7 573 Washington Machinery & Supply, 1910 5 574 Wells Fargo, 1911 11 575 Westinghouse Air Brake Co., 1915-1925 29 576 Westinghouse Electric Manufacturing Co., 1912 5 577 Witt, John G., 1909 1 578 Woods (S.A.) Machine Company, 1906-1924 54 579 Woods, W.A., 1937 14 580 Workmen's Compensation Commission, 1913 41 581 Workmen's Compensation Exchange, 1921-1939 39 582 WIM Railway leases, 1913-1945 34 583 Legal Retainer contracts, 1903-1932 14 584-589 Logging Contracts, 1910-1915, A-M 191 19 590-593 Logging Contracts, 1910-1915, N-Z 100 594 Logging Contract cancellations, 1915 48 595-598 Lumber purchase agreements, 1934-1950 98
B. Specifications and Blueprints, 1906-1946
599 Battery Charging Equipment, 1924 9 600-604 Boiler House and Equipment, 1923-1931 55 605 Box Factory Addition, 1925 13 606 Crane Rail Support, 1924 1 607 Cut up Plant and Dry Shed, 1923 5 608 Draw Bridges, 1924 10 609 Dry Kilns, 1924-1925 48 610 Dry Sorter, 1924 6 611 Electrical Installation, 1906 18 612 Fire Dept. Equipment, 1925-1928 33 613 Gravity Conveyor, 1926 6 614 Jet Condenser Turbine, 1923 9 615 Laboratory Kiln & Scales, 1923 9 616 Loaders, n.d. 2 19 617 Locomotives, 1920-1927 7 618 Log haul-up chain, 1918-1925 2 619 Low Pressure Receiver, n.d. 2 620 Lumber Carrier, 1928 7 621 Monorail, 1923-1924 11 622 Motors & transformers, 1924-1925 48 623 Office heating & plumbing, n.d. 3 624 Planing Mill, 1923-1929 19 625 Power plant - feed water heater, 1923 8 626 Reduction Gears, 1924 9 627 Rock Garden, 1935-1939 34 628-629 Sawmill Equipment, 1925 11 20 630-631 Steam Turbines, 1910-1946 136 632 Steel Dipping Tank, 1924 11 633 Steel Rails, 1925 24 634 Switch Board, 1924 15 635 Tractors, 1923-1925 40 636 Truck, 1929 2 637 Unstacker, 1924 8 638 Woods Dept. Equipment, 1925 6
IV. Financial Reports, 1905-1950
A. Annual & Monthly Reports
639-661 Potlatch Lumber Company Annual Report, 1909-1931 67 21 662-676 PFI. Annual Statement, 1932-1950 15 677-678 Potlatch Lumber Company. Summary of Annual Report as submitted to stockholders & Board of Directors, 1925, 1928 2 679-681 PFI. Annual Report to Directors, 1933-1936 3 682-689 PFI. Annual Report to Stockholders, 1932-1950 8 690-700 PFI. General Manager's Production Recommendations to Board of Directors, with budget, 1939-1949 11 701-705 PFI. General Manager's monthly reports to Board of Directors, 1940-1944 61 22 706-798 PFI. General Manager's monthly reports to Board of Directors, 1945-1947 37 709-722 Potlatch Lumber Company. Yard Department. Annual Reports, 1906-1923 14 723-731 Potlatch Lumber Company. Monthly Financial Statements, 1905-1915 102 732 Forest Development Company. Annual Report to Board of Directors, 1935 1 22 733-734 Humbird Lumber Company. Annual Reports, 1910-1914 7 735 Potlatch State Bank. Cashier's Annual Report, 1935 1 736 Standard Lumber Company. Annual Reports, 1915-1916 2 737 Wood Briquettes, Inc. Annual Reports, 1940- 1946 3 738-739 Potlatch Lumber Company. Auditor's Report, 1907-1930 19 740 Potlatch Lumber Company. Yard Dept. Auditor's Reports, 1911-1930 15 741 Elk River State Bank. Auditor's Reports, 1911-1931 17 742 Potlatch Investment Co. Auditor's Reports, 1923-1931 7 743 Potlatch State Bank. Auditor's Reports, 1911-1930 15 744 Standard Lumber Company. Auditor's Reports, 1911-1924 12 745 Washington, Idaho & Montana Railway Co. Auditor's Reports, 1911-1917 6
B. Property Taxes
23 746-753 Benewah County, 1927-1934 72 754-759 Boundary County, 1927-1932 75 760-764 Clearwater County, 1920-1934 98 765-773 Latah County, 1921-1934 989 774-779 Shoshone County, 1927-1932 37 780-785 Whitman County, 1927-1932 76 24 786-791 Clearwater County Tax List, 1927-1932 6 792-798 Latah County Tax List, 1927-1934 7
C. Other Financial Material
25 799-815 Income Tax Working Papers, 1909-1924 214 816 Withholding Tax Information, 1943-1945 7 817 War Tax, 1914; Tobacco Dealers Tax, 1916 4 818-823 Office Payroll, 1926-1931 70 824 Account with R.E. Irwin, 1924-1930 7 825 Account with Mark L. Seymour, 1909-1925 10 826 Anticipated Revenue & Expenses, 1942-1948 2 827 Bills Receivable, 1914-1929 2 828-830 Board Accounts, 1906 50 831 Capital Investments, 1903-1921 1 832 Census of Manufactures Returns, 1910-1932 52 833-836 Comparative Costs, Potlatch and other mills, 1909-1930 24 25 837 Expense Book, 1906-1907 1 838 Freight and Demurrage, 1931-1947 69 839 Government Bonds, 1921-1929 79 840 Indemnity Bonds, 1906-1925 23 26 841 Inventories of supplies, 1908 3 842 Inventories, Electrical Dept., 1919-1920 2 843 Inventories of Lumber in Transit, 1928-1939 20 844 Stock held in other companies, 1915-1928 48 845 Stockholders, List of, 1916 1 846 New Mill Dept. Accounts, 1906 44 847 Profit & Loss by Species, 1918-1929 4 848 Promissory Notes, 1909-1930 51 849 Sale contracts (livestock, land) 1905-1912 4 850 Student Loan Contracts, 1936-1942 29 851-852 Writs of Attachment, 1921-1925 182 853 Year ending cash reports, 1940-1942 9 854-856 General Appraisal Company Reports, 1916-1926 11
V. Land Department, 1903-1942
A. Correspondence
27 857-859 Letterbooks, 1903-1908 3 Letters 860-863 1911, A-I 755 28 864-870 1911, J-Z, Intercompany 1162 871-879 1913, A-Z 1766 29 880-881 1913, Intercompany 284 882-888 1918 956 889-897 1919 1122 898-902 1927, A-Z 508 30 903-904 1927, Intercompany 136 905-914 1928 925 915-919 1935 403 920-924 1936 352 925-929 1937 364 930-934 1938 315 935-939 1939 299
B. Other Material
940 Land Dept. Booklets 2 State Land Deal 31 941-943 1910-1911 192 944 1914 2 945 1919 64 946 1920 1 947 1925 20 948 1941-1942 9 949-950 Timber Holdings: Lists & Maps, 1907-1916 64 951-952 Mason & Stevens Report to Potlatch Lumber Company, 1927 70 953 Western Forestry Association Report to Potlatch Lumber Company, 1.927 9
VI. Logging and Woods Departments, 1906-1919
954-955 Camp Financial Records, 1907-1908 246 956 W.I. & M. Ry. Co. Invoices, 1907-1908 91 957 James Lusk Benefit Fund, 1907 9 958 Bovill & Elk River Logging Statements, 1914-1918 24 959 Field Book Instructions, n.d. 1 32 960 Logging Contractors Time Checks, 1916-1919 1 961-986 Lumberman's Log Scale Records, 1906-1909 26 987-988 Cruise Books of Frank G. Prain, 1907 2 989-1006 Cruise Books of William Helmer, 1906-1913 18
VII. Affiliated Companies, 1901-1963
A. Potlatch Mercantile Company
33 1007 Accounts, 1906 20 1008-1012 Monthly Reports, 1907-1911 44 1013 Balance Sheets and Inventories, 1918-1929 14 1014-1018 Profit & Loss Statements., 1936-1959 63 1019-1032 Accounts Receivable, 1957-1963 246 1033-1046 Yearly Reports, 1907-1923 21 34 1047-1060 Annual Reports, 1924-1941 14 1061 Auditor's Reports, 1912-1931 19 1062 Summary of Depreciation, 1923 1 1063 Year End Inventories, 1922-1938 8 1064-1065 Budgets and other financial material, 1935-1963 8 1066-1069 Correspondence, 1907-1964 65 1070 Rules for employees, 1907 1 1071 Merle C. Fisher File, 1959-1961 22 1072 Sale of Mercantile Company, 1955-1960 9
B. Potlatch Lumber Company Ranch
1073-1085 Livestock and Machinery inventories; operating expenses, 1916-1937 352 34 1086 Corn-Hog Reduction Contracts, 1934-1935 48
C. Palouse Flour Mill
1087-1095 Correspondence, 1909-1918 308
D. Potlatch Brick Company
35 1096-1098 Correspondence, 1910-1911 377 1099-1111 Correspondence, 1911-1917 624 1112 Sales Reports, 1913-1914 16 1113 Trial Balance Sheets, 1913-1914 19 1114 Accounting Book, 1908-1909 1 1115 Potlatch Clay Products. Correspondence re: Boss Dryer, 1925-1927 46
E. Potlatch Townsite Department
Correspondence 1116-1117 1906 192 1118 1907 50 1119 1908 143 1120 1909 29 1121 1933-1939 156 1122 1940-1943 21 1123 1951-1956 11 1124-1125 Circular letters to residents, 1930-1949 46 1126 Budgets, 1934-1950 21 1127 Townsite Accounts (including Elk River) 1932-1941 50 1128 Rents collected, 1906 2 1129 Miscellaneous Accounts, 1906-1950 16 1130-1132 Construction requirements and costs, 1905-1954 34 Building construction, remodeling, inventories and leases 1133 Apartments, 1935-1940 9 1134 Bank, 1937-1955 4 1135 Boarding Houses, 1912-1944 18 1136 Churches & Parsonages, 1928-1949 16 1137 Confectionery, 1939-1953 3 1138 Faculty House, 565 Sixth St., 1932-1939 3 1139 Federal Building, 1940-1950 8 1140 Fire House, 1937 2 1141 Hospital, 1923-1956 5 1142-1143 Hotel, 1912-1957 96 1144 Houses, 1916-1939 66 1145 Implement, 1932 1 36 1146 Jail, 1936-1937 3 1147 Laundry, 1936, 1945 2 1148 Lodge Hall Rentals, 1932-1955 36 1149 Post Office, 1914-1955 28 1150 Schools, 1934-1954 59 1151 Service Station, 1925 1 1152 Teachers' Dormitory, 545 Oak, 1921-1939 10 1153 Theatre, 1916-1955 2 1154 Carpenter Work, Specifications for, 1924-1933 5 1155 Cemetery, 1914 1 1156 Heating, 1932-1952 23 1157-1159 Improvements, Street, Sewer & Other, 1925-1960 50 1160 Summary of work performed by Townsite Crew, 1935-1942 8 1161-1165 Incorporation & Sale, 1951-1959 229 1166 Safety Inspection Reports, 1936-1938 28 1167 R.B. Ward Paint Co. Contracts, 1906-1928 6 1168-1172 Reservoir, Sewer & Water Works construction 1906-1952 158 1173-1174 Water Analysis, 1926-1956 173 1175 Water Rates, 1930-1951 32 1176 Water Supply, 1928-1939 22 1177 Law on Contagious Diseases, n.d. 2 1178-1179 House Rental Records, 1908-1909 128 1180-1185 House Rental Record Books, 1931-1936 6 37 1186-1205 House Rental Record Books, 1937-1961 20
F. Town of Potlatch
38 1206 Newspaper clippings & typescripts, 1951-1959 10 1207 Public School Wages, 1910 5 1208 Highway District Petitions, 1919-1925 26 1209 Riverside Park, 1941 38 1210-1220 Potlatch Area Boosters, 1953-1962 239 1221 Potlatch Election Returns and Poll Book, 1930 Republican Primary
G. Washington, Idaho, and Montana Railway Company
1222 Engineer's Reports, 1903-1904 5 1223 Original contract, bond, and license, 1905 3 1224 School land Rights of Way, 1905 6 1225 Construction costs of depots and section houses, 1907-1908 28 1226 Financial Material, 1915-1916 6 1227 Correspondence, 1907-1952 9 1228 Correspondence in re: Tank Cars from M.K. Northam, 1910 47 1229 Isaac B. Hibbard Deposition, 1917 2
H. Elk River Townsite
38 1230 Construction Costs, 1912-1928 20 1231 Sale of Houses & Lots, 1933-1941 139
I. Other Lumber Companies
1232 Columbia/Appledale Land Company, 1910-1912 87 Northland Pine Co. 1233-1234 Deeds from Wisconsin Log and Lumber Co., 1901-1903 67 1235 Trial Balance Sheets, 1902 3 1236 Purchase Book, 1901-1903 1 1237 Timber holdings book, 1903-1905 1 39 1238-1241 Letterbooks, 1900-1903 4 1242 Financial Records & Timber Purchases, 1902-1903 1 1243-1252 Check Stub Books, 1901-1905 10
VIII. Weyerhaeuser Sales Company, 1925-1959
40 1253-1261 Correspondence, 1943-1959 140 1262 Library Bulletins, 1945-1951 7 1263 Weyerhaeuser Log, 1926 3 1264 Weyerhaeuser News, October 1955 1 1265 Weyerhaeuser News Notes, 1945-1959 76 1266 Service Letter, 1944 2 1267 Washington Office Memos, 1944-1947 31 1268 Operations Committee Meetings, 1943-1946 4 1269-1275 General Manager's Reports, 1943-1949 7 1276 Budget Reports, 1943-1945 8 1277-1282 Budget of Shipments with supporting statistical data, 1945-1950 6 Oversize 1283 Modern Lumber Merchandising, 1925 1
IX. Forestry Organizations and Forestry Reports, 1907-1962
41 1284 Forest Products Research Society Meetings, 1954, 1956 2 1285 Forester's Council Meeting, April 26, 1958 2 1286 Idaho Forest Practice Committee, 1955-1959 9 1287 Idaho & Montana Erosion Studies, 1955 1 1288 Inland Empire Sawmill Club, 1954, 1957 2 1289 Latah County Forestry and Mining Committee, 1958 4 1290 North Idaho Forestry Association, 1916, 1920, 1954-1959 13 1291 North Idaho - Montana Forest Pest Action Council, 1957 1 41 1292-1293 Northwest Wood Products Clinic, 1947, 1954-1959 17 1294-1295 State Cooperative Board of Forestry of Idaho, 1925-1927 97 1296 Timber Products Manufacturing Association, 1957-1959 4 1297-1299 Clearwater Timber Protective Association, budgets, reports, correspondence, 1944-1951 95 1300-1312 Potlatch Timber Protective Association, budgets, reports, correspondence, minutes of meetings, 1907-1951 576 1313-1314 White Pine Blister Rust Corp., 1922-1934 42 1315 Advertisements of PLC in American Lumberman, Retail Lumberman, Lumber World Review, The Timberman, 1913 5 1316 Clearwater Log (PFI Lewiston), 1962 3 1317 Palouse Cooperative Investigation blueprints 4 1914 1318 Ground Line Donkey Sawing, time study report, 1921 12 1319 Time and output studies, 1921 53
X. Ledgers, Journals, etc., 1901-1955
A. Potlatch Lumber Company, Potlatch, Idaho
1320-1339 Cash Journals, 1906-1932 20 1340-1343 Journals, 1915-1932 4 1344-1347 Trial Balance Books, 1903-1931 4 1346-1360 Ledgers, 1904-1932 13 1361-1378 Voucher Registers, 1906-1932 18 1379-1395 Sales Registers, 1903-1951 17 1396-1405 Payroll Records, 1905-1936 10 1406 Construction Ledger, 1905-1907 1 1407 Transfer Ledger, Manufacturing Expense, Distribution, 1946-1949 1 1408 Equipment & supply accounts ledger, 1926-1927 1
B. Potlatch Lumber Company, Palouse, Washington
1409 Mill Ledger, 1903-1905 1 1410-1411 Bank Journals, 1903-1905 2 1412-1414 Ledgers, 1901-1907 3 1415 Journal, 1905-1906 1 1416-1417 Voucher Registers, 1903-1907 2 1418 Sales Register, 1907-1912 1 1419 Payroll Record, 1907 1
C. Potlatch Lumber Company, Land Dept.
1420 Script record from office of McFarland & McFarland, Lewiston, Idaho, 1903-1905 1 1421 State Forester's Land Status Record, Shoshone, Benewah & Nez Perce Counties, 1927 1 1422 Land Inventory, 1927 1 1423 Land Classification and ownership, 1926-1929 1 1424 Bills Payable/Receivable, 1903-1914 1 1425 Ledger, 1909 1 1426 Current Long Scale Record, 1934-1955 1 1427 Land and lot contracts, 1923-1935
D. Potlatch Brick Company
1428 Cash Journal, 1912-1913 1
E. Potlatch Townsite
1429 Townsite Accounts, 1907-1908 1 1430 House Record, 1912-1919 1 1431-1439 Townsite Record, 1916-1951 9 1440 Townsite Repairs, 1946 1
F. Elk River Townsite and Mill
1441 Elk River Townsite Lots, 1910-1923 1 1442-1445 Elk River Mill Sales Registers, 1911-1931 4
G. Others
1446 Northland Pine Co. Ledger, 1901-1903 1 1447 Northland Pine Co. Script Book, 1901 1 1448 Potlatch Timber Protective Association. Voucher Journal, 1911-1926 1
XI. Maps and Blueprints, 1906-1979
o.s. 1449 Maps of company timber holdings, 1952-1979 24 1450 Potlatch townsite maps, n.d. 2 1451 Churches (Catholic, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Union), n.d. 19 1452 Depots (Bovill & Deary), n.d. 6 1453 Garage, n.d. 1 1454 Garbage Can, n.d. 1 1455 Gymnasium, n.d. 9 1456 Hose Cart House, n.d. 6 1457 Hospital Heating Plans, n.d. 3 1458 Hotel, n.d. 17 1459 Houses (19 designs), 1906-1956 87 1460 Houses, Boarding (3 designs) 14 1461 Office building 12 1462 Potlatch Mercantile (includes store and barn) 34 1463 Potlatch Theater 11 1464 Reservoir 7 1465 Schools (2 designs) 15 1466 Service Station 1 1467 Store and Lodge Building 7 1468 Telephone office buildings (Potlatch & WIM) 15 1469 Elk River Post Office & PTPA building, Elk River 3 1470 Unidentified buildings (7 designs) 14
XII. Photographs
A. Illustration Printing Blocks
42 1 Map of Elk River, Idaho, 1910 1 2 White Pine King, 1911 1 3 Potlatch (Steamboat) 1 4 American Legion Cabin, Potlatch, Idaho, 1937 1 5 Pres-to-Logs (Advertisement) 1 6 Community Christmas Tree, Potlatch 1937 1 7 Pres-To-Logs (Advertisement) 1 8 Potlatch Amateur Athletic Club, 1937 1
B. Mounted (in three unnumbered boxes at the end of mg135)
9-10 Panoramic views of the mill (190-) 2 11-19 Dry sheds & remanufacturing sheds, 1927 9 20-22 Exterior views of buildings (1949?) 3 23 Interior view of office 1 24 Lumber yard, 1928 1 25 Fork-lift truck, 194? 1 26-30 Lumber yard & pond 6 31 Water storage tank 1 32 Logging truck, 1948 1 33 Converted garden tractor, 1949 2 34-35 Landscaping of plant, 1949 2 36 Dry shed 1 37 Community Christmas tree (1937) 1 38 William Deary 1 39 View of Gymnasium & hotel with Deary memorial, 1921 1 40-59 Office interiors, 1918 20 60-61 High School auditorium construction 13 62-64 Exterior of mill 8 65-71 Individual employees 8 72-86 W.J. Gamble's winter pictures 15 87 Group of employees 88-89 Honor Roll Memorial (1943?) 2 90 Presbyterian Church, Potlatch 1 91-96 Laird Park Dedication, 1937 6 97-104 Laird Park, Views 8 105-127 Company picnics, 1948-1949 33 128 Memorial Day celebration, 1950 6 129-130 Sawmill overhaul.- 1942 4 131-134 White Pine King, 1912 4 135 Mabel A. Kelley (1950) 3 136 Exterior of Office Building 1 137 Washington, Idaho & Montana Mail Car, 192? 1 138-164 Logs & Logging 27 165 Spokesman Review Group visit to Potlatch & Steptoe 7 166 Proposed Potlatch Runway site 1 167 Fire truck 1 168 Cedar Mountain Lookout tower, 1917 2 169 Relief map of Potlatch area? 4 170 Cyclone Seed Sower 2 171 Solar eclipse, 1918 2 172-178 W.I. & M. Locomotives 13 179-202 Logging & Slash Burning, 1923 28 203 Prairie Music Festival Parade, 1952 5 204 Memorial Day Parade 4 205-209 Potlatch Elementary School Lunch Program 5 210 Potlatch High School class of 1939 1 211-212 Potlatch High School girls basketball team, 1939, 1942 2 213 Potlatch junior high classroom, 1940 1 214 Clearing of land, 1913 2 215 Home workshop 1 216 Earl and Edward T. Compton, 1941 1 217 Charles A. Weyerhaeuser 1 218 Horse drawn cart 1 219 Cabin (William Deary on porch?) 1 220 Potlatch unit exhibit 2 221 Group standing by spray plane used in pest control 1 222-257 Farms & farming (including Silver Birch Farm, Newport, Wash.) 37 258 Exhibit of Potlatch Lumber Company, Hearing before the Board of Equalization, Moscow, July 28, 1913 24
C. Oversize
O.S. The New Home of White Pine. 5 color photos of Potlatch mill 1 Potlatch, Idaho, January 17, 1913, 12 prints 1 Views of white pine stands 4 Laird Bell 1 J. L. Norton 1 A. W. Laird 1 Aerial view of Clearwater Plant, Lewiston, color 2 WIM train carrying 1,100,000 feet of logs 1
July 1997 / mg135.htm / modified August 2008
| 