| any kind. The broken part was a 10-inch shaft, the cylinder
is 30 inches, and the stroke is 32 inches. When the Allis-Chalmers engineer
heard these dimensions he objected to making the shaft. He told me that
the engine could not run with such a small shaft. He was sure it would
break again as soon as it was installed. Finally, I had to give him a release
from all responsibility before he would accept the order.
"We put the new shaft in, and it continued to run till the last log was sawed. For 64 years it has been doing everything we want it to do, and it has broken only one shaft. There has been no other trouble. Some time later Mr. D. Clint Prescott came here, and I told him about it. He said, 'Well, the engineer is right; the shaft is too small, and the frame is too light. It should not work, and we wouldn't build it that way today.' That just goes to show how close a lot of engineering is figured." The company has a fully equipped planing mill with five matchers
and surfacers, two molders, three band resaws and one band rip raw, all
electrically powered.
Shavings are blowm from the planing mill to the boilers at the sawmill about 600 feet distant. About 36 years ago, the Holts established the Oconto Electric
Co., using waste from the mill to develop power for that plant as well
as for the sawmill, and supplying light and power to the public. Later,
the electric light business was sold to the Wisconsin Public Service Co.,
but the Holt Lumber Co. has been operating the plant and selling power
to the service company. Exhaust steam as well as live steam has been used
to operate a steam turbine. Steam for this turbine is developed in three
water tube boilers. The Public Service Coiripany, the Holt Hardwood Co.,
and this power plant at the mill are all interconnected.
Near the mill are several horse barns, one of which, at least, is more than 50 years old. It was used as a horse barn in 1882 when the firm was Holt & Balcom, and was not new at that time. In one of the barns, now used as a vehicle storage shed, is a noble relic in the form of a Waverley electric automobile. It dates back to the early days of the current century. Near the planing mill are two lumber storage sheds built in 1890 for Perley Lowe & Company when the cut was being sold to them. The offices of the company, and particularly Mr. Holt's private
office, are places of absorbing interest. Their chief characteristic is
typical lack of ostentation. While the business machines are modern and
ample to meet all needs, and the electric lighting which supplements abundant
natural lighting from numerous windows, is excellent, the furniture is
old with a mellow dignity which only kind use can lend to the fine pieces
of another day. There are several walnut desks which were used in the Chicago
office after the Chicago fire (1871).
Seventy-three |
The vault is a veritable bonanza of history of early lumbering in Wisconsin. There are letter files dating back to the time of the Civil War. For filing, standard letter sheets were folded twice, the contents were noted briefly on the top as a filing key, and the letters were placed in narrow cases.There are ledgers in the vault which were used by Uri Balcom when he was lumbering near Painted Post, N. Y., in 1843. An account ledger from 1866 is clearly legible, showing little or no fading of ink. The paper is in excellent condition, showing no signs of cracking or decaying. Writing was in a beautiful hand. The accounts showed that board was charged at 41 cents a day in the boarding house, and that pay ran from $32.50 to $40,00 a month. In Mr. Holt's Office, as shown in an accompanying photograph taken at the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of his affiliation with the company, is an old-fashioned roll top desk. Centered above this is a picture of D. R. Holt, the founder, while flanking this on the left and right respectively are his sons, Charles and George. On the desk top is a silver loving cup presented to Mr. Holt at the time by his employees and the members of the firm. Inscribed on it are the words, "In recognition of faithful and valuable service in the lumber industry."
Officers of the Holt Lumber Co. are William Arthur Holt, president; Donald R. Holt, vice-president and treasurer; Arthur H. Pettigrew, secretary. Alfred Klass is Manager of the Sales department. He is also president of the Northern Hemlock & Hardwood Manufacturers Association, and has been very active in association work for many years. . Mr. Pettigrew started in the woods as a timekeeper in 1909, and has been with the company continuously since that time except for the period of his service in the World War (I). Mr. Klass grew up with the company, starting in the woods, and later working in the yards as lumber grader and inspector. R. Lee Porterfield, general superintendent, has been with the company 38 years. Julius Riewe, mill superintendent, has 34 years of service. A. G. Fulton, chief engineer and superintendent of the electric power plant, has 38 years of service, and Miss Lenora Klass, assistant sales manager, has been with the company for 32 years. During the war (WW I) the company had a procession of its employees in order of the terms of their service. Seventy-three |
