In the 1940s, Fred McClellan owned and operated a sawmill on the outskirts of Myrtle Point with his son’s George and Don. The mill was likely in the same location as the current mill, Georgia Pacific, on the west side of Myrtle Point. It had a huge burner fed by the wood scraps and sawdust sent up a conveyor.
Cousin Dave Smith’s, and George Allen’s, fathers worked there for a time as well.
I believe Fred and Ada’s house on Dean street was built with the lumber from this operation.
Articles from the Myrtle Point Herald:
May 8, 1952: “The McClellan sawmill, located at First and Maple streets, next to the Southern Pacific depot, in Myrtle Point, was completely destroyed by fire Sunday morning, the fire starting at approximately 5 o’clock from an unknown cause, presumably in the boiler room, according to Fred McClellan, owner. Owing to the terrifically high cost of insurance on that type of mill, no insurance was carried. According to Mr. McClellan the loss is approximately $100,000. The mill itself was completely destroyed—the large new burner was unharmed. $50,000 in new equipment was included in the loss.
The fire not only caused a great loss to Mr. McClellan, it was also a tragic loss to the City of Myrtle Point, some 35 men being thrown out of work, with monthly salaries averaging $10,000. A Herald reporter asked Mr. McClellan if he intended to rebuild the mill. ‘I am not positive,’ he stated.
The McClellan Lumber Co. has valuable timber holdings in this section, approximately 100,000,000 feet, the greater part of which is in the Catching Creek district.
Mr. McClellan was assisted in the local operations by two sons, George and Don.
A caterpillar and truck hoist were busy Monday cleaning up the debris left by the fire and an attempt being made to salvage at least a part of the valuable machinery and motors.
Mr. McClellan has operated the mill here since the year 1940.” (Myrtle Point Herald)
May 29, 1952: “The rebuilding of the McClellan Lumber Co. mill in this city is assured, with the announcement that work is expected to start this week at the old site near the Southern Pacific depot in this city.
A Swedish Gang mill all electric, with a capacity of 40,000 ft of lumber a day and costing approximately $90,000 is to be installed. It is expected that workmen will start this week driving the piling for the foundation. The mill is to be built by Tom Drake & Son of Coquille and is expected to be completed within sixty days, when the machinery, which is being assembled in Seattle, Wash. will be here for installation.
Operation of the mill will be in progress soon after and fifteen men and perhaps more will be employed.
The McClellan mill was destroyed by fire Sunday May 4th and was a total loss. A remodeling program at the mill during the slack months in the wintertime had cost the owners practically the same as the new mill which is being installed at present.
Fred McClellan and sons, Geo. and Donald are the owners and operators.” (Myrtle Point Herald)
September 25, 1952: “Due to the never-say-die spirit of Fred McClellan, pioneer lumberman and logger, and his two sons, George and Don, this section has had restored a $10,000.00 per month payroll in the building of a modern, new sawmill on West Maple street where the old mill was completely destroyed by fire Sunday, May 4. The new mill, known as a Swedish Gang-mill, sawed it first log Wednesday of last week.
The mill that burned was the old fashioned type that made only one cut at a time. The new mill, with many saws in action, cuts an entire log to whatever size width board or plank is wanted, all in one operation. The first car-load of lumber was shipped out Monday of this week, according to Julia Beeson, bookkeeper for the McClellan Co., to the Irwin-Lions Co. lumber exporters of Coos Bay, Irwin-Lions will handle the entire output of the local mill.
The burning of the McClellan mill was a tragic blow, not only to Mr. McClellan, but also to the community in the loss of payroll provided by the mill’s operation. Mr. McClellan, assisted by his sons, George and Don, started cleaning up the debris caused by the fire the following day and by June 5th, had construction under way, with Drake Brothers of Coquille in charge of construction, following the driving of piling necessary by Martin Kincheloe, local contractor. The new mill is electrically powered and has a capacity of approximately 45,000 feet of lumber daily.” (Myrtle Point Herald)
