R. B. Gunn Lumber Co.
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36" gauge, 30-lb rail Headquarters: Eastabuchie, MS Mill Location: S. Eastabuchie, MS (Forrest County) Mill Capacity: 25,000 ft/day Years of Operation: 1910-1915 Miles Operated: 2 miles Locomotives Owned: 1 |
Equipment: 3 log cars |
Click Map for Larger Version |
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History by Gil Hoffman: On September 20, 1909, R. B. Gunn and
his wife purchased approximately 500 acres of pine and hardwood timber from
the Wedgeworth family, of Eastabuchie. Part of this purchase included a mill
site on the New Orleans & Northeastern, about two miles south of
Eastabuchie. This had been the site of the mill of Johnson & Denham.
Gunn was given two years to cut the Wedgeworth timber, from January 1, 1910.
In February 1912, the R. B. Gunn Lumber Company contracted with the
Wheland Company, of Chattanooga, TN, for sawmill machinery and built a
sawmill of 25,000 feet daily cutting capacity at Eastabuchie, Jones County.
In October of that year two miles of logging railroad were completed to log
the mill. The following summer a planing mill was added only to have the
sawmill close in October 1913, because of lack of timber. The following
year, 1914, a new tract of timber was bought and the sawmill reopened. In
1915 the mill cut out and closed for good. For a detailed history of this operation see: Steam Whistles in the Piney Woods Volume 2, by Gilbert H. Hoffman |
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| ROSTER by Gil Hoffman:
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For more information contact Tony Howe at howe6818@bellsouth.net or David S. Price at dsprice46@bellsouth.net