Lenwill Sawmill Co. (1915-1925)

Monroe & Texas Railroad (1914-1925)

Standard gauge, 35 and 60-lb rail Headquarters:  Mill Location: Lenwill, LA (Ouachita Parish) Mill Capacity: 150,000 ft/day in 1910 Years of Operation: 1914-1925 Miles Operated: Main line: Alpena, LA via Lenwill, LA to Rollins, LA, 8.262 miles. Locomotives Owned: 5	Equipment:	Click Map for Larger Version
History by Gil Hoffman: The Monroe & Texas Railroad was incorporated in Louisiana on November 24, 1914. Its date of organization was November 27, 1914. It extended in a southwesterly direction from a connection with the Vicksburg, Shreveport & Pacific at Alpena to Rollins, LA, 8.262 miles, by way of Lenwill. The line was purchased in 1914 from the Louis Werner Saw Mill Company, which held all of the $40,000 in outstanding capital stock.  In 1915 the Lenwill Saw Mill Company (owned by the Louis Werner Co.) built a sawmill at Lenwill, 2.51 miles south of Alpena. This mill furnished most of the traffic for the Monroe & Texas, which was operated for freight service only.   The country traversed for the first four miles from Alpena was low and swampy, the remainder being rolling. The line had 15 pile and frame trestles. The main line was laid with 35 and 60-lb relay rail and was not ballasted, instead being full earth surfaced.  In 1924 the sawmill at Lenwill cut out and shut down, thus depriving the M&T of most of its business. On October 31, 1925, the railroad company applied to the ICC for permission to abandon its remaining trackage, from Alpena to Lenwill. Permission was granted on November 5, 1925. The line south of Lenwill was apparently discontinued in 1924 immediately after the sawmill shut down.
ROSTER by Gil Hoffman:      Road No.   Type   Builder   C.N.   Date   Cyls.   Dri. Dia.   Engine Wt.   Previous Ownership   Disposition     3   2-6-0   Brooks           16x22       85000   Unknown. Monroe & Texas #3, on ?   In service 6/30/1918.   5   2-6-0   Rhode Island   1463   5/1884   15x20   43            66000   Texas & St. Louis #84 O. G. Murray Built 36" gauge. St. Louis, Arkansas & Texas #84, on 5/1/1886. Converted to standard gauge in 9/1887. St. Louis Southwestern #84, on 6/1/1891. Griffin Mill Co. #2, Griffin, AR, on 5/8/1901. Monroe & Texas R.R. #5, Lenwill, LA, in 1914.   In service 6/30/1918.   6   2-4-2               13x20       60000   Unknown. Monroe & Texas #6, on ?   In service 6/30/1918.

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