Phillips & Wentworth (1917-1919)
Wentworth Lumber Co. (1919-1922)
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Standard gauge, 30 & 35-lb rail Headquarters: Hattiesburg Mill Location: Maxie, MS (Forrest County) Mill Capacity: 25,000 ft/day Years of Operation: 1917-1922 Miles Operated: 2 Locomotives Owned: 1 |
Equipment:
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History by Gil Hoffman: In
December 1915, Rupert D. Wentworth and Charles W. Phillips, both of
Hattiesburg, formed the partnership of Phillips & Wentworth and
bought 1,160 acres of timber and two small sawmills about three miles
southwest of Richburg, in Lamar County. The property was purchased from
the Citizens Bank of Hattiesburg for $11,000, the timber having been part
of the holdings of the bankrupt A. G. Little Lumber Company. These mills
were logged by oxen. Wentworth had been and buyer for several years with
various wholesale lumber firms and Phillips had been office manager for
the McLeod Lumber Company. The mill at Richburg lasted until about May
1917. On September 10, 1917, Phillips & Wentworth bought 1,000 acres of yellow pine timber from the heirs of Alex McPherson, lying from one to two miles west of Maxie, Forrest County. A circular sawmill of 25,000 feet daily cutting capacity was built in this timber and was placed in operation in October 1917. The mill was connected with the Gulf & Ship Island, about two miles distant, by a standard gauge railroad, built about January 1918. The railroad apparently was only used to transport finished lumber to the G&SI. Logging was done by teams. On
December 16, 1918, Phillips sold his half interest in the business to
Wentworth, who continued to operate the mill. The Wentworth Lumber
Company, which succeeded Phillips & Wentworth, was incorporated at
Maxie, Forrest County, on March 4, 1919, by R. D. Wentworth and R. N.
Steadman with authorized capital stock of $50,000. On February 8, 1919, five
days after the articles of incorporation were filed, Wentworth sold a three
quarters interest in the assets of Phillips & Wentworth to R. N.
Steadman, G. M. McWilliams and John A. McLeod. These three men in return
assumed three quarters of the debts of the old partnership. Although
McWilliams and McLeod were not listed as stockholders, this transaction was
all part of the formation of the Wentworth Lumber Company. In 1922 the mill
closed.
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
