News: Curtiss – Early Sawmills

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Bass, Clark, Pribbernow, Green, Rued

----Source: Olson Family Scrapbook

Bass & Clark
In approximately 1881, Albert Bass & Clark started the first sawmill in Curtiss. They built the mill on the creek, south of the present elevator and feed store. There was a pond behind the mill for floating logs and for use in the mill. The water barrels on the roof of the mill were used for fire protection, The stationary steam engine ran the saws in the mill.

The Bass logging camp was located northwest of Curtiss, Town of Hoard. Matt Rued was the camp cook. Oxen were powerful animals used for hauling logs, skidding, and pulling the sleighs.

Pribbernow
The Pribbernow Sawmill operated after 1900 until it burned in 1917. They also operated a shingle and stave mill. The Pribbernow Mill has a lumber yard on what is now the Curtiss ball filed area. It usually took about 15 men to operate a sawmill.

Green
Green’s Sawmill was located north of Curtiss. In those days the logs were cut from above the first branch of the tree to get the best grade of lumber. Lumber from the Green Mill was hauled to Curtiss and shipped to other locations by railroad.