Sawmills

I have occasionally read that there was a saw mill at Friendship (the one near Sandy Ridge). I just assumed that they gots their facts wrong as there was a saw mill at the Friendship in Tabernacle where the girl scout camp is. I guess there is no reason that a portable one couldn't have been set up to cut all that wonderful cedar along the Tulpehawking and other streams there. Anyone have any real evidence?
 
I actually have no idea, but I would think that some of them are older than others. More than likely they ended when the state purchased the property, so they could be as late as the early 5o's.

Guy
 
Take my hand, this one's gonna be awhile.
Feel free to criticize or correct, I'm not prideful enough for it to matter and some of this is surmise from collective readings and research.These mills do seem to date sporatically although the technology expressed of the stones does limit them to a given period.Just pre-turn of the twentieth and just after seems good in many cases.By then there were fuel powered things. Personally I think most of these are merely successors to older existing mills, just updated technology as water sources may have waned. (correcting of course for ones found in the middle of nowhere reasonable in the pines ) Ben's pics I think are real close to the mark. However not to debate, a "logging camp" is just that, not a mill.
From everything I've read current or prior, here's a logging camp. Envision an operation specifically design to set up, cut down everything made of wood standing upright, bring it somewhere else and move on to the next place.As far as the mills go, whether by man,water,animal or machine..the concept of a mostly single source driving everything seems to be consistent and magnificent if you think on it. Standing in the Batsto Mill is cool as all get out when it's under way. As far as the stones. They are expendable as guessed. the utensils and even the wood the buildings around them were made from had much more value. It's no wonder they were left.
I have before me Charles Boyer's - "Old Mills of Camden County". Been trying to get it for a bit. Coupled with some time spent with a fellow of the
Batsto area my uncle turned me on to I might actually accomplish something.
One can buy copies of the book through the Camden County Historical Society. It seems it was published for or by the Society in 1962. I am not a cheapskate but even with my member discount I couldn't justify the purchase. I wanted to see an original copy. I merely had it transferred from the Haddon Twp high school library to the Waterford library where I took it on loan. This one's the real deal. I am almost afraid to turn the pages. The map enclosed is very fragile as well. When I compare and overlay the map per-se on others that I poured over extensively from RMICKLE'S thread, Maps showing Mills, furnaces... 10/3/05, it goes together well considering the inconsistency of maps of old.
A side note, check out the Camden County Historical Society site for Old Mills, Old Waterways, and Old Cemetaries of Camden County. As the hinterlands of Camden County reached the pines, there is valuable stuff to be found.
For instance, in the book when reading the chapter on Burnt Mill, there is a reference to Ephraim Cline's Tavern and a road from the Blue Anchor branch in Winslow passing over a bridge not far from the Matchestacatuxen branch. Given a little liberty on the map, Maybe a help with Guy's "EPHRAIM'S BRIDGE" 11/2/05. Sorry to stray.
Now, this book of course makes reference to "ancient mills" and their successors. The goods on the mills work just the same. REDNECKF350's Albertson's sawmill is listed and just about dead on the map with his coords. Iron Mill and it's ownership (Richard's, then later Landros & Burns )seem to predate the stones. Burnt Mill, Bate's Mill, and Inskeeps Mill land in the pines. The one on my Grandfather's land is sadly not listed although it is not very far from the Iron Mill or Albertson's Mill. These mills were more than functional, they were life's blood to communities. There are strict and specific reference of "TO BE LEFT" and "TO BE LETT" deeds spanning as much as 40 years regarding use of the mill, it's utensils, and it's assets. This is how My Grandfather's land was passed on. In this book are listings of wages, prices,adds for help, and even songs o' the mills. Mind you , many of the references are to the older mills but the places indicate that these stones, not to repeat, almost just seem to land on some existing sites. Some not far from their water driven cousins. A lot of that seemed to due to the geography of accessible routes of transfer of the product.
I shall be scanning and copying the parts of the book I need and taking pics of it's map. I now intend to find others referring to the stones listed in this thread ( I hope ). Oh ramblings. Let me stop.
Curse you Guy for initiating such an interesting thread.

G.
 
LARGO said:
Curse you Guy for initiating such an interesting thread.

G.
Click to expand...

It certainly has been a good thread, and I appreciate all that have contributed, especially your post Largo.

I have not had the time to do any research on these places and your mention of the book has made me want to get a copy of it also. I see it costs $25 and up on a few different sites unless I go your route...the library.

As for the Ephraim's Bridge it is obvious the person who made the map I posted did not know how to spell. And as for the tavern it was reported to be on the mentioned road at the intersection of Atsion Road not far from Atsion Lake.

It is nice to see you went to all that trouble to get the book. Maybe your research will find some more of them to add to the list. That would be great.

Thanks again for the great post.

Guy
 
Songs of the mills, eh? I'd love for you to post one. Imagine Guy, the sawmill PBX found awhile back. As we are poking around, very faintly, but just perceptible we hear whispering in the trees a chorus of brawny 18th century guys singing a song of the mill. WOW! That is the romantic in me.

Largo, good post. You talk about water power waning at one point. I dont think that's probable in the pines.
 
BobM said:
Songs of the mills, eh? I'd love for you to post one.

How about a little verse of a children's game...

"Happy is the miller who lives by himself,
All the bread and cheese he piles upon the shelf,
One hand in the hopper and the other in the bag,
The wheel turns around and he cries out...GRAB !"

Not romantic, but cute.

You talk about water power waning at one point. I dont think that's probable in the pines.
Click to expand...

My dad learned to swim at Iron Mill*in the fifties, I was always there to help fill the water truck and bathe the dogs and swim in the seventies,Trust me, Maybe not all, but some of them do wane.There is plenty of the Mullica that ain't no scream anymore.
*This stretch by the way is the result of the confluence of the Blue Anchor Branch and the Pump Branch giving way to the Albertson Branch Just past Fleming Pike.
 
Songs of the mill eh? I wonder if it went like this?

CHORUS

I cut down trees, I skip and jump,
I like to press wild flowers.
I put on women's clothing,
And hang around in bars.

Mounties: He cuts down trees, he skips and jumps,
He likes to press wild flowers.
He puts on women's clothing
And hangs around.... In bars???????

CHORUS

I chop down trees, I wear high heels,
Suspendies and a bra.
I wish I'd been a girlie
Just like my dear papa.

Mounties: He cuts down trees, he wears high heels
Suspendies?? and a .... a Bra????
(spoken, raggedly) What's this? Wants to be a *girlie*? Oh, My!
And I thought you were so rugged! Poofter!
Taken from: Monty Python's Lumberjack song.
Scott
:rofl:
 
With all the posting about sawmills I thought I would throw in a contribution. Hopefully this doesn't result in a case of mistaken identity. In the link the red x will pinpoint the location of a cement base identical to many of the pics I've seen here. I've yet to actually stop and examine it but I'm fairly confident it is a sawmill base. The map indicates it as being on Ongs Run. It also is probably Ft. Dix property. Its maybe fifty feet off the road. Its not visible in the summer months. If someone is looking for something to do this weekend....take a ride and check it out.
 
kingofthepines said:
With all the posting about sawmills I thought I would throw in a contribution. Hopefully this doesn't result in a case of mistaken identity. In the link the red x will pinpoint the location of a cement base identical to many of the pics I've seen here. I've yet to actually stop and examine it but I'm fairly confident it is a sawmill base. The map indicates it as being on Ongs Run. It also is probably Ft. Dix property. Its maybe fifty feet off the road. Its not visible in the summer months. If someone is looking for something to do this weekend....take a ride and check it out.
Click to expand...

At least according to the topo it looks like it's before Dix property. Even checking out satellite photos, you can see right where development ends at the border shown on the map. It probably is on private property, but my guess is that it's not on Dix property.
 
King,

Thanks for the contribution! I will check it out when I am in the area next. Maybe tomorrow, not sure.



Guy
 
King,

Again, thanks for the contribution. I traveled there this morning and found it after a few minutes of searching. I stopped a little to far up the hill.

Here is a photo of it. The bolts on this one are smashed over and you can't see them well in the photo.

http://www.njpinebarrens.com/teegate/main.php/download/1342-1/IMG_6338.JPG

It's exact location is:

39°59.249
74°35.586

Another one added to the list.

Guy
 
And Yet another one

While doing some research on the old water tower for the RR that went through browns mills (I will post about that soon) some one told me about an old saw mill I had not heard of. I tracked it down and there were the typical ruins but they were much larger and I believe there were at least three of them. I will have to get back there in better light. It might be on private property, I am not sure so I don't want to disclose the location just yet.
 
Any of you fella's down this way a member of the Medford Historical Society ? They are refurbishing an old Grist Mill on Church road of which a small section will be a working saw operation. ( as this was the case in some water driven mills ) It is educational, not productionally functional like Batsto
and water driven of course. Ran into this in my travels speaking with some old fellows, one in Chatsworth & one closer.
( I can't tell you how nice it can be to talk to someone who DOESN'T have internet access or any interest in it. They rely on a data base allot of us have forgotten to use )
Last fellow I spoke with "heard tell" of the portables but admitted his interests & expertise were water driven. Charles Boyer passed long before his work was done and his book was actually submitted by his wife to the society. Had he kept going I think he may have reached a point where these
sites of ours would have turned up in his writings.
One fellow gave me a bit of info about a magazine but there is website info as well. For anyone who's interested, check out SPOOM....
Society for the Preservation Of Old Mills.
Cool stuff.

G.
 
'nother Question

Looking at the geography of some I these I am probably off base but did anyone find any so close to a moving body of water that a raceway could have been dug for a sluice in close proximity to the block?? I found of all things a drawing of a portable and smallish waterwheel that by it's metal construction brings it closer to date. Darned if it doesn't seem to bolt to the same type of base.

This next part is once again my guess per another piece I read. I will not purger the piece as I only use it for reference. It seems earlier portables, yes steam and fuel powered, operated and then were brought to preset foundations for their next go around. When these were wood the whole works used to shift with ground conditions, frost, etc. Now you get lousy and inconsistant cuts. While I couldn't see any reference to the bases, wouldn't it make sense that if you stabilized the saw you eliminate that problem ?
Now that would limit the block to the use of a saw only and not that multiple drive concept that Ben posted.

I am having better luck with the Info of my Grandfather's place being converted to a dress shop than I am with these cursed blocks, but that's another tale.

G.
Check this out, some cool stuff.

http://www.owwm.com/files/pdf/americansawmill/1910-americansawmill.pdf
 
saw mill layouts

LARGO said:
Looking at the geography of some I these I am probably off base but did anyone find any so close to a moving body of water that a raceway could have been dug for a sluice in close proximity to the block?? I found of all things a drawing of a portable and smallish waterwheel that by it's metal construction brings it closer to date. Darned if it doesn't seem to bolt to the same type of base.

This next part is once again my guess per another piece I read. I will not purger the piece as I only use it for reference. It seems earlier portables, yes steam and fuel powered, operated and then were brought to preset foundations for their next go around. When these were wood the whole works used to shift with ground conditions, frost, etc. Now you get lousy and inconsistant cuts. While I couldn't see any reference to the bases, wouldn't it make sense that if you stabilized the saw you eliminate that problem ?
Now that would limit the block to the use of a saw only and not that multiple drive concept that Ben posted.

I am having better luck with the Info of my Grandfather's place being converted to a dress shop than I am with these cursed blocks, but that's another tale.

G.
Check this out, some cool stuff.

http://www.owwm.com/files/pdf/americansawmill/1910-americansawmill.pdf
Click to expand...

Does anyone have (or know of) blue prints or design information for Saw Mills? I thought I remembered seeing something on this site - but it may have been this old catalog - which is very cool.

thks
 
PinesExplr said:
Does anyone have (or know of) blue prints or design information for Saw Mills? I thought I remembered seeing something on this site - but it may have been this old catalog - which is very cool.

thks
Click to expand...

I have some stuff relevant more to single source (steam/water)
driven units. These exact set-ups and good illustrations continue to elude me.

The cataloque you see is a result of me working in reverse to secure a time frame. I figured, if I couldn't find good illustration or drawings on something in the mid to late 1800's, there had to be at the least a need for parts be they belts,pulleys, gears, blades, etc. by the early 1900's.
Hence, if you see the date on the book you can see where I was headed reguarding manufacturers of parts/portable mills. I just posted it 'cause it had cool stuff in it.

G.
 
any more?

I was just wondering if anybody found anymore sawmills. I haven't been able to get out much to do some exploring. Last time I was out I got stuck in a mudhole I shouldn't of attempted and didn't have a tow strap and of course nobody else did so I was stuck for awhile. So word to the wise always carry a tow strap with you it might save your day or somebodys elses. I learned the hard way. I can't wait to I get a truck.
 
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