Prescott a Prosperous Mill Town

The little town of Prescott, three miles east of Rainier, was built up around the mill of the Beaver Lumber company. [The town] is unincorporated, but has a population of close to 200. There are 85 permanent homes in the town, the majority of which belong to the company.

The spot now called Prescott used to be known as Danby’s Landing. When the mill was built the name was changed to Prescott, probably because the mill uses a large quantity of what is known as Prescott machinery. The population of the town is a changing one, but it does not fluctuate to any considerable extent.

A well equipped two room school in maintained, with an attendance of about 50. Miss Opal Phelps and Miss Laura Strickler are the teachers. Sunday school services are conducted every Friday evening by one of the Rainier churches.

John Rupprath is in charge of the store maintained by the lumber company. He also handles the mail, although George Miller is postmaster officially. The company conducts a hotel, where 110 men are accommodated. Mrs. Dan Marshall and Mrs. Marion Bacon are in charge. Fred Bach conducts the pool hall.

The Beaver Lumber company last year had the third largest cut on the river, being exceeded only by the Inman-Poulson company and the Westport mill. In July of this year the mill was closed and repairs were made that have increased the capacity of the mill. At present, with a day and night shift, the cut averages between seven and eight million feet per month. The cut averaged about 175,000 a shift, with a day and night shift running continuously. This gives rise to a payroll of $40,000 per month, the two shifts giving employment to about 330 men.

The men employed here are rather equally divided between those who either make their homes or board in Prescott, and those who live elsewhere and drive to work there. The mill employs men from the entire territory around Rainier, from Goble, Beaver Homes and even from as far as Mayger, as well as from Rainier. The men drive to work each day and live at home.

In this operation the mill is using approximately 1500 horsepower, which is divided equally between steam and electricity. Recently the Puget Sound Power & Light company installed a special line to the mill direct from the plant at Kalama, Wash., in order to supply the needed power for the machines. Formerly this load was taken from the line that supplied Rainier.

The Beaver Lumber company cuts its own timber, which is logged and hauled in from the camp in the Nehalem valley to Scappoose, from where the logs are rafted to the mill. In the Nehalem valley a six side logging camp is maintained, and a logging road has been constructed that is the only road on this side of Linnton that enters the valley on the other side of the divide. This is done by means of a big tunnel back of Scappoose. This road also is a common carrier for a portion of its length.

With their own timber holdings and through their various connections, the Beaver Lumber company has timber enough for an indefinite run.

From the Rainier Review, Christmas Edition, 1925