32 HISTORY OF LUMBER INDUSTRY IN NEW YORK. 



MODERN SAWMILLS. 



The first sawmills in each locality throughout the State or colony 

 were of a primitive character, containing one upright saw for which 

 the power was furnished by an overshot water-wheel. In time an 

 additional saw was inserted in the gate, and so on until the modern 

 gang was evolved. (PI. VIII, fig. 1.) 



The first gang-mill was built on the Hudson River at Fort Edward; 

 just when, the records do not show. It is asserted that the next one 

 was erected in ls4^ by Hinckley & Ballou, on West Canada Creek, in 

 the town of Russia. Herkimer County, but prior to this year there 

 were gangs running in the mills at Glens Falls, Sandy Hill, and Painted 

 Post. 



In 1848 Henry S. Shedd and Marshall Shedd, jr., erected a gang- 

 mill in Lewis County at the lower falls of the Moose River, about 1 

 mile from its junction with the Black River. The gang in this mill 

 contained 32 saw-. 



The first gang-mill on the Raquette River was built at Norwood, in 

 1851, by Morgan, Rosekrans & Adsit. 



For many years after their introduction sawmills were operated by 

 water-power exclusively. Their owners, having secured the best 

 mill-sites on our rivers, did not need to run their mills by steam. 

 "Water-power was cheaper, and many of the largest gang-mills in 

 New York use it to-day. 



The large mills have not changed materially in the last forty years. 

 In 1860 there were several in New York that ran five or six gates; 

 say three gangs, a slabbing gang, and two English mills. a 



Some used a Yankee gang instead of a slabber, and in the large 

 mills, where two or more stock gangs were in use, one of them would 

 contain about 36 saws, set for inch boards, while another would be 

 hung with a smaller number, set for plank. Such a mill — six gates — 

 would cut about 15,000,000 feet per year, running night and day, with 

 an occasional shut-down for low water. 



Steam mills as a class used a large circular saw (PI. VII, fig. 2), 

 although of late vears there are mills in New York, as elsewhere, which 

 run both circulars and gangs, to which band-saws have recently been 

 added. (PI. VII, fig. 1.) It is difficult to find any records showing when 

 the first steam sawmill was built in New York State. A sawmill driven 

 by steam power was built in 1830, in the town of Newark Valley, Tioga 

 County, by Chester Patterson and Jonathan Day, which employed 

 about 3<> men. The engine had a walking beam, such as is used on 

 steamboats. 



In 1833 George Kirby erected a steam sawmill in the town of 

 Nichols, Tioga County. 



a The English mill is an ordinary square gate or frame containing one or two 

 upright saws, with a 16-foot carriage that gigs back. 



