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The mountains were surveyed
in 1852 and Waterman Canyon Road was chosen as the easiest
route. Even
though the upper levels were very steep, the Mormon Council
of San Bernardino voted to build the road and allow public
access. The completed road spanned from the City of San
Bernardino to Crestline. According to historian Wallace
W. Elliot, the last mile and a half of the road was so
steep that wagon brakes were ineffective. “Teamsters
were compelled to attach a heavy pine tree to the rear
of the wagons to prevent their rapid descent.”
The first mill was in operation in 1852, using a steam
engine hauled by Charles Crismon. It was located in Waterman
Canyon. In 1853 a second steam engine was hauled to the
top of the mountain and located between Crestline and Lake
Gregory. A second mountain top sawmill was also set up in 1853
by the Seely brothers in an area known as Seely Flats.
It made use of a nearby creek to turn a wheel about ten
feet in diameter, controlling a single vertical saw. Within
the next year there was a total of six mountain top sawmills. The mountain area was rich in sugar pine and cedar which
sold well in both San Bernardino and Los Angeles. Baseline
Road was built to facilitate the transportation of lumber
to the Los Angeles market. It linked San Bernardino to
the Cajon Road and shortened the trip by several miles. The
Mormons were recalled to Salt Lake City by 1857 and their
mills were sold. The single vertical blade
saw (muhlsage,
German for mill saw) was replaced by multiple saw blades
and finally by the circular saw; first used by Huston’s
Mountain Steam Mill. The forest was nearly clear cut
when the large circular saws were powered by big steam
engines. The
largest lumber company was run in the early 1900’s
by a company based in Michigan, the Brookings Lumber
Company. They not only employed multiple circular saws,
but also
used narrow gauge railroads to haul the cut timber
to the mill. Their lumber yard was located in the Fredalba
area,
where they produced 10 to 12 million board feet annually.
They employed and housed over a 100 men (200 at the
height
of operation) to work at the mill. They also re-graded
the City Creek Toll Road, although the upper portions
were still steep. In 1908 the Tri Counties Forest and Water Association
was formed by concerned citizens trying to save what was
left of the forest and the watershed. They lobbied for
government regulation of the sawmills. Since the area had
been declared a preserve, the Forest Service started to
regulate the timberland. By 1912, the Brookings Fredalba Sawmill was dismantled
and shipped to Oregon. |
