Skagit Iron and Steel Works, Sedro Wooley, Washington

[Redwood Climber]

BU 199's

as i said in a previous post i had told rusty grapple where they went and and was going to let him mispell the names.I'll give it a shot. the 1974 one went to B.C. guy i know saw it up there later on i think he said it was sitting next to two washingtons and a madill.heard later that it got scrapped.the 1977 one was sold to dminimini(spelling)around coos bay they later sold it to millicoma in same area.millicoma was in loggers world 4years? ago there was a picture of it or their other one i think R.G. told me they were using 1977 ARCO for parts

Oh Man that hurts! I hate to think they were scrapped.....parting one out is not quite as bad. Thanks for the info Mr. Bushman1. So did either tower get pulled over while they were in Klamath? I'd heard years ago that one got flopped. I just cringed....It was just 23rd hand information, I never did try to verify it. I know the Skookum Tyee got flopped several times, the two piece tube kept breaking. Any Idea where it went? There is a thread on here for it. Any pics? Inquiring minds want to know.... Also if you have any info to share about the 044 Madill they had early on, you might share that on the Madill thread.

It is so cool to have people join and the pieces of the puzzle come together.


And the pics and videos are coming?


Hoechucker, any info you have would be greatly appreciated, does he have any pics or video? Thanks.

 

[bushman1]

Oh Man that hurts! I hate to think they were scrapped.....parting one out is not quite as bad. Thanks for the info Mr. Bushman1. So did either tower get pulled over while they were in Klamath? I'd heard years ago that one got flopped. I just cringed....It was just 23rd hand information, I never did try to verify it. I know the Skookum Tyee got flopped several times, the two piece tube kept breaking. Any Idea where it went? There is a thread on here for it. Any pics? Inquiring minds want to know.... Also if you have any info to share about the 044 Madill they had early on, you might share that on the Madill thread.

It is so cool to have people join and the pieces of the puzzle come together.


And the pics and videos are coming?


Hoechucker, any info you have would be greatly appreciated, does he have any pics or video? Thanks.

the oldest one tipped over. Bill Mcpaul came down and put it back together. skookum did have tower problems. lower part of one is flag pole at wes green(101/ mad river) it burned up in blue creek in 1992. will go to madill thread for 044

 

[hoechucker]

Sorry no pics or videos red,I have no idea how to size them.anyway, he said something about a box of photos but that's over the hill in feeding somewhere.I did however see a really cool home movie of simpsons old skookum/madill tower from the 60's just last week.

 

[Redwood Climber]

We do Like Pics and Videos.

Sorry no pics or videos red,I have no idea how to size them.anyway, he said something about a box of photos but that's over the hill in feeding somewhere.I did however see a really cool home movie of simpsons old skookum/madill tower from the 60's just last week.

Mr. Hoechucker...It is quite comforting to know that I'm not the only person on here who is pic and video challenged. Some of these guys are absolutely brilliant at this stuff. You can get them do do it for you simply by asking. These guys are all hungry to see more iron. torkelH, JTL, jeremey70...these are some smart dudes that can help us challenged guys. About all I can do is to hold the picture up to the screen.....here, can you see it? Sumdey i'll be gitten meself smartined up an bee lerned how ta do it...

 

[Redwood Climber]

More....tell us more...

the oldest one tipped over. Bill Mcpaul came down and put it back together. skookum did have tower problems. lower part of one is flag pole at wes green(101/ mad river) it burned up in blue creek in 1992. will go to madill thread for 044

Wow....tell us more, what happened, how much damage, everyone escape unhurt? That made me smile about the lower part of flagpole, on the Skookum thread can you tell us about the fire? Thanks for all the info!!

 

[Redwood Climber]

Another BU 98....Where'd She Go?

In the early '80's a fellow brought a BU98 into Klamath I believe his name was Marvin O'Connell. I'm not positive but I believe he may have been from Hoopa, or Orleans, Ca? Mr. Bushman1 can you fill us in on the machine and where it may have gone? I have'nt heard of Mr. O'Connell in years, did he call it quits? He only contracted for Arcata Redwood for 1 or 2 years, it's been so long ago I can't remember. I remember thinking it was a small machine compared to the BU 199 until I saw it getting out the wood. It was a nice machine and did a good job. I was just a kid and my ego caused me to have to eat my own words many times. I'm down to eating my own words only a couple of times a week now..... anyway, anyone know of the machine and where it went? Any pictures out there?

 

[AE5TE]

I am new to this forum and I have to say this is a great thread. I read the whole thing over the past couple days and it brings back a lot of memories, a lot of the companies and folks mentioned are people I have met or dealt with over the years. I was at Danebo and then Ross Corp from 1979 through 1989 and during that time there was a lot of evolution in the organization Skagit used to be. Ross made a play for the whole thing in the early/mid '80s but the financial gurus said they would want to see $16 oil and it was hovering around $8. So, the Skagit yarder line sort of ended there. Ross picked up a few truckloads of machine shop equipment, Howard Cooper ended up as the"official" product support agency, and the Berger/National outfit in Rosegurg ended up with a lot of the prints. The original machine records went to Howard Cooper I was told, and they are God only knows where now. Meanwhile, we at Ross worked hard on the Thunderbird line and lot of product was delivered in a relatively short time frame. Of course we all know how that turned out. Still it is good see a lot of the big old yarders are going to be around for a while longer!

 

[TorkelH]

That is some more information. Was this Howard Cooper in Roseburg? Somebody know what happened to this company? If we are lucky the records still exists!

The 199's: According to Bushman1 an RG's information I wouldn't be to surprised if Knutson (Norwegians...) Marine/Millicoma logging in Coos bay have one or two of them. Anyone nearby care for calling them and ask?

 

[AE5TE]

Howard Cooper was the Linkbelt dealer for Oregon and Washington. It went into receivership and was liquidated in the mid 90s. T
he former owner was operating Cooper Tractor in Portland last I heard.

I have no idea if the roseburg outfit is still in business. Someone could look up a guy named Larry Stockton, someone in the Washington section would probably know him.

Knutson Towboat would be a good bet for old and big iron!

 

[AE5TE]

I used to contact these folks pretty regularly in my business as a Deere Construction & Forestry dealership parts manager but the last couple years I have been a couple thousand miles away (thank you Mr. President). Down here there is a pretty good sized forest of oaks but they are only about 4' tall. Anything bigger is growing along the banks of the Pecos and they pull them out because they suck out all the water!

 

[Redwood Climber]

BU 199's

I started looking at this site a few years ago thought i might post 2 years ago so became a member but did'nt do anything until 199 and 99 talk came up. I started digging yesterday and found picture of E&A 199 in early 70's out of orleans,ca. also 199 picture unknown where it was . 1973? picture of 199 at olc plus countless others including wold and klamath. even have some video . I have spoken with R.G. about what happened to all the yarders(where they went) I have some calls in trying to find out what happened to South Coast lmbr. (brookings,or,)BU 199 it was a later model than arcatas.also forgot about bill leasing shop in klamath if thats where your pic. is you are correct

Mr. Bushman1, did South Coast Lumber have a 199 in addition to the 739? I didn't even know they had a 739 until I saw it on Mr. Rusty Grapples website. It's 3/4 the way down on the Skagit (of course)page. It's a really nice machine, it has the tagline drum on it too. Judging from the looks of the paint and the tires, the picture must have been taken when it was new or near new. It's on the T-110HD self propelled carrier. I worked for part of a summer up on the Winchuck River when Arco had the Skookum up there logging for South Coast, but we were not around any of their operations so I never saw any of their (South Coast Lumber) machines. Speaking of big Skagit towers, anyone know how many 739's were built, and how many carriers? T-100's, T-110's?

Mr. Bushman1, any luck on posting those pics or video? Some of us would REALLY like to see them! I sure wish I'd been smart enough to have taken some. Amazing stuff we got to do.......

 

[TorkelH]

Hehe... hope you guys eventually before or later will find out the magic about electronic pictures!

 

[bushman1]

Mr. Bushman1, did South Coast Lumber have a 199 in addition to the 739? I didn't even know they had a 739 until I saw it on Mr. Rusty Grapples website. It's 3/4 the way down on the Skagit (of course)page. It's a really nice machine, it has the tagline drum on it too. Judging from the looks of the paint and the tires, the picture must have been taken when it was new or near new. It's on the T-110HD self propelled carrier. I worked for part of a summer up on the Winchuck River when Arco had the Skookum up there logging for South Coast, but we were not around any of their operations so I never saw any of their (South Coast Lumber) machines. Speaking of big Skagit towers, anyone know how many 739's were built, and how many carriers? T-100's, T-110's?

Mr. Bushman1, any luck on posting those pics or video? Some of us would REALLY like to see them! I sure wish I'd been smart enough to have taken some. Amazing stuff we got to do.......

south coast BU 199 sat at ross for a few years before they bought it making me think it was last one built. it had a different cab interior also.739 burned up 2 years prior(in same area) to ARCO logging there.pictures?i dont even own a scanner.been looking at them(good news)college student will be home for summer(better news). Marvin Oconnell sold his BU 98 not long after ARCO job Simpson klamath had one in 1989 auction Rellim Redwood had one when they quit.Foley Roads had one in orleans ca in 1980.

 

[hoechucker]

Hey red, that 739 is right here in humboldt co.I think its been here for a long time.its owned by rick eslinger,I think he was a logging boss for south coast,I'm not sure of the specifics but he started logging the longspan stuff for palco and then went to green diamond and been there for several years,

 

[lg junior]

Found a little BU-20 this weekend here are a few pictures.

 

[Logger7x]

I am new to the forum but had to join up when discussion about my neck of the woods came up. Never hot to work on the big towers (was born thirty years to late) but my grandpa was E E Lucas' side rod for his whole run. They started with an Sj 4 in1958 out of seiad valley CA. Had an sj7 at some point and then the bu 90 and the bu99. In 72 or 73 they sold the towers and got two brand new 108's with matching 235 shovels. Grandpas got lots of pictures of all that Klamath river country being logged for the first time. Man I wish I had of been there! Now days we just have to pretend with these little swing yarders always moving logging small wood with bad layouts. Love all the pictures. By the way I always heard that Fred b moe bought E & A's BU 199. Don't know if that is true or not. I thought it was A2 but not sure.

 

[TorkelH]

Welcome Logger7x! Hope we will be fortunate enough to see some of your grandpa's pictures here on the forum before or later. And you probably filled us in with some more usefull info in the jig-saw puzzle about the fate of the BU199, even a serial nbr!

 

[Redwood Climber]

I Stand Corrected.......BU 90 It Is"!!

Thank you Mr. Bushman1, you were correct, I was badly in error, it was a BU 90 with a telescoping tube on a trailer. Though I didn't have a good view ( the yard was full of Iron and I was outside the fence), It's humbling to know that one can make that big of mistake.......oh well....I'll start eating my own words....let's see...I said "I know the difference between".....munch, munch, munch....

Anyway, we had a job in Hoopa on Monday, and I just had to see for myself...I knew you would know if anyone could know....but I just had to see.......and I did see...clearly this time....

That is mounted on an old trailer, it only has six guylines and is just a highlead tube, (no skidding line fairlead mount). It also has the outside mounted walking beam on the axles. I couldn't see how the tube was raised, although I did notice no winches under the fuel tank as usual.........

Another thing I noticed is the tower I "thought" I saw was quite rusty and missing of paint "I thought". But again, this one looked good. I still haven't got my pics put on a disc so I can view them, I will at some point.

So do you know the destiny of the BU 90? She looks good, not too many of them were mounted with the big heavy tube. "I think".

Thanks for all your accurate info Mr. Bushman1, as you can clearly see, "what we think we see clearly is not always what we really saw at all" I need to remember that....

 

[Rusty Grapple]

1976 Skagit Promotional Booklet

I have scanned another lengthy brochure, and this time with the Skagit yarder guys in mind. This is a 22-page promotional booklet was printed in 1976 to promote Skagit in it's 75-Year Anniversary. It was printed on odd-colored dark tan paper making scanning difficult but if you care enough to deal with that then there is some GREAT history in there for you.

I'll keep working on it and maybe we can get it clear enough one day to make a re-printing possible for those who would like to own a physical copy.
I scanned the pages as images so I could use photoshop to eliminate the tan color and make reading slightly easier for you (I hope so anyway!)

Skagit produced a whole bunch of promo items for the 75th Anniversary- everything from frisbees to drinking glassware with the logo!

Enough B.S.- here's the link! http://www.pbase.com/rustygrapple/skagit1976

 

[Redwood Climber]

9800 feet of 3 inch......

WOW! can you imagine the long span possibilities??? Let's see.....16 guylines.....lots and lots of deadmen.....I wonder where they found a chokersetter to pound on the line as they spooled the new THREE INCH line on? D'he use a 16 pound sledge? Can you imagine splicing an eye in that? The strands must have been 1 inch..........Each!! Alot of bleeding during one of those....no doubt you'd be needing stiches.... I wonder what the weight per foot of three inch line is? Try hauling a spool of that in the back of your 3/4 ton truck!

All I can say is that's BIG!!

Thank you for the history lesson, I had no clue that Skagit was up to anything like that! So I guess logging machinery was just a little sideline hobby for 'em huh? Very interesting company and history.

That is real Big!