A New Industrial Boom for South Aberdeen
Michigan lumber investors sign a contract to build a massive sawmill, planing mill, and shingle factory, signaling a new era for the region's economy.
The story, cleaned up
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Bryant Phillips, prominent in Michigan lumber circles, have signed a contract with the South Aberdeen Company, whereby they have obligated themselves to put in a sawmill with a capacity of 75,000 feet per day, a planing mill, and a mill capable of turning out 150,000 shingles daily. It is specified that work must be commenced by the first of August and that the mills must be in operation by April 1, 1892. These gentlemen state that they have a market in the east for all the shingles they can manufacture, and that if the Northern Pacific railroad company makes the proposed reduction in rates on lumber, mill men will be able to realize handsome profits by shipping their products east.
“The owner of the money claims that he can find a ready market for 30,000,000 shingles annually.”
This article highlights the historical reliance of Aberdeen on large-scale timber extraction fueled by eastern capital. Today, while the industry has shifted significantly, the town's struggle to find sustainable economic footing remains a core theme in local civic discourse.
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