Re: Typical Lumber Train On The Sumpter Valley

That article doesn't appear to mention the steam plant unless I missed it. IIRC the history correctly, David Eccles and Charles Nibley the main men behind the Oregon Lumber Co. and Sumpter Valley Ry. invested in an early steam powered generating plant for the area, which they later sold to others. Flash forward to the era of the photo, and the EOL&P steam plant was directly south of the Oregon Lumber Co. facilities in South Baker. Years back I talked to a gentleman now passed that was the son of the manager of EOL&P in the 1930's to 40's. He said that they ran the steam generating plant seasonally when the four hydroelectric plants in their system could not keep up. This would be in extreme cold weather when the creeks were all freezing solid. In later years I believe the steam plant may have been operated continuously. The Sumpter Valley Ry. carried car loads of saw dust or "hog fuel" from Bates to the steam plant in nearly every east bound freight for years. Around 1935, the Oregon Lumber Co. made a deal with the power company to discontinue the use of their South Baker mill's power house and use electricity and steam as need directly from the utility company steam plant. Oregon Lumber Co. had Earl Emlaw design a new conveyor system so that all of the mills waste went directly to the fuel piles at the EOL&P steam plant. At some point, the steam plant, hydroelectric plants and distribution in the area were sold to the California Pacific Utilities Co.