The planing mill at S. Baker operated until 1964 and they would not have dried the lumber before it was planed. I don't know when they started planing at Bates however, it is possible they started before the mill at Baker shut down.
In the photos the "hog fuel crates" appear to have some kind of a side door. Emptying them must have been a hand shovel job, as were many other jobs in those days. How would you like to have that to look forward to every day? Anyway, I guess that is what distinguishes them from a high side gon.