Talky Tuesday #83

Last week’s “WW #125” is a shot of derelict Masten station. Thanks to the sharp eyes of reader Chris C., who was able to decipher the grainy station sign letters.

The last log passed through the sawmill at Masten on 18 September 1930. However, it took three more years before all the stockpiled cut lumber was sold and shipped out. A CCC camp was located here, but was closed in 1940. Per Taber’s book, the last family, Otto Robbins and his wife, moved away in 1941. I am unsure when the agent/operator was no longer needed by the S&NY and the station abandoned, but I imagine it would have been shortly after the CCC camp closed.

3 Thoughts on “Talky Tuesday #83

  1. Ernie Colwell on September 6, 2017 at 12:19 said:

    Thanks for the Masten dates, do you know when the tannery at Powell closed? I’ve stretched it by including industries from the 30’s using the pretense of modeling the 30’s because there was a unique set of industries in the lumbering years which I find interesting. ( also adds too operating variety.)

    • exnavydoc@hotmail.com on September 6, 2017 at 20:27 said:

      Ernie,

      I believe the tannery lasted until the late ’20’s-early ’30’s.

      Found this online at:

      http://www.myweeklysentinel.com/community/timber-theme-of-bradford-co-heritage-association3

      Greenwood Tannery, Powell, Pennsylvania
      “The tannery at Powell was founded in 1867….”1 Greenwood was the original name of the community; it was changed to Powell “in honor of Joseph Powell of Towanda, one of the chief promoters in establishing the tannery…
      Greenwood Tannery was the second largest plant of its “kind in the world.”1 It turned out “sole leather only.”1 One hundred men were employed “in the tannery and fifty men all the time in the woods.”1 The company owned “15,000 acres of timber land in Bradford and Sullivan counties….”1 The tannery consumed “12,000 tons of bark a year.”1 The company owned 16 tenant houses, a supervisor’s home, and a general store.
      The following headlines were from The Daily Review •$35,000 Fire at Powell Threatens to Completely Destroy Large Tannery – June 22, 1921
      • Tannery at Powell is being Torn Down -1932

  2. Ernie Colwell on September 8, 2017 at 17:29 said:

    Thanks again, that moves it into the 30’s which makes my time dilatation a little less severe.

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