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November 2002 West Vancouver Historical Society Page 3 SCRAPBOOK By: Anne Vernon This page contains scraps of West Vancouver's past - from personal memo ties, magazine or newspaper articles, from stories told by parents arui grandparents, also from letters or diaries passed down through families. Local events are not necessarily made by community leaders only, but by all who have lived in, and enjoyed being, jxirt of our community. We welcome your contributions - cm important way to help presen’e our history. Echoes From Another Time Oft-the-Shelf tales selected from the West Vancouver Archives by Hugh Johnston Ihis Item appeared in the 'WESTERN LUMBERMAN' in January 1919. Manufacturing Lunnber Above The Clouds "Whilst it is not at all unusual for Coast millmen to find themselves operating under beclouding market conditions, the Naysmitli Lumber Co. Ltd., of Vancou- ver, is probably unique in possessing the only sawmill that is actually cutting lumber above the clouds. The distinction, unfortunately, does not cairy with it the privilege of charging a Irigher price for tlie product than that ruling at the lower levels. Some months ago tJie Western Lumberman recorded the purchase by tlie Naysmith Co., of a large block of 90,000,000 feet of larch, yellow cedar and hemlock timber on the mountain slope back of West Vancouver municipality, overlooking the entrance to Bun ai d Inlet. Tlie vendors were the Cypress Lumber Co., Ltd., and their sliingle mill at Dundarave Station, in the municipality, was included in die transfer. Mr. . the men actually on many days worked in sunshine above the clouds . Naysmidi had planned to erect a sawmill of about 50,000 feet capacity in die timber, but just as he was about ready to move Ids equipment he accepted a tempt- ing proposal from the Imperial Muiddons Board to ship it iiordi to the Queen Charlotte Islands, and engage in the manufacture of aeroplane lumber. A smaller sawndll, wldch had been operated by the company in Burnaby muidcipality until the limits were cut out about a year ago. was then dismantled and the machinery taken to the West Vancouver property. The most desirable site was on a branch opemng into the timber at an elevadon of 2,300 feet, and the transportation of the heavy parts of the equipment up the steep mountain side proved a difficult and dangerous task, but was accomplished successfully with the aid of a powerful logging donkey. Tlie new plant started operaUons a couple of niondis ago, most of the lumber cut in the interval being required for the erection of various buildings and die extension of a Hume which had been used by the Cypress Co., for the delivery of sliingle cedai' from a lower level, and wliich next spring will cany lumber as well as bolts. The mill will probably have to be closed down during January and part of February owing to the severe weatlier and heavy snowfalls incident to die high altitude, but during November and die forepart of December the men actually on many days worked in sunshine above die clouds of wet vapor which shut off the view into die Valley and across English Bay. In die case of Mr. Naysmith, at any rate, the closing of die spruce operation up north worked a real hardship. His mill at Thurston Harbor was just ready to commence cuffing when die stop order was received. The machinery will, of course, be shipped back and next spring it will no doubt be taken up the mountain to replace the present plant, which lacks the capacity required to handle the volume of rail trade that is confidendy looked for next year." "Len Norris: A Retrospective" opens at the West Van- couver Museum on November 12, 2002 and runs until May 10, 2003. See page 8 for more details. p-A-yy,-:- V Copyright: Len Norris Estate