Charles R. McCormick Lumber Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Timber, Shipping |
| Founded | 1908 |
| Founder | Charles R. McCormick |
| Headquarters | San Francisco , United States |
Area served | Oregon, California, Washington, Pacific Coast, South America |
| Products | Lumber, Timber products, Ocean-going steam vessels |
| Parent | Pope & Talbot (after 1938) |
Charles R. McCormick Lumber Company was an American timber business established in 1908 by Charles R. McCormick in San Francisco, California. The firm operated multiple lumber facilities throughout Oregon, California, and Washington State, including ownership of a dedicated logging railroad. Its subsidiary, the McCormick Steamship Company, managed a fleet of ocean-going steam vessels.
Lumber operations in Oregon
McCormick purchased a mill location in St. Helens, Oregon, founding the Helens Mill Company. To provide raw material for this mill, the St. Helens Timber Company acquired 4,000 acres of forest land. In 1912, these companies merged to form the St. Helens Lumber Company. That same year marked further growth with the addition of a second sawmill, a creosoting facility, and the establishment of the St. Helens shipyard.
The company also expanded its presence to San Diego by opening a railroad tie manufacturing plant that supplied ties to the Santa Fe Railway and mines throughout the Southwestern United States and northern Mexico. A timber unloading dock was built but ceased operations in April 1931 due to economic downturns caused by the Great Depression.
Expansion into Puget Sound region
In 1925, McCormick acquired Puget Mill Company from Pope & Talbot, Inc. through a seller-financed mortgage arrangement secured against McCormick’s assets, with conditions requiring reinvestment into facility improvements. The transaction was completed on October 16, 1925. Following acquisition, McCormick invested heavily in advanced logging machinery and new locomotives to modernize and expand operations, frequently exceeding planned budgets to strengthen competitive positioning and increase production capacity.
Rail line acquisition
Puget Mill obtained an option on the southern segment of the Port Townsend & Southern Railroad, spanning from Port Discovery to Quilcene, Washington. McCormick finalized this purchase and utilized the rail line to transport logs harvested from company-owned lands in the Quilcene River and Snow Creek valleys to sawmills located at Port Gamble and Port Ludlow. Timber was transported to log dumps at Linger Longer Bay near Quilcene before being floated through Hood Canal to the mills.
Operational control was maintained from Camp Talbot near Crocker Lake, south of Port Discovery. In 1926, McCormick expanded by constructing new sawmills at Port Gamble and Port Ludlow. Logging activities around Port Ludlow were based out of Camp Walker on Ludlow Bay. Additionally, he acquired West Fork Logging Company along with its timber holdings and logging railroad at Camp Union near Seabeck, Washington; further timberland and a logging railroad near Castle Rock operated out of Camp Cowlitz were also added.
Business failure
McCormick’s rapid expansion combined with substantial capital expenditures placed significant financial strain on the company amid volatile lumber markets. When difficulties arose in meeting payment obligations to principals at Pope & Talbot, they intervened by assuming partial control of McCormick’s firm. To improve liquidity, McCormick engaged in excessive timber harvesting beyond sustainable levels until reserves were exhausted. In 1938, Pope & Talbot foreclosed on outstanding mortgages, forcing McCormick into bankruptcy. Subsequently, Pope & Talbot acquired remaining assets, reorganized under Pope & Talbot, Inc., and quickly resumed operations.
The economic pressures of the Depression compelled McCormick to surrender ownership of Puget Mill Company sawmills and other properties back to Pope & Talbot.
St. Helens Shipyard
Between 1912 and 1927, the St. Helens Shipbuilding Company, located in St. Helens, Oregon, constructed 42 wooden vessels and carried out ship repair services. The shipyard produced ships for the Emergency Fleet Corporation to aid the World War I initiatives.
Selected Ships Constructed
| Vessel Name | Vessel Type | Tonnage | Year of Completion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multnomah | Cargo Ship | 969 | 1912 |
| City of Portland | Schooner | 1,791 | 1916 |
| June | Cargo Ship | 484 | 1916 |
| Ruby | Cargo Ship | 557 | 1916 |
| City of St. Helens | Cargo Ship | 2,135 | 1917 |
| Frank D. Stout | Schooner | 1,226 | 1917 |
| John W. Wells | Schooner | 2,527 | 1918 |
| Thistle | Schooner | 1,586 | 1918 |
| Colindo | Cargo Ship, for USSB | 2,583 | 1919 |
| Issaquena | Cargo Ship, for USSB | 2,583 | 1918 |
| Fort Sheridan | Cargo Ship, for USSB | ||
| Fort Shaw | Cargo Ship, for USSB |
McCormick Steamship Company
Established in 1921, the McCormick Steamship Company (known as McCormick Lines) operated a fleet consisting of 71 vessels by the year 1925, servicing twenty-three ports along the Pacific Coast. Their operations integrated the transportation of lumber cargo with passenger travel services. In 1938, the company was acquired by Pope & Talbot.
Prominent ships within their fleet included:
- Wapama (built in 1915)
- Forbes Hauptmann (constructed in 1919), which was sunk after striking a mine in 1944
- Francis H. Leggett
- SS Charles R. McCormick (1920), built at Standifer yard in Vancouver, Washington
By 1919, McCormick’s service network encompassed key West Coast harbors such as San Diego, Los Angeles (San Pedro), San Francisco, Portland, Hoquiam, Aberdeen, and Seattle. The fleet then featured vessels like Klamath, Celilo, Willamette, Multnomah, and Wapama.
In 1927, the company maintained routes to Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Portland with ships including Rose City and Newport. That same year saw a strategic growth move through acquiring the Pacific Argentine Brazil Line, which expanded their reach to South American ports such as Bahia Blanca, Montevideo, Buenos Aires, Santos, Bahia, and Puerto Colombia. Among the notable ships on these South American routes were President Hayes (1920) and President Harrison, both classified as Design 1095 vessels.
The fleet composition in 1927 included Edna, Newport, W.R. Chamberlin Jr., Wallingford, Indiana Harbor, Silverado, Willamette, Alvarado, Wapama, Sudbury, Mystic, Munsomo, Chas. R. McCormick, Munaires, and Ipswich.
By the year 1940, McCormick’s operations had expanded internationally with port calls at Seattle; Portland; San Francisco; Los Angeles; Balboa; Cristobal; Norfolk; Baltimore; Philadelphia; New York; and San Juan. Their ships comprised Hollywood; West Cactus; West Camargo; West Ira; West Ivis; West Mahwah; West Nilus; and West Notus—the latter being lost to German submarine U-404 in May of 1942.
This growth and broadening of routes underscore McCormick Steamship Company’s strategic command in maritime transportation and highlight its substantial influence across Pacific and Atlantic shipping corridors throughout the early to mid-20th century.
World War II
During World War II, the McCormick Steamship Company contributed to the war effort by operating Merchant Marine vessels under the authority of the United States Shipping Board. The firm participated in charter agreements with both the Maritime Commission and the War Shipping Administration, overseeing Liberty and Victory ships for merchant marine service. While McCormick personnel handled the ship operations, the United States Navy assigned Armed Guard detachments responsible for manning deck artillery and managing communications.
Liberty ships managed
- William Ellery
- F. Marion Crawford
- Elihu Yale – suffered a catastrophic explosion near Anzio on February 15, 1944, during ammunition unloading
- Elinor Wylie – detonated a mine off Southern France on October 6, 1944; subsequently towed to Toulon
- Robert J. Walker – torpedoed and sunk by U-862 near Sydney on December 25, 1944
- Russell H. Chittenden – wrecked off New Guinea on March 13, 1945
- James Russell Lowell – torpedo attack off Algeria on October 15, 1943; grounded at Philippeville
- James W. Marshall – damaged by a guided bomb near Salerno on September 15, 1943; later scuttled as part of Gooseberry Harbor breakwater off Normandy
- James W. Nesmith – torpedoed in the Irish Sea on April 7, 1945; eventually scuttled after being loaded with obsolete ammunition
- Lydia M. Child – sunk by Japanese submarine I-178 off Australia on April 27, 1943, following torpedo attack
- Fitz-John Porter – torpedoed and sunk by U-518 off Brazil on March 1, 1943
Victory ships managed
- St. Cloud Victory
- Twin Falls Victory
- Warwick Victory
- Beloit Victory
- Maryville Victory
- Duke Victory
- Clark Victory
- Netherlands Victory
- Hope Victory
- Joplin Victory
- Lawrence Victory
- Linfield Victory
War casualties:
- Absaroka – torpedoed on December 24, 1941; subsequently repaired
- West Ira – torpedoed June 20, 1942
- West Ivis – torpedoed January 26, 1942
- West Notus – attacked by submarine shelling on June 1, 1942
- West Portal – torpedoed February 5, 1943
- Elihu Yale – struck by an aerial glider bomb on February 15, 1944
- Fitz John Porter – torpedoed March 1, 1943
- Starr King – torpedoed February 10, 1943