W. A. Gould and J. M. Richards were employees of the Crookston Mill until 1907 when they split from Crookston Lumber Company and opened their own mill called the Bemidji Lumber Company Mill. “W. A. Gould and J. M. Richards, who recently severed their connection with the Crookston Lumber company and are now members of the new Bemidji Lumber company, last Saturday evening gave a banquet to the employees of the Crookston Lumber company, as a sort of farewell to their former co-laborers. The banquet was given at the Hotel Markham, and consisted of a splendid spread of six courses, served in an elaborate manner. When the dishes had been disposed of, speech-making and storytelling was in order and there was a general social good time and splendid good fellowship. Both Mr. Gould and Mr. Richards spoke feelingly of their past associations with the men who were present and expressed deep regret at the severing of the ties which had bound them to their guests. Messrs. McClatchie and Ryan spoke on behalf of the employees and assured the hosts that their many acts of kindness would not be forgotten and wished them success in their new enterprise. P. F. Pettibone, who succeeds Mr. Richards as local general manager for the Crookston Lumber company, also spoke. (Bemidji Daily Pioneer, Aug 5, 1907)
The Bemidji Lumber Company Mill was still going strong in 1911 and probably beyond that. It was the Bemidji Lumber Company Mill that burned in 1914. The first reference that I find in the Bemidji Pioneer to the Crookston Mill No. 2 is in 1914 when the mill is to be rebuilt. The Bemidji Lumber Company was definitely still its own entity in 1911.
Postcard below is dated June 6, 1913.
