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i 10 The Canadian Statesman, Bowmanviile, January 25,1984 Section Two er 100 Years, Woodley's Saw Mill Stays in Family Jim Woodley recently took over the reins of the family's century sawmill and is shown above moving logs into position for cutting. With more than 65 years of sawing lumber behind him, Clarence understandably understandably developed the kind of ear than can pick out a dull saw tooth from the hum of the machine. Today, Clarence shares his experience with grandson grandson Jim. For over 100 years, logs have been rolled along this chute and into Wood- ley's Mill for custom cutting and planing. by Donna Fairey The ways of the world have changed dramatically in the past 100 years -- but not at Woodley's Mill. It's one of the oldest, if not the only, completely water-driven water-driven saw mill remaining in operation in Ontario. When daylight fades, likewise so does production at the mill just north of Tyrone. None of the Wood- ley family lineage running the mill since the mid 1800s has experienced a need to install electricity. While some mills modernized modernized to keep pace and many simply gave up the ghost, Woodley's mill survived survived the pains of progress by holding a steady, unwavering unwavering pace. The business has supported Woodley families for more than a century without new fang- led gadgets like lightbulbs and electrical switches. The juice which flows through the mill, powering the saws,is strictly liquid. Two branches of the Bowmanviile Bowmanviile Creek headwaters wind through the building, generating a water driven turbine which turns the mill's saws. The resident expert on the mill's simple, yet effective, effective, operation is Clarence Woodley who has been running running the business since 1919. In July he will celebrate celebrate his 86th birthday and is currently in the throes of transferring the reins to his grandson, Jim Woodley. "I'm sort of retired," says Mr. Woodley. And "sort of' to the veteran mill owner means that he remains involved, involved, just not as actively as he once was. Mr. Woodley's Woodley's influence means that Jim can benefit from his "Cramp's" experience. The senior of the pair, for instance, instance, recognizes a dull saw tooth simply by the sound of tne running machine. "A lot of water has gone under the bridge," he remarked remarked about the changes which have occurred since he began in the business as a young man. He remembers remembers the early days in 1919 when hired help was paid 75 cents per day. "Next thing you know, they wanted $1.00 a day, then $2.00." When labor was cheap, he explained, custom cutting cost $3.50 per 1000 board feet. As labor costs escalated escalated so did consumer prices. Today the standing rate for custom wood cutting cutting and planing at the mill is $25 per hour. Mr. Woodley rolls his memory back a half century and reflects on the times when he and a crew of workers workers would head into the bush with cross cut saws and a sleigh to fell their own timber. Those days are gone. The Woodley's 225 acre spread is not relied upon to provide provide lumber. Both Jim and Clarence admit it's cheaper, faster and allround allround more sensible to purchase purchase logs from local suppliers. The senior Mr. Woodley says he could have been a lot richer today, had he charged top dollar for his work. "I never really kept my prices up to inflation," he stated. Illustrating his stable, yet unpretentious, way of life is the corner, in his country kitchen which has served as the sawmill's business office office for more than 60 years. An antique pigeon-hole desk purchased from the estate estate of a Bowmanviile dentist dentist is the sole piece of office office furniture which has functioned admirably as both accounting space and filing cabinet; Today, his grandson hauls a chair up to the desk, hand writes an invoice and files a copy in one of the pigeon holes. It's business as it always always was with Jim enthusiastic enthusiastic about the sawmill sawmill operation and carrying on the family name in the company. "It seemed logical logical that Jim would take over," said Clarence, just as the senior Woodley took, over from his father. The gentleman whose sharp wit is as dry as summer summer wheat stares fondly at the family mill which contains contains machinery older than himself. Yes, much water has passed over the dam. "There's a lot of memories in there," he states. Moreover, j semi-retire- : ment from the mill is not without its benefits. Mr. Woodley left recently for the sunny south where he can bask in the Florida sunshine sunshine and reflect on the good old days at the mill. '"•W * Committee Recommends Against Donating to Pollution Probe Fight Woodley's Sawmill is a simple, yet effective operation operation which has supported Woodley families for more than 100 years. One of the large water driven saws is shown above. Elected officials are recommending recommending that the town not contribute funds towards towards Pollution Probe for the fight against an industrial industrial waste disposal site in Lewislown, New York. In a letter to council early in the month, the environ- , mental organization had asked for funds from Newcastle Newcastle on the grounds that a waste disposal site in the U.S. could contaminate ; Lake Ontario. The request was referred to town staff for a report. In reply, Chief Administrative Administrative Officer David Johnston said "given its location location in another country, it would seem more approp riate for the town to voice any concerns through the Federal and/or Provincial government." Mr. Johnston recommended recommended that the Ontario Minister of Environment investigate investigate the proposed industrial industrial waste disposal site in Lewiston because of the town's concerns over the affect affect of such a development on Lake Ontario water. A similar request has also been made to the Federal Minister of the Environment. Environment. The general purpose committee committee recommended this week that the administrator's administrator's report be endorsed. Town Passes Buck on Drinking and Driving Newcastle councillors councillors have decided that the fight against drinking drinking and driving should be carried out by boards of education or regional health and law enforcement agencies instead of the local municipality. The town's chief administrative administrative officer, David Johnston, said in a written report that there can be no doubt as to the negative im- Thcre's nothing quite like expedience. Semi-retired 85-year-old Clarence Woodley shares a trick of the trade with grandson Jim Woodley who is taking over the sawmill operation. pacts that the drinking driver has on our communities. communities. However, he added that the problem is one which could be better addressed at the regional level and through boards of education. education. "Accordingly, we arc recommending that the matter be referred to the boards of education and appropriate regional regional agencies that may be in a position to more effectively promote public awareness of this problem," Mr. Johnston added. Ilis report was sparked by a letter from the Ontario Attorney General recommending recommending committees in each community educate the public about the dangers dangers of alcohol and driving. Acting on advice from the town's chief administrator, administrator, the town's general purpose committee committee has recommended recommended that regional agencies such as the police commission, health unit, and social services committee take action on this subject. subject. Local school boards have also been advised of the town's concerns over the topic and the need for an educational program to help solve the problem. DUNWOODYLIMITED tyjj Trustee in Bankruptcy Suite 1A 57 Simcoe St. S., Oshawa L1H 7L9 Phone 576-3430 P.O. Box 516 PEACOCK LUMBER LTD. Building supplies. Our specially is lumber and lumber products. A complete line of kiln dried hardwood and softwoods. • Walnut • Cherry • Maple . Redwood • Teak • Oak • Phil. Mnhog, • Softwoods lliirdwood & «otlwood plywood, MILL and YARD Specialty 328 Rltson Rd. N„ Oshawa Custom Milling 725-4744 TELEPHONE 623-6555 JOHN MANUEL, C.G.A. Income Tax and Related Accounting Services 118 King St. E., Suite 2 Bowmanviile, Ontario L1C 1N4 Art Youngman has been employed at Woodley's Mill for the past 35 years. He is shown above turning the wheel which opens the water gates to the sawmill. Woodley's Sawmill just north of Tyrone is one of a rare breed. It's one of the few, if not the last, completely water driven mills remaining in operation in Ontario. The sketch above is a realistic artist's impression of the century mill established in the mid 1800s. a s 3 xl -r.i ■V is % II ■3 u 4