1904 Elisha K Kane Lumber Billhead Mt J Kirr Co Kushequa PA Erie Railroad
$ 6.86
Description
1904 Elisha K Kane Lumber Billhead Mt J Kirr Co Kushequa PA Erie Railroad. The billhead serves as a significant artifact of Pennsylvania's lumbering history and the logistical networks that supported it. This early 20th-century commercial invoice, dated October 10, 1904, documents a lumber transaction between Elisha K. Kane, a prominent hemlock and hardwood supplier, and the Mt. J. Kirr Co., both operating in Kushequa, McKean County, Pennsylvania. The billhead details a shipment of band and gang sawn lumber, specifying the purchase of 280 feet of hardwood at a price of $18, with handwritten annotations indicating the order was approved by an engineer, marked Engine O.K.D.C. The document's pre-printed text outlines the company's specialization in heavy hemlock bark, lath, and shingles, processed at their local saw mills and planing mill, reflecting the vertically integrated nature of the timber industry in this region. A notable clause printed at the top, NO CLAIMS WILL BE ENTERTAINED UNLESS MADE WITHIN 5 DAYS AFTER RECEIPT OF LUMBER, provides insight into the period's standard commercial practices and liability limitations. The billhead serves as a significant artifact of Pennsylvania's lumbering history and the logistical networks that supported it. The verso prominently advertises the KUSHEQUA ROUTE, detailing its rail connections with the Erie Railroad, the B.R. & P. Ry., and the W.N.Y. & P. Ry., which were essential for distributing finished lumber products from this remote area. The inclusion of specific fields for Order No., Date Shipped, Car No., and Consigned to illustrates the systematized approach to freight management during the era. The handwritten entries for car number 11690 and the itemized list of pieces, dimensions, and total board feet offer a tangible record of a single commercial exchange, capturing the material culture of early industrial bookkeeping and the economic activity that defined the Appalachian timber region during its peak operational period. PLEASE NOTE: This item may be folded in order to fit the mailer. Whenever possible, it will be folded using folds or creases that were already in the document.
