The Austin Sawmill, Kinmount

By Guy Scott

The sawmill industry was always important to Kinmount history. John Hunter, founder of the village, was in the sawmill business. He built the first mill on the east side of the little waterfall in town. But without transportation to the outside world, the little Hunter Mill only operated part time for the local market. But the location on the Burnt River was a prime spot and the arrival of the Victoria Railway (1876) was to change the lumber industry in the area. The railway passed through Kinmount on its way to Haliburton and made the village a prime location for sawmills. Logs could be brought to town via the Burnt River. The Hunter Mill used water power from the dam to saw the logs. And the resulting products could be loaded on railway cars that were brought right to the mill doors. It was an ideal set up. In 1871, John Hunter went bankrupt and sold his holdings to the Cluxton Family.

Prior to the railway’s arrival, the sawmill was on the east side of the Burnt River. The imminent arrival of the Railway led the Cluxton Family to lease a piece of property (Block O) on the west bank of the Burnt River to Greene & Ellis, a lumber firm based in Fenelon Falls. Block O lay between the River and the Railway: an ideal site! They proceeded to build a large mill that was ready for action by 1875. Greene & Ellis operated the mill for about 10 years, either by themselves or leasing the big mill to various other managers. In the mid 1880s, John Austin Sr., also a lumberman from Fenelon Falls, leased the Greene & Ellis mill. He went into partnership with W. Craig and the firm of Craig & Austin was born. The new owners enlarged and improved the big mill over the years until it became one of the largest in Victoria County. A newspaper article in the Watchman-Warder (Lindsay) in 1900 records the health of the lumber industry.

The article is titled “the Past Season has Made a Record in the Lumber Cutting of this District”. It lists facts about four of the largest sawmills in the area. The Craig & Austin Mill at Kinmount is included. “Many people have no idea that a mill at Kinmount cuts more than half as much as our biggest town (Lindsay) concerns. But it does. It is Mr. John Austin’s mill. Last season (1900) it ran from March to December and cut 3,000,000 feet of lumber, 15,000 railway ties and 5,000,000 shingles. Last spring new elevators were put across the river to convey the sawdust, and before work begins again, a big new kiln to burn it will be erected. Mr. Austin had two men in the woods peeling tan bark all summer. Of that 400 cords were sold at Huntsville and the rest were sent to other points. It is dear now and more is being collected. Hemlock bark is worth more than the log. It is an advantage to have it peeled for the log floats better. Mr. Austin shipped 300,000 feet of hardwood lumber to the States, where it brings a higher price. It was chiefly ash and maple. Not long ago, Mr. Austin bought large pine limits from the Canada Land Company, which is the successor of the English Land Company and owns 9 townships in Haliburton County (Dysart et al). He has camps on these limits in Dysart and Dudley this winter. The former camp has the Burnt River through the centre and the Haliburton Railway within 200 yards (at Donald), and the latter camp is 6 miles from Bancroft. The drive will come from Dysart in two weeks, and from Dudley, it will take 6 weeks to two months.”

The first mill burnt on January 17, 1908. It was a total loss. The Watchman-Warder recorded the event: “The blowing of the whistle at the butter dish factory and the ringing of the bell on the English Church awoke the sleeping citizens of this burg by the mountain on Wednesday morning last at about 3:00 am to the realization Craig & Austin’s fine mill was in flames. A large crowd gathered ready to render any assistance, but nothing could be done to save the mill. The wind was very favourable and blowing a gale from the southwest, so that the lumber yard and the shingle sheds were safe. Messrs. Craig and Austin were heavy losers as they only had a small insurance on the mill which was undergoing extensive repairs. The fire is supposed to have been caused by a tramp passing a night in the mill, and having a fire in a stove in the shingle packing room. It is hoped the firm will rebuild as it would be a distinct loss to the village if this industry is not running during the coming season.” The Lindsay Post added the mill and machinery were valued at $12,000, but insurance was only $2,000.

The mill was rebuilt and operational within the year. The partnership was dissolved in November (1908) when John Austin bought out the Craig share. The Craigs left town and moved to Blind River where they continued in the lumber business. The second mill lasted until 1942, when it was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1942. The fire actually started in the sawdust piles and thanks to another southwest gale, the fire burnt out the entire main street of the village. Only the railway station was spared. Mill #3, the current mill, was assembled after the 1942 fire. It was a used mill, purchased from another company and reassembled in Kinmount. The Austin sawmill continued to operate until the late 1970s. It was closed and sat idle until the 1990s when the mill was restored and a park created in 1995. A video, mural and historical story boards have sine been added.