Big Blackfoot Milling Company Records, 1882-1899

On August 1, 1882, Andrew Hammond, Richard Eddy, E. L. Bonner, and others incorporated the Montana Improvement Company to exploit the timber resources in western Montana. The company acquired the sawmills of Eddy, Hammond and Company, a Missoula general store operation that had entered the lumber business under contract to provide lumber for the construction of the Northern Pacific Railroad. In March 1886, the government of the United States brought suit against the Montana Improvement Company for cutting timber on the government domain. In anticipation of this event, Eddy, Hammond and Company incorporated as the Missoula Mercantile Company. On August 4, 1887, the partners of the Montana Improvement Company incorporated the Big Blackfoot Milling Company to take over the lumber activities of the Improvement Company. On February 3, 1888 the Big Blackfoot Milling and Manufacturing Company succeeded the Big Blackfoot Milling Company. In the pursuit of the timber suits, records of these companies ended up with the Hammond Lumber Company of California where the trial was held in Federal Court.