ohy_mss392.xml Guide to the Oregon Timber Transport Operators records Oregon Timber Transport Operators records Sharon M. Howe Oregon Historical Society Research Library 2005; revised 2024
1200 SW Park Ave. Portland, OR 97205 Business Number: 5033065204 Business Number: 5033065240 libreference@ohs.org https://www.ohs.org/research-and-library/
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2024-07-26. Finding aid is written in English. Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard), 2nd Edition. 2024-07-26 Minor corrections and revisions to conform to current standard. 2015 Revised to reflect updates to best practices. Oregon Historical Society Research Library Oregon Timber Transport Operators records Oregon Timber Transport Operators Mss 392 0.18 cubic feet 1 slim letter document case circa 1951-1957 Records of a short-lived organization that was formed in 1951 to address concerns about logging truck safety on the Oregon's highways. English

Collection is open for research.

Believed to be the gift of Edward H. Crosby.

The collection is arranged in two series:

Series 1: Governance and membership records, circa 1951-1956 Series 2: Operational records, 1951-1957

The Oregon Timber Transport Operators (OTTO) was formed in February 1951 as a non-profit educational organization to address public concerns about the safety of logging trucks on the state's highways after news coverage about fatal accidents and unsafe drivers threatened to bring punitive measures from the Oregon Legislature. The organization's purposes included research into truck operation, maintenance and safety; promotion of safe and courteous practices by drivers of logging and lumber products trucks; and consultation with state and federal agencies on the problems of transporting logs and lumber products on public highways. OTTO was led by an elected board of governors and had three membership classes: active (truck owners), drivers, and associates. The group opened an office in Portland, established service districts, and hired a safety engineer, Jack L. Curtis, and a secretary, Kay M. Hill. When OTTO found it difficult to obtain needed financial support, major logging and lumber industry organizations supported an effort to establish Forest Products Industry memberships based on production, while keeping driver memberships more modest. By 1953, the organization was conducting district safety meetings to promote driver training, as well as equipment inspections. It appears that operation of OTTO was turned over to the Willamette Valley Logging Conference in 1957.

Oregon Timber Transport Operators records, Mss 392, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.

Records of the Oregon Timber Transport Operators document its formation in 1951 and operation through 1957. The records include bylaws and policies, newsletters, membership records, correspondence, press releases and newspaper clippings, a speech, and ephemera. The records are not comprehensive but appear to have been assembled by Edward H. Crosby, manager of the Columbia Basin Loggers in Portland, Oregon, who took a leadership role in OTTO's organization and operations.

The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.

 Crosby, Edward H.--Correspondence Crosby, Edward H. Oregon Timber Transport Operators--Records and correspondence Log transportation--Oregon Log transportation--Oregon--Safety measures Nonprofit organizations--Oregon Lumber trade--Oregon Oregon Transportation Forestry and Forestry Products administrative records correspondence clippings (information artifacts) Governance and membership records Series 1 1951-1956 Bylaws, policies, and rules circa 1951 1 1 Board of Governors--confidential newsletter 1953 1 2 Membership--certificate, letter, reports 1951-1953 1 3 Membership--dues figures for 1951-1956 1953-1956 1 4-6 Membership--lists and production figures undated 1 7 Operational records Series 2 1951-1957 Correspondence 1951-1957 1 8-11

Consists primarily of Edward H. Crosby's correspondence with individuals and organizations in the logging and lumber industry. Correspondents include Nat Giustina (Giustina Brothers Lumber Company, Eugene, Oregon), who served as president of OTTO.

 Financial records--balance sheeets, etc. 1952-1957 1 12 Newspaper clippings 1952 1955 1 13

Includes lengthy article (Oregonian, September 21, 1952) on how industry and Oregon state officials could address public outrage over significant numbers of motorist deaths in collisions with logging trucks, and features on OTTO activities.

 Press releases 1952-1953 1 14 Speech at Lakeview, Oregon, by unidentified speaker, possibly Edward H. Crosby 1952 October 9 1 15 Other materials 1952 September 8 1954 undated 1 16

Includes Truck Inspection Survey, September 8, 1952; Summary of Motor Vehicle Traffic Accidents in Oregon, 1954; and handwritten stump scale and timber cruiser mark charts, W.T. Company, Klamath Falls, Oregon.