OFFICE   1955

The office was the domain of the bookkeeper, Leo Chase and it was here that he handed out paychecks twice a month on the 10th and 25th. By 1955 Leo had already worked for Pine Logging for almost 20 years and when Mr. Grimmett was not present he was the highest authority on the job. Leo did a remarkable of keeping all the records of the day-to-day business, the timekeeping for the whole crew, the payroll, and he also oversaw much of the overall management of the camp. Leo was also a personable fellow and when salesmen, job seekers, or whatever sort of visitor showed up Leo always had time to interrupt what ever he was doing to talk and often even take the visitors on a tour of the mill.

Originally Pine Logging Company was a partnership between Robert Grimmett and Jim Rohrbaugh; by 1955, however, Robert Grimmett had purchased his partner’s share of the business making him the sole owner. Mr. Grimmett kept a close eye on all aspects of the business both at the mill at Dinkey Creek and down at the drying yard and planing mill in Fresno. Mr. Grimmett’s desk was in the back room of the office, just steps away from his house.

On payday Leo handed out the paychecks, checks that Leo had computed and written and then turned over to Mr. Grimmett to inspect and sign. Mr. Grimmett, also known as “the old man” went over the payroll, check by check, to be sure that no one was making too much money. Most employees were paid by the hour and worked a steady 8-hour day, 6 days a week. Some of the woods crew, however, was paid by piecework depending upon the size and number of trees they had fallen and limbed, these paychecks were always especially well scrutinized.

By 1955 a two-way radio was installed for communication between the office at the mill and the office in Fresno enabling Leo to keep in good communication with the Fresno office and his boss, and visa versa. For the first ten years or so there was no radio communication between the Dinkey mill and Fresno. Since there were no telephones at the camp, any emergency communication from outside happened by calling the office in Fresno and that message was then radioed to Leo, who then gave the news to the Pine Logging employee or family member. Leo stayed pretty close to the office, so when he pulled up in front of a house in the middle of the day no one expected to hear good news.

Leo also distributed the mail. Attached to the front of the old office building was a set of alphabetically marked cubbyholes. Personal mail for the employees could be sent to the Fresno office and everyday it was then sent up in a bag on a lumber truck returning up the hill to the mill. The mailbag was given to Leo who then distributed the mail into the boxes. Because the boxes were open, items such as colorful postcards could catch the attention anyone collecting their mail and so could be easily admired. It was possible to have mail sent to the small US Post Office at Camp Ducey. That address was simply, for example, John Doe, Dinkey Creek, Calif.  The post office was in a small office in the general store and Mrs. Parker managed both store and post office. When one walked into the store Mrs. Parker would recognize the person and walk over to the Post Office and fetch the mail.

ORIGINAL GRIMMETT CABIN

Mr. & Mrs. Grimmett lived in their first cabin for about 15 years. It was a two-room cabin that has since had a bedroom added to it, the bedroom to the west nearest to the cookhouse. The cabin had running water in the kitchen and in the 1940’s electricity was added and a small addition that contained a shower.

This cabin still stands and is located just across the road and down the hill from the ‘new’ Grimmett cabin.