From roughly 1855 through 1857, this firm made a circular sawmill. The saw cut in both directions, and its operation was automatic once the time the log was dogged onto the carriage and the saw was started. It could cut over 2000 feet of siding per hour. The smallest version of the saw cost a whopping $1000.
Information Sources
- The 1850 census listed Pinney Youngs of Milwaukee as a 44-year-old engineer who owned property valued at $1000.
- Mr. Pinney Youngs of Milwaukee received an 1855 patent for a circular sawmill. The patent was reissued later that same year.
- From an 1856-10-18 writeup in Scientific American, which provided information on the features of the saw, and the price.
- From a November 1856 Scientific American article article on the Fair of the American Institute, which noted that Pinney Youngs & Co. had won a gold medal for their sawing machine.
- Erving, Burdick & co's Milwaukee city directory, for 1857 & 1858, lists this maker:
Youngs Pinney, & Co., patent sawing machine, on the canal.
Youngs Pinney, (of P. Y. & Co.) Third, bt Vliet and Cherry.