Fallow Lumber Company / Starrak's Mill

Author:
Peggy Willett

Image retirée.Just before the turn of thetwentieth century, three Fallow brothers from New Richmond Station (then called New Richmond Centre) -- George (Geordie), John and James -- formed the Fallow Lumber Company and went into the lumbering business. They purchased land on a branch of the Little Cascapedia River in Chaleurs and built a new sawmill which began operations about 1897.

Unfortunately for the Fallows, the mill burned after only a month or two in operation. Their losses were so large that they were forced to sell their remaining assets and declare bankruptcy.The logs in the holding boom were sold to Montgomery’s Mill and the property and what remained of the equipment was purchased by Jim Starrak.
Jim Starrak soon built a new sawmill where the Fallow mill had been located and began operations about 1897.He also used the Little Cascapedia River to run the logs down river to a holding area near the sawmill.This is why this branch of the Little Cascapedia River is still known today as Starrak’s Run.Starrak’s Mill produced bothshingles and lumber and was operated by steam. It continued to run until 1924, when it too burned to the ground in an unfortunate fire.The remaining equipment was sold to Narcisse Cyr who transported it to the west side of the Little Cascapedia River and built another sawmill on his property in New Richmond.