Longest flumes In the late 19th century, three rival California lumber companies built log flumes of unprecedented and nearly identical length. Each served the same purpose: to link their logging operations in the Sierra Nevada to railroad shipping depots in the San Joaquin Valley. In 1877, The California Lumber Company completed a flume to connect the mill at Nelder Grove to the shipping depot at Madera. In 1890, the Kings River Lumber Company completed the Kings River Flume from the upper Kings River area to Sanger. In 1891, the Fresno Flume and Irrigation Company built a flume to connect the sawmill at Shaver Lake with the planing mill and shipping depot at Clovis.
Longest flumes In the late 19th century, three rival California lumber companies built log flumes of unprecedented and nearly identical length. Each served the same purpose: to link their logging operations in the Sierra Nevada to railroad shipping depots in the San Joaquin Valley. In 1877, The California Lumber Company completed a flume to connect the mill at Nelder Grove to the shipping depot at Madera. In 1890, the Kings River Lumber Company completed the Kings River Flume from the upper Kings River area to Sanger. In 1891, the Fresno Flume and Irrigation Company built a flume to connect the sawmill at Shaver Lake with the planing mill and shipping depot at Clovis.