Sabine Index, Many, La., Oct 24, 1974


Rolla Robinson, 76, of Many, died in Fraser Hospital on Thursday, Oct. 17, at 4:50 p.m.

Robinson is survived by his widow, Mrs. Julia Robinson; a daughter, Mrs. Joan Moses of Shreveport; two brothers, Roy Robinson, and Paul Robinson, both of Many; three sisters, Mrs. Leattle Davis, Mrs. Agnes Schroeder, and Mrs. Beatrice Ashley, all of Many; and three granddaughters, Tina, Dawn, and Sara Moses, all of Shreveport.

Funeral services were held at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church on Saturday, Oct. 19, at 2 p.m., with the Msgr. T. J. Lennon officiating.

Burial was in the St. John Cemetery, under the direction of the Warren Meadows Funeral Home. Pallbearers were Pete Anderson, James A. Brumley, T. M. Phillips, Doug Abington, C. B. Funderburk, Judge J. S. Pickett Sr., Joe Bill McCormic, and R. M. Tannehill . Honorary pallbearers were former employees of the La. Long Leaf Lumber Co., of Fisher.

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The Passing of an Era

By Ann Matthews
Shreveport Journal
Staff Writer

Reprinted from recent issue of the Shreveport Journal.

FISHER -- An era in the history of forestry and sawmills in Louisiana is passing with the closing of Louisiana Long Leaf Lumber Company's general merchandise commissary at Fisher.

The store, which in earlier days was said to sell "Everything From the Cradle to the Grave", will be closed this summer.

In operation since the Louisiana Long Leaf Lumber Co. was organized on July 5, 1899, by a Missouri firm, the commissary has always been called the "Fisher Store" by almost everyone connected with it.

The Establishment was housed in a temporary building during the first few months of operation. In 1900 the north end of the present building was completed and the south wing was added in 1914. In the beginning, the huge frame building not only housed the store, but the local post office was located at the back. Now the post office is in a separate building down a board sidewalk from the commissary.

The commissary, featuring varied items from diapers to coffins, was divided into four major departments. These were the service station, a market, the drug department, and the store department, which included dry goods, hardware, feed, groceries, and building materials.

At one time the commissary had an extensive millinery department and also sold automobiles. The Fisher Store was the biggest mercantile establishment in the area from 1900 to 1940 and people came from as far as 100 miles to shop. It is the last general merchandise sawmill commissary in the state.

J. R. Robinson, who has been employed by the store since 1918, has been its manager since 1938. For the first year he worked with the lumber camps out in the woods. At that time the lumber firm owned its own wood-burning locomotive and had tracks to the camps in the woods. Robinson would go out and take orders from the people working in these camps, then deliver the supplies in the log trains. He not only delivered the orders for food and supplies for the workers, but also took feed for the mules.

He recalls that for many years the store had a wood stove and people would gather around it each evening. Around 7:30 or 8 P.M. the store manager, at that time A. R. Bryan would call out that it was almost time to close, then the people would do their shopping. Residents of the community would also gather in front of the store and on the porch which extends across the front of the building and "pitch dollars".

According to Robinson, when he first came to the Fisher store the service station had only one pump at the end of the store's porch-- and most of the time this would go two or three days without use. Later, pumps were installed at the street in front of the building, and when U. S. Hwy. 171 was built near Fisher, the service station was moved to its present location near the highway.

Robinson and Maggie Kay, who came to the store one year after he did, both have seen changes made through the years. One big change in the store that was witnessed by both was the installation of cash registers in the various departments. Until 1930 there was only one cash register in the entire store. Robinson said that the " sling-shot" system was used for getting change. The money was put into containers and sent to the central location and the change was returned in the same manner.

Both were around when electrical refrigeration came into the area and changed operations in the store. Before this happened the store would open its ice house and market for one hour every Sunday. At one time an ammonia system was used for cooling meats and drinks in the store. Robinson said that they would receive ice cream in five gallon cartons by Kansas City Southern railway express and most of the time would sell out without having to repack it.

As did many other stores during the earlier part of this century, the store furnished farmers with supplies. They would get them in the spring and would pay when they harvested their crops. At one time the commissary would buy supplies from the farmers. These included syrup, which was a big seller, pork, beef, and produce.

An interesting feature of Louisiana Long Leaf Lumber Company is that throughout the 68 years of operation the firm always paid its employees cash -- never by check. The employees also drew their pay daily, but there was a monthly general payday. Up until 1914 the company would issue from its main office coupon books which could be used for trade at the store. These were a substitute for cash.

Both Robinson and Miss Kay commented on the change in prices through the years. Robinson remembers when a 24-pound sack of meal sold for 25 cents and a sack of flour of the same size would cost the customer 50 cents. He said that at one time they sold shorts (cow food) in 100 pound sacks at two sacks for $1 and the last sack sold in the store was purchased for $4.05.

According to Robinson, the early 1920's were the busiest years in the store. During that time about 600 customers were in the store in one day (and on some days as many as 1,000 shopped in the store), but in the last few years the average number per day has been about 200.

Most people attribute the improvements of transportation and the move toward industrialization in the area as major reasons for the closing of the commissary, along with selling of the company.

Louisiana Long Leaf Lumber Co. produced lumber continuously at Fisher for 68 years before it was sold to Boise Cascade last March. The commissary will close when all merchandise is sold this summer and the building will probably be turned into offices by the new owners.

Even though there will no longer be a commissary at Fisher. The memory of its busy past will live on in the minds of long-time employees such as Robinson and Miss Kay.

Both said they would miss the "big store". Miss Kay said that she "enjoyed every minute of work down there" and would miss the many friends she made while working in the store. Robinson said that he would hate to see the store go "Not only for myself but for the people. They should have a place to buy supplies." He said that it would be "like leaving home" as the job at Fisher was the second one he had.

Both are retiring, he to nearby Many and she will stay in her house across the street from the store as long as possible. But younger people like Janette Thaxton, who has worked in the commissary for the past eight years, will have to look elsewhere for a job.

J. R. Robinson has been manager of the store since 1938. He will retire this summer after 49 years with the firm.

The above notice is attached to his picture in this article.

THURSDAY, JULY 27, 1967 THE SABINE INDEX, MANY, LOUISIANA 1B

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Notes:

I heard at one time during his career Rolla would walk from Many down the railroad tracks to Fisher.

I believe Rolla bought a lot from his sister (Leattie) shortly before or soon after his retirement. He and his wife then had a new home built on the side of his sister (Leattie) in Many. They lived there for several years after Rolla's retirement. G.D.d.