 R. M. Keith, agent of the Central Coal and Coke Company in Kansas City, Missouri, began buying virgin timber in the fall of 1899.Lumber to construct the new mill was cut by a small sawmill purchased in early 1901 from J. H. Ratcliff.Keith organized the Louisiana and Texas Lumber Company to operate the Four C. The mill was producing 300,000 board feet of lumber per daily by June 1902.