Bentley & Emery 2-6-2 "Prairie" Locomotives in the USA

Class 2 (Locobase 13504)

Data from Baldwin Locomotive Works Specification for Engines as digitized by the DeGolyer Library of Southern Methodist University Volume 33, p. 259. See also the entry in Mississippi Rails at [], last accessed 27 November 2011. Works numbers were 34092 in December 1909 and 41165 in February 1914.

Charles S Bentley erected a mill in Richton, Miss in the southwestern part of Perry County and about 20 miles northeast of Hattiesburg to process the longleaf yellow pine growing in the area. By 1910, when Bentley had acquired a partner in Eugene A Emery, the company controlled about 120 million feet of timber. The first of the B & E's only rod-driven locomotives arrived in January 1910. When the second 2-6-2 arrived in 1914, it was named George L Bounds. The railroad included 16 miles and had 4 locomotives; the other two were Lima Shays.

The 4 remained with B & E until the Ovett mill closed in 1928 (Richton closed in 1918). Its next owner was Bassett Lumber Company in Wagar, Ala and it later worked for the Mississippi & Alabama of Leakesville, Miss. The M & A ran on a 16-mile segment of the bankrupt Alabama & Mississippi.

The 2 left much earlier and went to work for the Fidelity Lumber Company in Doucette, Tex. In 1911, Long-Bell Lumber Company took over the FLC's assets.