Pat Martin asked about steam-powered sawmills-
I've been researching steam-powered mills on a larger scale
that the type you mentioned in your post. The firm I'm with
excavated the site of the first successful steam-powered mill
of any size in Minneapolis last year (Pacific Sawmill,
1866-85), and I've been working on the analysis and report.
There is a considerable period literature on mill technology
including trade catalogs and newspapers (i.e., the _Upper
Mississippi Valley Lumberman_). The Minnesota Historical
Society holds many of these on microfilm. Hagley had more in
the way of trade catalogs- mostly for "farm" mills that took
power off a steam tractor. I've not found much in the
secondary literature.
Hope this is some help.
John P. McCarthy
Institute for Minnesota Archaeology/
IMA Consulting, Inc.