Madera had the lumber industry’s first flume; no one disputes that fact. What was in dispute was who had the longest one?
Built in 1876, by the California Lumber Company, Madera’s V-flume followed along mountainsides, through steep canyons, and often had to utilize trestles that were more than 60 feet in height.
When the company went bankrupt two years later, the Madera Flume and Trading Company acquired its assets and used its flume to continue sending lumber to Madera.
Then, lo and behold, the MFTC went belly up in 1898, and water ceased to carry lumber down the flume...