Many may not realize that Red River Lumber Company sold bonds with two Minnesota banks to finance the construction of Westwood. After all, the initial cost to construct Westwood was $3,528,300. While sorting through the T.B. Walker papers, there was some interesting correspondence on this topic. Even with T.B. Walker’s wealth—one of wealthiest people in the United States—the banks were leery. There concern was real, especially in family operations such as Red River. Edward Decker of Northwestern National Bank informed T.B., that his concern was with his heirs, that in many causes quarrels and misunderstandings occur and eventually leading to the failure of the enterprise. However, Decker had witnessed T.B.’s five sons working together in harmony and felt confident with approval of $2 million in bonds. However, Decker was no fool, and secured a mortgage to Red River’s timberlands in Shasta and Tehama Counties. Decker’s initial thoughts came true, when shortly after T.B. Walker’s death in 1927, that Red River defaulted on a bond balloon payment, and thus the numerous financial difficulties to be encountered down the road.
