, 1877-05-18
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
= FROM SAN JUAN ISLAND.
MAY, 10, 1877.

MAY, 10, 1877.
1t was with no slight anticipation
of a pleasant trip to this sunny spot
that we left home yesterday morning,
taking passage in the neat and COM
modious little propeller Dispatch,
the captain of which bears the name
of Munroe and the reputation of be-
ing a pleasant and accommodating
gentleman, which character we found
fully sustained by our association
with him. Having met on the steam
er, in accordance with the guidance
of Lucky stars" Mr.. J. McCurdy,
the genial proprietor of the San
Juan Line Works, also his estimable
wife, and having accepted from them
a cordial invitation to visit their sec
tion of country and share their hos
pitality, we accordingly joined their
company. H.--
THE ISLAND
is about Is miles long by Z wide, or.
an average width of perhaps A miles.
Its population numbers about $50.
The number of actual settlers or
land owners figures somewhere be-
80 and 100. There are three school
districts, two of which boast of -four
ishing country schools, having in all
about 60 pupils. Perhaps one-quar-
ter of the land may .b5 utilized for
agricultural purposes, the remainder
being partly dry fir ridges and partly
bold, barren rocks, especially the
north west portion, which rises into
hills of 300 feet or more above the
sea level. Nearing this part, where
the Lime Works are located, the af-
ternoon being pleasant and bright
sun shining down through a clear at
mosphere, our eyes were greeted
with scene at once pleasantbeeause
SO varied. Those rugged, brown and
partially bare bouiders rising alb
.ruptly from the waters edge, and
covered here and there with scat
tered stunted trees and shrubs,
seemed to partake of the air of an
cient rock bound castles so often
pictured in the historic lore of the
old world. p-,4, ID
THE LIME KILN
is situated on side hill composed
Of solid, gray and brown stone. The
rock which is manufactured into
lime is contained in a ledge about
$50 feet across and extending several
hundred yards back; the quarry
where great pieces of stone are
blown off and broken up with blast
ing powder being in front. The kiln
is square pyramid constructed of
massive stone masonry; is about IS
feet across each side at the base; is
something over 20 feet high, aud
contains a vertical cavity about
six feet in diameter. In this a
fire is kept going constantly, con
suming about 4 cords every "A hours.
The quarryis about 80 feet above the
salt water; and the kiln, being situat-
ed below it, receives the fine broken
pieces of rock at its top through
shute. Here are turned out, labelled
ready for market, about 70 barrels
per day of the finest quality of lime
in the world. From Is to 20 men
are kept in employment TO carry on
the business; and1the expenses are
estimated at nearly $1200 per month";
For pluck, experience and genuine
business capacity, Mr.. McCurdy
takes rank among the foremost men
in our country, and if there were
only more of the same kind the re- 4
sources of Puget Sound would soon
be developed to an extent worthy of
their value. With his aid and that of
his pleasant forewsn, Mr.. Sour, we
we're enabled to 'do up" the enter
prise in a short time. The process
Of making the barrels we Witnessed
with no little interest. Several
'coopers are employed. Strong, light,
durable barrels are made from cedar
slaves and young FIR hoops. These
are taken to shed just below the
kiln, where they are filed, headed
up, and sent down on an ihgeniously
constructed double railway track to
the warehouse which is situated just
above the wharf, audgwhich will hold
kAn TIl-E al Al