Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1882-11-09
The Puget Sound Lumber Trade.

Sound is as wide as its manufacture is
active. In one days cruise 1 found
vessels loading for Boston. San Francis
co. Valparaiso, the Sandwich Islands,
Vallejo, Mexico. Japan. China, France.
England, Australia and South America.
The export reported in 1881 was about
175, 900. 600 feet. valued at about ST.
100 900. OF this about 40. 800, 900 was
shipped to foreign ports. The value of
the foreign cargoes was about 1896, 900.
1t is sight to see some of the big logs
in the booms. ! spent n couple of
hours among them one night The
electric light, with which almost all
these mills are equipped. illuminated
the water far and near, making it look
like silver in quartz, or the spangles on
ballet-girl's dress. The logs were
like slumbering giants in the gloom,
and refused to move as Captain Loggie
and l stepped from one to another.
Many of them were five feet in dame
ter. and all were barkless. Mr.. George
Braun. the foreman Of JacksOn's
logging camp on the Skagit River,
lately cut one tree from which were
sawed two logs of 32 and &c, and
two of 80 feet in all 11S feet
in length. The top of the tree
measured 81 inches across. The entire
log scaled about $1,000 feet As Mr..
Braun said: THAT is like raising 100
bushels of oats to the acre" which they
do on the tide-fats just below his camp.
But all trees here are exceptional in
size, height and symmetry. They make
the finest possible spars and masts.
FRS $50 feet high, pines $50 feet. cedars
100 feet, are met with in any woodland
walk along logging trail. Ship build
ing, as a natural result, is a great in
dustry. The ship-carpenter at Blakeslee
told me as left that he was just COM
pleting his fortieth vessel. He informed
me also that the first saw-mill in this
region was erected at Seattle in 1853.
1t would cut about 5000 feet per day.
Now there are eighteen mills, in any
one Of which this pioneer would be lost.
Think of the thick forests-trees
crowded together as close as they can
grow-and right on the shores of the
Sound or its tributary waters, these
shores generally sloping so as 10 make
the most facile of log-ways: countless
ioadsteads and sheltered harbOrs; a
climate never too cold to work, although
sometimes too wet; then the waters of
the Sound for log-roads themselves,
when steam-lamch can pull raft
anywhere, and one can see why this in
dustry grows so. Where else do condi-
tons as favorable to it exist?
The lumber business is not carried on
here as it is in the interior or the East.
There are no lumber-yards supplied
from the mills. The mills themselves
distribute the lumber. MANY OF them
have planning machines and elaborate
machinery on the ground floors beneath
the saws, where they manufacture
dressed lumber, flooring, ceiling, etc.
Factories of barrels, pals, etc. etc,
group around them. subsisting on what
would be refuse A unique establish
ment is that OF the Stetsons 4 Post, in
Seattle. where house-trimmings. doors,
sashes. blinds and moulding are manu-
featured in connection with saw-mill.
There is great profit in this business.
These gentlemen have made 100000,
starting with 800 five years ago: but
they are Woodworking men. practical
mechanics, and understand their bust
ness thoroughly. The profit in export
ing is not less. but of course requires
greater capital. The ships carry an
average of 100000 feet every five to
eight weeks. at a profit as near as can
average it. of $3.50 per trip. All OF
the saw-mill proprietors are wealthy.
They are. for the most part. attached to
the scenes where their wealth has been
made. aud spend their time and money
at home rather than abroa1.-Paget
Sound Cor. N Y Ereni,ig Post.