The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-04-25

very fine and straight gram. nen
comes our magnificent cedar often
fifteen feet in diameter, from which
boards one inch thick, three feet wide
and twenty feet long are often split
off, like ribbon, without a crook or
knot, with an AK. This cedar Is
fast coming to the front in commercial
value. 1t is no uncommon sight to
see trees of all kinds two hundred feet
to the limbs.
The Satsop Railroad has been in
operation at this point for five years,
commencing on a small scale with
one small locomotive and gradually
charging until this road is now the
largest numbering concern In OPP
Grafton on Puget Sound. They
have about ID miles of main line, and
nearly as much in switches, side tracks
and spurs into the timber contagious
to their line of road for several miles
on either side. They have three large
locomotives, over 100 logging cars, and
several box cars, and otherwise well
equipped for profitable work on a large
scale, with round house, turntable, ma
chine shops, large store, ware houses,
trestles, and the extensive booming
grounds, as we'll as first class applian
ces for railroad building, which is GO
ing on all the time. There are now
seven logging camps on this road, two
being operated by the company, but
several more will be added during the
summer. They employ about 300
men at present, but when all the
branches of this work are in active
operation the pay roll is much larger.
The road extends about Is miles west
ward, in the direction of Gray's Har-
bor to which point it will eventually
be built. Regarding the output of
this road, the Mason County Journal
of April 18th, says: awe observe
the trains passing down frequently
during the day, loaded with seven
cars of logs, but perhaps fail to note
the number Of daily trips. During
this week the trains have made an
average of twelve trips bringing down
from the camps a total of about $780,
O00 each day. In four days the out
put would be a million feet, or about
seven million feet of logs each month.
The camps on the Satsop railroad are
by no means working their best, as
nearly all of them can almost double
their output, if necessary. Doubtless
before tbe summer is over both our
railroads, together, will be putting in
about a half million of feet daily. This
will go to supply more than one of the
big mills of the Sound, as we'll as our
home mill, and those which are among
the probabilities for this summer"
The Mason County Genital railroad
was established about year ago. 1t
parallels the Satsop railroad short
distance and then turns southwesterly
along the Shelton valley. This con-
Germ handles considerable logs, and
docs profitable business in connec-
ton with their sawmill, Of about go
OOO feet daily capacity, which supplies
the local consumption of lumber, as
we'll as furnishing Olympia and the
towns of this vicinity with a great
deal of lumber every month. Several
hundred thousand feet of lumber was
sent to the former city alone during
the past six months. This railroad is
In its infancy as yet, but the company
is extendin the road, and preparing
to increase their output. The M. c..
G. is about six miles out, and is pass
ing through tract of rich bottom
lands, that will supply Shelton with a
great deal OF produce in the future.
This road can supply, on short notice,
the demand for any kind of merchant
able woods indigenous to this country,
for almost every class is to be found
along It's line.
AGRICULTURE
| Mason county is pre-en1inently a
numbering county, and that has been
the main industry for a score Of wears,
yes, more, for the shores of its bavs
were "hand-logged" thirty years ago.
long before the aid of the steam en-
CINE was invoked in the numbering in
dustry. Yet, a class of settlers is
coming rapidly to the aid of the DO
neers with their "clearings," and talk
ing government land for the purposes
of agriculture. Although the pro-
portion of the first-class "bottom lands"
THAT in valleys or along streams is
not very great, yet it is immensely
productive, and little land well-cui
tlvated brings forth much produce.
Enough is tributary to Shelton to sun
ply its needs and back up this pros
pective city generation hence, when
the numbering industry will likely be
ON the decline, as it is now in the
Eastern and Lake states. It is a very
conservative statement to say that
numbering will be carried on. a, genera.
tom hence, nor do we believe that that
period of time will witness the entire
denudatlon OF the original forests.
Again, the woods can be worked over
again every five or ten years, and c1t
closer, and second growth timber will
be IN demand several times within a
generation.
Many people are imbued with the
idea that the uplands are valueless for
agriculture, but the better class Of
such lands are far more productive
than the stony farms of the New EMO
land states. 1t has been proven that
these lands are admirably adapted for
the prunes Or any orchard fruit. as
well as berries and vegetable roots.
After the numbering industry is a sec
ondary one the rising generation
will be cultivating the upland as well
as the valleys, and getting as profitable
results.
Among the productive valleys, which
have growing communities tributary to
Shelton by railroad or wagon road.
are the following: Happy valley.
EpVpt valley Shelton voIlou TeoLo,i