The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-01

as shown by that article, is plea in favor
OF Its use, putting aside the fact of the
greater beauty of the buildings. The stone
need not be veneered on to the building,
but can be quarried in blocks of any size.
The lime business, prior to the advent of
the Roche Harbor Company, was in a
very chaotic state, the only men to make
practical success of the business being
the Scurr brothers, of Roche Harbor, who,
by careful management, had built up a
reputation for their lime, and had not lost
money in the venture. The three other
works, Port Langdon, Eureka and
McCurdy's, had all proved expensive and
losing ventures up to 1885. Port Langdon
had passed through the hands of various
well-known men, until, in 1882, Mr.. Scott,
of Seattle, purchased the works. His
failure in 1886 caused the works to be shut
down, in which condition they have
remained ever since. The property, which
is very valuable one, consists of a
farm, one kiln, buildings of various
description, good harbor and a magnificent
cropping of ledge No. z, standing up in a
bold cliff over 100 feet in height. Eureka
proved source of loss to its former pro-
prietor, but has recently been purchased
by a company, which has developed the
property and is said to be doing a good
business. The McCurdy works were pur-
chased some three years since by the San
Francisco lime king and millionaire, Mr..
Cowell, who also owns lodges in various
parts of the archipelago. The Estelle
works on the east side of Orcas, which
were started about two years ago, have
been shut down through land Office litiga-
ton, and two or three one-kiln works
which made money Immediately after the
Seattle fire, have since been closed. But
works have since been opened at Lime
stone point, ON San Juan island, and at
Harrison's landing, in Orcas, which are
said to be paying we'll The San Juan
County Lime Company, which possesses
the largest ledge outside of Roche Harbor. is
quietly developing its property. The rock,
which is in the same vein as Roche Harbor,
is perhaps the best, so far as natures ar
rangements go, tor large works. The vein
stands up a natural qnarry, about one-
eighth of a mile long, and is close TO good
harbor and every other necessity for run
ming large business.
About the year 1885 Mr.. McMillin, a
lawyer of Tacoma, bought the Roche Har-
Dor works for Tacoma company. From
that date to the present time, under Mr..
McMilIin's management, the works have
grown to be the largest and most valuable
in the Northwest. When purchased there
were only two stone kilns IN the works and
four houses in the village. Today there is
a large village of well-built houses, erected
by the company, with church, school
house, hotel and large store. The plant
has been enlarged by the addition Of sew
eral iron monitor kilns, the output having
been increased from $50 barrels day to
about $50. The method of handling raw
material and the product is probably
the most perfect in the United
States, the arrangements being per-
feet for the saving of time. labor and
handling. A plant has lately been erected
for making barrel slaves and heads and
quite a saving is made in this one branch
alone In everything the skill and care
fulness of the management Is displayed;
and the value of the property has risen
year by year, until today II Is valued at Sl,-
900 900. One thing has certainly been
demonstrated by the Roche Harbor works,
and that is, that only large works can be
made good paying properties. And Il Is
we'll also TO note that man need not DC
born lime-burner 10 make success Of the
lime business, but he must possess as good
brains and as much energy As the manager
of Roche Harbor, Mr.. McAillin.
Iron monitors are simply iron jackets