The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1894-07-06

quests for information. The follow
ing has been furnished for Mason
County:
Mason County covers the south
western arms of Puget Sound; Its
main industry being numbering, but
stock raising, hay, vegetables, oysters
and fruit are also sources of consider
able profit to the County. The as
sessed valuation of real estate and
improvements for 1893 was ST. ,49S,777 !;
personal property, $4,000; railroad
track $123,874.
In timber the chief merchantable
product is fir, although fine cedar and
all kinds of,hardwoods abound in all Sec
tons, but there is little present de-
mand for the latter. Three saWmllls
are located in the County, supplying
the local demand. Connection will
probably be made with the n. ?.
from Shelton by another year, and a
shipping trade opened.
NUMBERING IN 1893.
Mason County produced during
1898, 1Ol, 92O,77O feet of logs, valued
at $56O,564. The prices were low,
averaging from $3.50 upward, accord
ing to extra length or quality of tim
Der. Something over 400 men were
required to get out these logs, but
owing to the poor demand, the aver
age run of each camp was less than
eight months. 1875 head of logging
horses, 70 work oxen, and thirteen
donkey engines were also employed in
the work.
The total product of 1891, was 81,
100000, valued at 1868, 105; 1892, 1885,
143 ,527 1868, 3O250. The value OF
1893 product is based on $3.50 per
thousand and that of former years at
IS.
Three large railroad concerns are
devoted chiefly to logging purposes.
The Washington Southern 20 miles
long, and the Shelton Southwestern
Il miles long, with termini at Shell
ton, and the Puget Sound & Gray's
Harbor r. r., % miles, terminates at
New Kamilche. Another railroad, the
Union River Logging Railroad, at the
head Of Hood Canal, owned by the
Puget Mill Co, has not been operated
for the past four years, the Company
finding it cheaper to buy outside logs
saving their timber and operating ex-
pense.
FARMING.
Hay is the largest crop raised by
the farmers, large amounts being con-
sumed by the logging camps of the
County, as are also potatoes and
other root crops, for which the soil
is most suitable and produces heavy
crops. Hay cuts from two to four
tons to tina acre, two crops season.
and some of the heaviest potato crops
on record have been produced in this
section. The attention of the far
mers are being directed to fruit grow
ing and large increases of acreage is
made each year. OF large and small
fruits enough to supply all local de-
mand and considerable for shipment
is produced, but the latter is unsatis-
factory in its results and canneries
will be introduced by another year.
The bottom lands and those of the
middle class produce heavily of any
crop, but the upper lands are gener-
ally not Of much value, except for
fruit trees, but in favored localities
and where there is not too much
gravel, all crops suitable for dry
lands can be raised with good results.
Wherever fruit is grown in this Sec
ton it is generally necessary to thin
out, to prevent over-bearing or injury
to the trees. Little attention has been
paid to old orchards, and while pro-
ducing heavily, the crop is not always
satisfactory, but the newer orchards,
just coming into bearing, will bring
Mason County to the front for fine
fruit.
OYsTERs.-Oyster Bay produces the
famous bivalve known to the trade as
the "Olympia Oyster" the weekly
shipments averaging 200 sacks, at
about $3.50 per sacks. Several other
bays also furnish oysters in merchan-
table quantities. CLAIMS and all kinds
OF fish are found in the salt waters.
Mason County is we'll known sport
ing section; its lakes and streams
abound in fine trout, and its woods
with game of all kinds, all conven-
lent of access.
Coal, iron, tin and copper veins
have been found, and gold and silver
are here, but nothing in paying
quantities has yet been found. A
mine of high grade hematite iron ore
is being worked i'll the Olympic
mountains, near Lake Cushman.
Mason County prides itself on it's
logs and its schools. both of which are
in the lead, schools being conducted in