The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-07-08
G BLAKELEY MILL.
.-..,.f Of Its Kind in the
Whole World.
- RUNNING NIGHT AND DAY.
-. Awaiting Turns for Cazxoes-A
my Output Of Half . Miliioa
Feet Of Lumber.

- sawmilI at Port Blakeley has
teen shut down in late years, and
- during the dullest times enough
so,ud 70 do to operate at least ten
- aay. For over year past IL has
-. so.,nd necessary to run both night
Az The orders have come In from
- ports. and the trade has increased
- An extent that even with the i'm
49, eapzcify the waiting ships could not
:. ssoulied rapidly enough. The mill il
~~nIne on an average cut OF nearly 800
- seet day: yet at present there are
eshseeu ships In the harbor. and some of
ssrn are simply waiting for chance to
~
rhe Largest Mill I'm the World.
-. part Biakeley mill IL the largest in
,.-ssnal mfil in the world. Others may
- more ground. and possibly some may
~ ! greater output. but they are COM
- Of several small mills under one roof
wsres at Port BiakeIey have been re-
..red but once, and that time but 10 per
eses. The men are paid In cash once a
~rnth and, when needed, can get money.
4 earned. at any time. Many OF the en-
,l.r>s have ben there for long periods,
Ersiue from fourteen to twenty years,
~ possibly some much longer.
a - Z
.snbew OF the late millionaire owner.
rsnt. william Renton. and the popularity
= he latter great millman and former ship
~enfaln among his employees Is In a large
,.eass1re shared by his successor. The mill
a. had some improvements OF late, which
ara interesting as well as economical. One
q The two big gang saws. which took the
1hteknexs Of a big cut from a log and rid
Aied Il into boards by one grasp OF its
eth has beer removed, and I'm the place
lsyc been inserted a fine system of band
mvs. which do work better adapted to
fmbers Of varying soundness. For speed
hey are the equals of the other. Each OF
these saws Is forty-one feet long I'm the
ercuif. and they can be quickly gagged to
say thickness required.
An automatic grinder for the filing of
he long blades has been adopted, and now
me hand files are fast becoming a thing
a the past. For the smaller sawblades
here is also in use a fling machine which
saiy needs a man TO do more watching
han fling for by a rotary motion the file
rrfkss the teeth at the various angles and
1t the proper times by a preadjustment of
The machine This is also true OF the auto
uatic grinders.
new automatic system for fire protec-
<ion is I'm use. and has been generally
edopfe6 In some of the larger establish
ncnts Of the country. 1t consists of pipes
running the entire length of the building
fen feet apart, and at intervals of ten feet
there are heads with small metal springs
eoyering openings and made fast and air
tishf hy a very soft solder. These pipes
IRE filed with air condensed to pressure
Of twenty pounds TO the square inch. and
when the heat from fire melts the solder
the water from a heavy pressure PUSHES
through the pipes and foods the buildings.
making destructive fire almost impossi-
BE. This system extends through all OF
the buildings of the company. including
tie big store and machine shops.
The engines OF the mill for power In cut
ting are I'VE In number. one of which is
double and there lis an aggregate of 1900
horse power.
The big circular saw will cut a log Is
inches IN diameter. and the carriage can
he operated for a length OF from 40 TO
~ feet. A log which is there now and
SILL IN the water at the base measures
1871 fest, and IL could be sawed by max
ing scvera, cants. but II. Will De split first
BY giant powder. 1t IS "a feet long. SO
inches al the top and scales 1900 feet.
The Lumber Fleet.
The busy scenes at the Port Blaloeley
NIL cause person to forget that hard
fines have ever been heard of. and the 800
men who get constar. employment there
hare no reason ever to speak OF such a
sahiect. Ths forest of masts in the nar-
Dor 3 inspiring, and available space
q, arr of the long wharves Is not to Roe
had unta some one Of the vessels has left.
The following list shows the feet nov
loading or waiting for cargoes. with the
destination and number OF feet In the
cargo: