The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1896-04-17
q ~ n 49,
Logging In Mason County.


every industry, and the smallest bow
IN the kindergarten class is more con
versant with the product of the forest
than he is with the contents of his
school books. Logs and lumber are in
air, and it is logs, logs logs, from morn
ing till eve, and the average inhabitant
cares little about the policy of the ma
ton so long as the demand for logs is
all right. "Jim" and "Jack," who are
IN the woods, are of greater concern
to the jewellers of Mason county than
any one else, and Gomez victories in
Cuba Or Olney's latest ultimatum to
Salisbury are of secondary Importance.
And | want to state right here. bv way
of emphasis, that Mason eountv's logs
are OF superior quality. In fact, the
county furnishes today as many logs
for the big mills of Puget Sound as
the majority Of the other counties
combined. Pretty big statement, Ell?
But read the diary Of pilgrimage
and be convinced.
Mason county Gas a p1eface) has
three logging railroads, over which
logs are hauled to tide water. The
longest and best equipped is that of
the Port Blakely Mill Co., having So
miles of standard guage track, three
locomotives andre logging cars--three
trains in all. The next in order is the
Penlnsular railroad, which has 80
miles of standard guage track, three
locomotives, 76 logging cars and three
box cars. The last is the Shelton
Southwestern road, having Is miles of
standard guage track, two locomotives
and 40 logging cars. OF course, while
the principal, and in fact all the uses
to which the three roads are now being
put are for logging purposes, each and
every one expects at no distant day to
become a bona fide freight-and-pas-
senger-carrying railroad. But that is
another story.
At present there are three logging
camps On the Port Blakely road, own
ed and operated by the Simpson Bros.
Logging Co. Camp No. l is operated
by j. A. Cole, foreman, and very we'll
equipped camp it is, too. 1t has two
donkey engines, 20 horses, employees
90 men and has weekly capacity of
100000 feet. The next camp is equip
ped with two donkey engines, 90
horses, employees 60 men, has weekly
capacity OF 100000 feet, and is under
charge of E. McReavy, capable and
intelligent man. Camp No. 4 is man
aged by Robert Simpson, has two
donkey engines. 20 horses, employees
81 men and has a weekly input of
about 100000 feet. All the logs from
the three camps are dumped into the
water at New Kamilche. By the way,
the Simpson Bros. have lately taken
contract to furnish the Port Blakeley
Mill Co. with 7O0,OOO,OOO feet of logs
probably the largest contract ever
given one firm and which will take at
leas' nine years to get out. The firm
is the largest logging firm on the Pa
cifc coast.
On the Peninsular railroad there are
four camps-three being operated by
the Mason County Loggin Co. and
the other oy the Simpson Bros. Log
ging Go The largest camp of the
Mason County Logging CO. has daily
capacity of 100000 feet, is equipped
with three donkey engines and employs
six horses and As men. This camp
uses large Lidgerwood road engine
for hauling. The engine is located at
the rollway and hauls loads of 10000
feet with a three-quarter mile cable.
They first build a skid road, similar to
other camps where horses are used for
hauling, with posts at each turn IN
the road to guide the cable around the
curve. In addition a small wire cable
is used in taking up the slack OF the
large cable that hauls to the landing.
This is used to prevent danger to the
men in charge.
The next camp is owned by the
Simpson Bros. Logging Co. and is
known as Camp No. 3. 1t is equipped
with two donkey engines, employs 60
men and % horses, and has a daily
capacity of 100000 feet. 1t is man
aged by Joseph Simpson and is, | be-
lieve, everything considered, one OF the
best logging camps in Mason county.
The timber tributary to this camp IS
exceptionally fine, and no better can
be found anywhere on Puget Sound.
saw at this camp sticks Ito feet IN
length, 3 feet 6 inches at the butt and
and 26 inches at the top. without
1ypof