The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-01-08
About Mason County.

Even those having ranches or claims
preferred to work in camp rather than
earn money by the much slower pro-
cess of developing their farms. Of
late lands are being rapidly cleared,
orchards planted and hay, grain and
produce raised, which partly supplies
the large demands for the logging
camps. The new orchards are now
coming into bearing and considerable
firstclass fruit already finds it's way to
market, although it will be several
years before a sufficient surplus is
raised for shipment.
The county's three large logging
railroads, from 81 to 35 miles in length
are the heaviest producers of sawlogs
on the Sound, their daily output
aggregating 100000 feet, From three
to five large camps, each employing
about 90 men are located on each
railroad taxing the rolling stock to
keep the landings" clear of logs. The
Peninsular and Shelton Southwestern
railroads terminate at Shelton, where
the logging companies maintain ex-
tensive booms, which are largely drawn
on by the big mills of the Sound for
their log supplies, and especially for
long Or select logs.
GREAT LOGGING OUTPUT.
The log output of Mason county an
nually reaches 100000 feet, which
estimated at the reasonable figure of
$5 per thousand, makes total value
of three-quarters of million dollars.
About $50 men find employment in
the woods and in work incident to
numbering at an average wage of $40
per month. For the month of October,
1896, the product of the leading lumber
ing concerns was as follows:
Peninsular railroad-Simpson Log
ging Company, two camps, 4,O2S,000
feet. Mason County Logging Com
pany, two camps, 1,413,000, (small
monthly. Port Blakeley RAILROADS..
g. Simpson & Co., three camps, $500,
600. Shelton Southwestern railway
F. F. Williamson, two camps, and
several smaller loggers, 100000 feet.
This together with the product Of
about dozen small logging camps
about the county, will bring the months
product to about Is 900 900 feet.
Three small sawmills supply the local
demand for building material, but
hard and soft woods in great variety
are accessible and Mason county
affords several good locations for man
ufacturing plants to work up the raw
material into anything for which wood
is used. The Shelton Southwestern
railroad, which now lacks about two
and half miles of connection, will
give Shelton rail communication for
Eastern shipments.
OYSTERS AND SALMON.
Clustering and fishing are two
industries OF secondary Importance,
although employing about 300 persons
during the shipping season and bring
ing large amounts of money into the
county which largely goes to labor.
The diminutive, though succulent
Olympia oyster makes its home In
Oyster bay, the chief shipping point,
and about 800 sacks week are ship
ped from the various bays; bringing
from $3.50 to So per sack. Clustering
brings about $4,000 each season to
the ovstermen. Considerable trade is
also done in shipping CLAIMS to market
throughout the year.
Although little market fishing is
done, the bays abound with all kinds
of fish. During the salmon season,
however, probably 200 men, each
party with boats and seines, are en-
gagged on Hood canal and later in the
"run" in the other bays about Shelton,
fishing for the canneries. This is re-
numeratiye, although the season is
short. There are no canneries in the
county, and only one small concern
which converts dog salmon into oil
and fertilizer, the opening of new
industry.
Shelton, the county seat, is lively
and prosperous town of about 9Oo peo-
ple. Churches, schools, newspapers
and mercantile lines are well repre-
sented. and the town has continued to
grow regardless of dull times. New
houses are built and permanent inn
proyements are made each year. FL
nancially both Shelton and Mason
county are in excellent condition, with
small debts and warrants at par.
1t offers inducements to substantial
people who desire farms, homes OF
safe inyestments.-G G. A. IN the
P.-I's., 56-page New Years number.