Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1901-10-18

so much for the operations in the
forests; now word about the mills
which saw the logs up.
The largest cargo lumber mill in
the world is situated at Port Blakely
nine miles across Puget Sound from
Seattle. The mill proper is situated
IN sheltered cove, and as the steamer
approaches the boom limits contain.
Ing millions of feet OF logs can be seen.
The mill is situated at the upper end
of the cove, and the mill and yard
area exceeds 10 acres. The mill
proper is of the two-story kind, the
dimensions being l02x45O feet, which
enable it to saw the largest timbers in
the woods.
On the ground floor is located the
motive power, some II engines of all
makes being required to run the plant
the planning mill department is also
situated on this floor. On the upper
floor are two log haul-ups, two double
circulars, three Allis band mills, a
Prescott gang mill, three gang edgers,
two lath mills, double bolter, IA
trimmer saws, two electric trimmers,
conveyers, etc. An electric system is
a lsn M rtainnI rl,a a.
vessels is conveyed from the mill by a
l,iOO-foot tramway.
To keep the machinery in motion
155,OO0 gallons of fresh water are
daily converted into steam. To sup
ply this large quantity of fresh water
for the boilers as well as for fire pur-
poses and to provide water for the
inhabitants Of the town, the company
has built gravity waterworks system
supplied by four spring fed reservoirs
upon the hills, whose combined ca
pacity is about 30.OO0,OOO gallons.
The mill, offices, shops, store and
other buildings are protected from
fire by system Of automatic sprink-
lers. More than five miles of pipes,
ranging in size from six inches down.
ward in diameter aud strung along
the ceilings. At intervals Of 10 feet
are plugs sealed with composition
which melts at a low degree of tenn
perature and allows shower of water
to descend and quench an incipien
blaze. The plant is illuminated by
$50 incandescent electric lights, and
ships can be loaded as we'll at night
as in the day.
The company also maintains COM
plete machine, blacksmith and pat tern
shops, fully equipped with lathes'
planers and all other tools and ap-
pliances found in city shops of a SINH
lar kind. The fact that so tons of
new castings were required last year
for repairs gives a notion of the size
and extent OF the machinery in the
plant. A grist mill is also run, in
which is ground all the feed used in
the numerous logging camps con-
nected with the mill.
The company owns $4,000 acres of
land. mostly timbered, has is own
tugboat and runs logging railroad
25 miles long in Mason county. The
company furnishes 100 residences for
its married employees, and 55 double
apartment lodging houses for those
unmarried, and for the latter is also
conducted boarding house.
A large general store splendidly
stocked is also conducted, and goods
can be purchased as cheaply as in any
other town of equal size on the Sound.
The company has erected large hotel,
. handsome public school building
and a large two-story hall, which is
used by the inhabitants of the town
for public meetings, entertainments
and church purposes.
Last year the output of the Port
Blakely mill exceeded lO9,OOO,0OO feet,
more than the output of any other
mill in the United States. The COM
pany caters exclusively to the cargo
trade, and vessels may be seen at their
docks almost any time loading for
nearly every port in the world.