The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1905-07-08
LIME KING AND
AAA ~ AAAAO
POLITICIAN
SKETCH OF HON. J. S. McMILLIN
IN PUGET SOUND AMERICAN.
was Born on Farm, Received a
College Educatfon and Practiced
Law Several Years-Long Prom
1nent in State Politics.

/ A radical change has come over
the Puget Sound American in it's at
titude toward Hon. John S. McMil-
lln, OF this county. During the po-
litical campaign last fall it seemed to
take especial delight in roasting
the gentleman whom it now extols as
'the lime king and new railway com
missioner. In recent issue it pub
iished fine picture of him and in
connection with it the following
f1attering article:
"Of all those who hold political
preferment in Washington none is
more genial and unassuming than
John S. McMillin, of Roche Harbor,
industrial king and member of Wash
| ington's railway commission After
residence Of twenty-one years in
this state Mr.. McMillin finds himself
one of the wealthiest men of the COM
monwealth and looked upon general
ly as one of the self made millionaires
of the west who have secured their
riches from the golden pockets of
the earth.
! s'Mr. McMillin is a genial personal
ity who by his generosity, good will
and honesty has made a host Of
friends who are willing to swear by
him. Their confidence in his ability
is based upon his business sagacity
and conservative, yet liberal business
views.
''From far and near Mr.. McMillin
is known as the lime king of the
northwest. The fact is his domain
in that respect reaches from the
Mississippi to the Pacific ocean, for
the Tacoma and Roche Harbor Lime
Company, of which he is and always
has been president, operates the lar
gest lime quarry west of the Father
of Waters. The daily capacity of
the establishment is 1000 barrels
Besides this the company sells much
lime stone. Mr.. McMillin is also
president of the Staveless Barrel
Company, whose plant near the
quarry has a daily capacity of 1000
barrels. In addition he is interested
| in mercantile and transportation bus
mess in connection with his island
holdings and has investments in Al
aska and British Columbia mining
properties.
ssFrom his early youth Mr.. McMil-
| lin has been allied with political life
and his popularity in that field is at
tested by the number of times he has
held the craftsmanship Of and MEM
bership in county, state and national
republican committees. Mr. McMil-
| Inns schooling in politics was received
in Indiana at time when everybody
was politician because it was sec
ond nature.
ssIn his college days Mr.. McMillin
was noted somewhat as an orator,
Distinguishing himself in debates in
his home college, the Indiana Ash
bury university, now De Pauw, and
in an intercollegiate debate. In
these debates and his profession OF
law he acquired an easy grace and
convincing delivery that still clings
to him.
ssMr. McMillin was born on farm
at Sugar Grove, Tippecanoe county,
Indiana, October %, 1855. He is Of
Scotch origin, but bis fathers family
hailed from Virginia. Until young
manhood Mr.. McMillin attended the
country schools and then entered
Ashbury university. Here he took
the classical course, graduating in
1875 with the degree Of bachelor OF
arts. So favorably was the faculty
impressed with his scholarship and or
atorical attainments that he was
asked to deliver the masters Grafton
when his class received the degree o.
master Of arts in 1879, and he &C
cepted the invitation. In 1877 Mr..
1x-Ax;ll;v married Miss IiOuella