Ballard Mill to Rebuild After Destructive Fire
Owners of the Fleming-Ayerst shingle mill vow to restart operations within ninety days following a massive fire that destroyed the plant.
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The destruction of the Fleming-Ayerst lumber and shingle mill at Ballard on Wednesday night has aroused much interest among the trade and caused deep regret among the friends of the company. It has been learned that the company contemplates rebuilding. A. Ayerst, of the firm, said last night: 'The destruction of our mills was complete and we shall just about get the price of scrap iron for our fine machinery. There may be something saved on the boilers, but if so, that will be all. We have looked over the ground fully and have practically concluded that we will rebuild. This seems wise in view of all the facts and with our brief experience in running and disposing of our stock. Our plant was one of the best of its kind, equipped with the best machinery and run by the most competent men we could get. We could put shingles in the drying kiln for 10 cents per 1,000 cheaper than almost any other mill, a very considerable economy with an output of 400,000 per day. When our disaster occurred we had orders for a month ahead. If no further accident happens, we shall be running, I hope, in less than ninety days.'
“We shall just about get the price of scrap iron for our fine machinery.”
Ballard’s industrial history was defined by its massive shingle mills, which were high-risk, high-reward ventures prone to catastrophic fires. Today, the Ballard neighborhood has shifted from a lumber hub to a bustling residential and retail district, but remnants of this industrial era persist in its maritime infrastructure.
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