Ballard’s Shingle Mills Roar Back to Life
After months of silence due to litigation and economic uncertainty, the neighborhood's mill economy gears up for a busy winter.
After three months of comparative quietness, during which the large shingle mills operated with a reduced production or closed down altogether, the shingle business begins to brighten. During the last few weeks, a readjustment of the affairs of a number of different mills has been made, and changes in ownership have occurred. Since then, improvements in the old mills have been going forward, and one new mill has been built. By November 1, all the mills are expected to be running at their full capacity. The mill of the West Coast Manufacturing and Investment Company, formerly known as the McVay mill, has been idle all summer due to litigation but has now changed hands, with Mayor A. E. Pretty and N. W. Fletcher selling their interests. It will now be operated by a stock company, with many employees holding shares. Nearby, the old Salmon Bay Lumber Company's mill has been resold, overhauled, and equipped with modern machinery to run through the coming year.
“When times are dull a dollar looks large.”
Ballard’s transformation from an independent timber-milling town to a modern residential hub reflects Seattle's constant cycle of industrial repurposing. Much like the 1893 economic instability mentioned here, Seattle today continues to grapple with how its physical infrastructure must adapt to shifting capital and ownership.
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