Everett Takes Stock: Mills, Smelters and a Whaleback

EVERETT, Wash., Jan. 5.—Special.—In reviewing the industrial and material interests of Everett for the past year, the town makes a good showing and a decided improvement over the year 1893.

The paper mill has run continuously for twelve months, except for two short shutdowns of about ten days each. The Puget Sound Pulp & Paper Company has employed upwards of 200 men, and its product—fine book, express and wrapping papers—has been shipped to domestic and foreign markets. Mr. Steward is general manager, Mr. Howarth assistant treasurer and C. F. Logan superintendent.

The Everett nail works have had a busy run since starting up in July. They employ between 75 and 80 men making nails and kegs. Manager A. R. Whitney, Jr., reports an improving trade. The concern has disbursed about $4,300 a month here.

An important event of the year was the launching of the steel whaleback steamer City of Everett on October 24. About 100 men have been employed at the barge works, with a payroll varying from $8,000 to $9,000 per month. The big steamer will cost about $250,000 and is now receiving its upper works, ready to go to sea in February. The American Steel Barge Company has $250,000 invested in the plant here, with Alexander McDougall as general manager and Hugh Calderwood as superintendent.

Among the most important features of development here was the starting of the Everett smelter and the concentrator at Monte Cristo. The Puget Sound Reduction Company has a capital of $900,000 and is made up of the leading owners of the Monte Cristo mines. William C. Butler is general manager of the smelter, and the cost of the plant is $300,000. It has been in steady operation since September. Shipments of bullion for December aggregated $107,000. Eighty tons of ore are now being treated daily. The December output was 3,000 ounces of gold, 60,000 ounces of silver and 500,000 pounds of lead. Sixty men are employed under a payroll of $5,000 a month.

Everett's lumber and shingle interests form an important part of the city's prosperity. The sawmills of James E. Bell, Quintan E. Friars and the Everett Lumber Company have cut a total of 51,000,000 feet of lumber, employing 125 men with a payroll of $6,000. Shingle mills represented by the Lebanon Cedar Shingle Company, the Everett Shingle Company, M. J. Darling Co. and Blackman Bros. cut a total of 85,000,000 shingles, giving employment to nearly 100 men.

The log dump built by the Everett Monte Cristo Railroad Company, and the hauling of logs from the logging camp near Granite Falls, is a new and important industry started a few weeks ago. Fishing operations are growing in Everett. Dealers say that the salmon of the Snohomish River are of superior quality, and about $2,000 a month is disbursed in the fisheries.

In building operations, the notable features of the year were the completion of the Jefferson brick school building, the Everett Realty Company's brick block and the McCrossen brick block, at an aggregate cost of about $60,000.

Everett's public schools are prospering. Twenty teachers are employed and the enrollment of pupils is upwards of 600. In the religious field the Presbyterian, Methodist and Baptist churches have called new pastors during the year.

In a commercial way the importance of the business is getting better recognition. Steamers Walla Walla, Umatilla, City of Puebla and Farallon, plying between Puget Sound and San Francisco, now call at this port regularly. Besides this, the regular steamers of the Sound have done a steady business here.