The Industrial Heartbeat of Port Madison

The Port Madison Mill Company has been doing an enormous amount of business of late, greater in extent than ever before. The dull times have had one effect only: that of shaking down the profits. The cut of lumber has increased steadily each year from the beginning of operations nineteen years ago. Nineteen years ago, a cut of 30,000 feet was accomplished in twelve hours under the most favorable circumstances. Last Wednesday, 100,000 feet were cut in nine hours. In 1875, 14,000,000 feet of timber were manufactured; in 1884, the total was 28,000,000 feet; in 1885, 41,000,000 feet. This year it will go up to 44,000,000 feet. The greatest amount of lumber in one month was 5,000,000 feet in October, 1886. Twelve vessels were at the company’s wharves there for cargoes, and to accommodate them an extra pressure was put upon the mill, which it responded to as indicated. The call for lumber has grown increasingly heavy, both in California and foreign lands, and a lively trade in sailing vessels has resulted that has kept the mill running steadily without any significant intermission. The increased demand for Puget Sound lumber has increased the output from ten or twelve million feet a year a decade ago to 44 million this year. The result is the company intends soon to build a new mill, out of a steam-sawyer, for the purpose of its trade. It does not intend to be left behind by other companies in any particular, and will run a sort of race to various points.