Reed & Andrews Shingle Co. (1901-1908)

Intro goes here

This little mill was built in 1901 by Joseph Reed and Edward Andrew just west of the Washington Lumber Co. (foot of Puget Sound Street). Using a Perkins “double-block” (high-capacity) machine, it turned out 65 million shingles the first year. The mill had a dry kiln for 13 million shingles but throughout the mill’s existence, it could not get enough railroad cars to ship out its vast number of shingles.

Other mills also had problems getting cars but this mill suffered the most. It sat idle—sometimes for months with its sheds and dry kilns loaded—totally frustrating the owners and employees. Complaints were made but did little good. By 1908 they’d had enough and quit producing. The stock was eventually liquidated and the mill closed.

Nerheim, J. N.. The History of Lumber Mills in Old Town. Tacoma, WA. Self-published, 2004.