John Scott

John Scott, Finnieston Saw Mills, West Greenhill Place, off Finnieston Street, and 50, Galbraith Street.—

    The Finnieston Saw Mills occupy a considerable niche in the history of our shipbuilding industry of late years, and also in other avenues of trade, such as housebuilding, &c. They are centrally situated and well adapted to either, and carry on operations on an extensive scale. They were established in 1875-by Mr. John Scott, the present proprietor, on the site they occupy at Finnieston, where on both sides of the river the shipbuilding begins.

    The works are very extensive here, and cover an area of over three thousand square yards of ground. The spacious yard is covered with huge stacks of all kinds of timber in the cut and uncut state. At the gate of the yard is a small office, and at the back end of it is a two-storey building, measuring about one hundred feet by fifty feet, the ground floor of which is utilized as the saw mills, where there is a large frame saw, German saw, circular saws, planing machine, and circling machine, driven by a powerful steam engine. The work here is attended to by several skilled workmen, and is turned out in a most expeditious and complete manner. The machinery is of the very best and most modem type, and the whole place is kept in fine order. On the upper flat of this building there is an engineering shop, saw-sharpening room, and boat-building loft. The entire works are characteristic alike for their method and genuine workmanship, and a very large business is done by Mr. Scott with the principal local shipbuilders, housebuilders, and contractors generally.

    Mr. Scott is also proprietor of Kelvinside Loch, which is situated on the Great Western Road. This is the finest boating pond in or near Glasgow. He has fifty boats on the loch during summer. He builds his own boats at Finnieston Mills, all of the finest and all safe. The pond is only from two to three feet deep, so safe for all people. A great resort for west end families, and largely taken advantage of in summer time. During the winter the pond is used as a resort for high-class people for skating. Mostly first-class people, and is a very popular rendezvous with people of all ages. It is lighted during winter by Lucigen light, and he has an engine of ten horse-power for driving the air compressor. It is always well attended.

    Mr. Scott’s practical and commercial experience bulks well in this locality, and under his able supervision the mills are kept well to the front for the ready convenience and supply to various trades of everything in sawn woods. A large stock is always on hand of an assorted and superior class of well-seasoned yellow pine boards suitable for engineers, mill-owners, and public works, and all kinds of timber, deals, battens, flooring, lining, sarking, are in readiness at current prices ; also mouldings, architraves, facings, skirtings, &c. ; illustrated catalogues being kept for the convenience of all trades. Since the start of these mills they have steadily grown into the centre of a splendid reputation, which their proprietor is duly deserving of.

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