Freeman Leslie started to work for the starch factory in September of 1924. A diary entry for the following year stated "water got into the warehouse at starch factory wilting a lot of starch." Another entry for June of 1962 told of the burning of one of the warehouses: The Red warehouse was burned about midnight last night. It was Sullivan's Warehouse, then the Starch Factory warehouse, then Kenneth Anderson bought it for farm machinery for a few years. It has been vacant for the past ten years. Ralph Sanderson lost his pleasure boat in the fire. (53) In 1945, when the starch factory closed it was one of only two left on the Island. In addition to the original owners of the factory in 1880, other owners included H.H. Cox , G.P. DeBlois , Colonel Elliot Full , the estates of A.W. Weeks , and Albert Quigley . THE CHEESE FACTORY In 1892, the first cheese factory on the Island opened in New Perth . Turning out 66,080 pounds of cheese in its first year caused the concept of producer-owned dairies to catch on very quickly. By 1893, ten new factories in various communities* were established, including one in St. Peters Bay . (54) The factory, which measured 70 ft in length and 25 ft in width, was a co-operative venture by farmers in the area. (55) Chester Pratt recalled the first officials of the factory: (56) President: Charles Waye , Carriage Builder and Farmer Secretary: Andrew Lewis , Retired Merchant and Clerk of Directors: (One from each road running into the village) : Captain John Steele , Retired sea captain and farmer Village of St. Peters : John G. Maclnnis of the "Century Farm" : Crawford Hayden , farmer Midgell & Milburn Districts: David Anderson / James Mclsaac , farmers The : Donald A. MacDonald Cable Head: Hugh J. MacKinnon Haulers: : Ezekiel Duke Goose River & Cable Head East: Donald A. MacDonald Midgell: John Pyke Milburn (and continuous roads): Patrick Dwan The : Arthur Dwan e other nine communities that established cheese factories in 1893 were Crapaud , Dunk River , Gowan are- Kensington , Morell , Mount Stewart , North, Red House - Lot 56 , and Vernon Bridge . 129