The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-04-30

draw them to tho nearest branch tributary OF the
Ottawa Great activity is now displayed IN getting
ready for the start or "driye. when the Ice breaks
up which Is usually about the latter part OF March
the LIST OF April II the stream is not large enough Tor
.crbs-tha. is small RATS, containing about twenty
sticks OF square timber, fastened between round
logs, called noatst Is dritted down separately, the
umbcrmen keeping up With u either along shore or in
canocs aud holding the straggers well together with
long poles When the larger stream IL reached
larger cribs formed, the round logs nj tho
sides ana heavy transverse pieces on the TOP keep.
ing the enclosed square timber IRON injury,
aud the current carries II down with rs
gang OF men and provisions TO the broad bosom Of the
Ottawa AT some OF the rapids or fails where slides
or side shoots are yet constructed IL Is sometimes
necessary break up the crib and II alter the
separate sticks have noated over the falls. boom Is
usually thrown across The stream below the rapids to
prevent the ttmbers IRON floating down tar. la
places where the width Of the river Will admit II many
cribs are fastened together, forming raft OIL board
OF which, with plenty OF provisions and sail set and
fair WIND the lumbernan enjoys some rest after his
previous tolls The life IS one full OF adventure and
peril, but the men are hardy and vigorous and appa
rently care liltie Tor the iagues they undergo Much
ported TO Europe; but vast amount is likewise alb
sorbcd in the United states.
A JUST COMPLAINT.
Complaint Is made By the lumber merchants, how
ever, that an unjust dscrm nation exists against
them in the United States the tax OF So per thousand
been compelled TO establish planning mills, al White
hail and Burlington and various points convenient
navigation, where the sawn lumber may be manulac-
tured for market 1t Is also source Of complaint
that while boats from New York are permitted 10 come
To the docks Of Ottawa and there secure loads
Canadian craft are not permitted 10 below Albany,
the Hudson, and are therefore forced 10 return
ballast instead OF with u remunerative freight on
the part OF the United States II Is claimed that tho
navigation OF the HUDSON River not ucuded in
The Washington treaty; hence that these boats have
not the right of way; but u similar claim is made by
the Canadian government with reference to the navi-
CATION OF tho Ottawa yet, with generosity that do.
all praise, this river IS thrown open 10 Amer
lean craft, and they use II without restraint
PRODUCTION AND MANUFACTURE.
To cut down and prepare this lumber some $4,000
men employed In the forests, and In the
and plan,ng mills where 1t Is manufactured for OK
porat,on there are about 10000 men. In the trans
portaton OF that portion OF the timber which leaves
Quebec 200 large ships and 900
gagged and II we add those employ cd the
OF the river and lakes anu In tho transit OF partially
manufactured material to the United States we have
total OF nearly so 900 men thus engaged For tho
supply Of this great Industrial army 5000 OF ag-
ricultural produce are annually required. II has
been observed that the lumbermen are every
year advancing further up the OTTAWA and
opening the natural resources OF naturally
rich country thus paving the way for the agricultur
alist and the development OF great region which
heretofore has been comparatively untouched by the
loot OF man. May improvements have been made in
late years by the government the OF the
Ottawa and It's tributaries by the construction Of slides
and oooms to facilitate the passage OF lumber past the
frequent rapids and TAILS On reaching this city the
logs recognized by the private mark OF the
firm 10 which they belong, caught by boom spread
within rifle shot Of where write, and guided through
different slidcs to the respective mills where they
be mwn Hero they are hauled out OF
the water by a powerful wheel and placed
upon cradle winch guides them through
the saws OF tho latter there are various
kinds each performing Its particular duty In the pro.
From thirty to forty saws constitute what is
called stockgang, and being placed about inch
apart the slab into ono inch boards. They can he
changed at will to saw two or three inch boards 1t
takes these saws about eight minutes TO get through
an ordinary log. The panks are laid on q table,
and revolving chain carries the wood along past y
circular which takes of the outside pieces
the plank the required width and length The foreman
marks each according to Its size, they
wheeled out on hand trucks to be tax 10 the png
grounds The latter Of extent and are in
many cases supplied with railways which the
lumber is drawn IN horse trucks, although In some
stances the umber is slid through hole into a largo
trough OF running water which its desti-
nation
rHE LUMBER BUSINESS IN OTTAWA
There are fifteen numbering establishments In Ottawa
and vicinity and all Of these firms running saw.
mills of capacities or the products shipped
to the United States the Invoices verified nj the
Consulate OF the United states III this city The aggre-
gate capacity OF these fifteen mills be fairly esti-
mated at 000, 900 logs per annum producing about
400 600 900 feet OF sawn lumber Tho largest rating
given to any mill Is 200 500 logs and the smallest
$4,000 logs Probably twenty per cent OF these logs
selected and cut into deals for the English market
Tho remaining eighty per cent Is cut into the usual
classes OF lumber known as stock siding, plank, ship
ping culls, strips pickets &C., and specially
iactured for the local and United States markets.
Considerable quantities OF sawn lumber bonded in
transit through tho United States to tho board,
and reexpored 70 other countries Since the deprcs-
sion in trade during the past two or three years the
mills have only about twothrds of their full capa-
city. The quantity OF lumber shipped from this Con-
suar district to the United States during the navgable
of 1875 los, 900 900 fcot valued about
81 $50 COO The production ana manufacture OF square
or hcwn timber In the Ottawa Valley Is about 5 600 000
cubic feet aEum and It Is all shipped to the Eng
fish markets. Tho valuation OF this quantity OF square
timber is about 81, 1850 600 The pilng grounds OF the
mill owners across the river are how quite iu prob
ably amounting less than l50 000 600 feet which
will no doubt DO nearly all shipped 70 the United
States during tho coming summer.