The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-05-04

OUR LOGGING INTERESTS.

The logging business in a general
way appears to be just now Logging
under q cloud Of common depression. |
Yet this is no unusual state of affairs
these are only the periodical clouds Of
depression that intersperse the wontsd
sunshine Of prosperity which blesses
this particular line of industry in these
parts.
For Q considerable period previous to
the fall of u, IS was considered the
+" bottom price" for logs here. For
some years previous to '6s the business
went on in the same prosperous way,
q 80 OF IS 90. we believe. being the
lswsst rate obtained. In SO the prices
Of logs bsgsn to decline from the same
capse and dropped below the accustomd
rates in IT. Lower and lower they
went name after name was added to
the long list Of failures among loggsrs
Of small means. Many camps were
closed. and prices during the summer
Of 30 were no better than now. All
at ones, and very Unexpectedly to many.
the dark curtain Of general prostration
was rung up with rush and prosperity
returned to the mills and logging
camps on the Sound. The present de-
preston is only repetition of the his
tory OF that one. The causes which
have produced it are the same. and a
final reaction will DO brought about in
the same way.
The underlying causes of this pros
tration in the business are, firstly, the
general financial depression affecting
the whole country. Secondly. the short
crops in California last year. and lastly,
but not least, the abuse to which the
business has been subjected here. 1t 10
Q common axiom "remove the cause
and you effect the cure"
In tho financial condition of the
country there is, o the probabilities of
war increase. rapid growing prospect
of al immediate improvement. Cali
fornia will come forward in two months
moro with an immense grain crop.
When she receives her pay for this she
will be in the market for large stock
Of lumber. Many miles of fencing and
hundreds of buildings were swept
away by the winter frsshet along the
valleys. All these must be replaced
Is coon Is ths returns -~fas .sehr
improvements must also be made.
For long months past the California
market for lumber has amounted to next
to rothing for Us. But for the foreign
demand our mills would long since
have been obliged to shut down. aud
bids their time for = revival of business
on this coast.
The present depression 10 having the
effect to "freeze out" that class of log
gers whose operations have really been
detrimental to the business generally.
They are the men of small means
many of them men whom we should
really desire to sec succeed linen who
for their enterprise and persevering
spirit merit success. But the stern laws
which govern this business, as all
others. are Against them. II 10 they
who are now crowded to the wall.
They are men without capital or re-
spousibls backing; many of them men
Of little or no practical knowledge of
the business. They have come here by
hundreds. bought equipments and sup.
plies. oil on credit; hired men in the
same way. and gone to work like the
"bull in the China shop" Not being
sbls to strike out into the heavier tim
Der. they have got out short logs along
shore. With their frst boom in the
water. which they have put in at Q
great disadvantage. they End them
selves Affected with Panurges' disease
chronic need Of money. The men who
have supplied them want their pay, the
men who have done the work are
clamoring for theirs, and the logs must
be sold at any price, often not enough
to cover two-thirds of the cost of pro.
duction. II 10 this class of short logs
CAS- to 40s--that now glut the market
Ia such great quantities. offering at "a.
end finding no sale at that Long logs
ranging from forty to seventy feet
are always in good demand. and CON-
nand good rates. Those loggers who
arc able 70 hold their logs if necessary
until they can get their own price. and
have the capital required to construct
og-roads aud Gull their logs from the
finest timber in the heavy forest back
from the shore. many of them have
contracts for oil the logs they can pro.
duce ct present at from IS to g. per
thousand.