Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-12-24
Running a SawmilI.

Running Sawmiii.
Mrs. Harrist Smith, of Tuckertown,
Fla, runs q sawmill, and wrote to
the Northwestern Lumberman under
date of the 17th of November as fol-
lows.
Many e man in the sawmiii busi-
ness would do well if be could get
skilled iabor, but tins State Is cursed
with a tribe Of sawmill tramps who
claim to know everything, and when
tried can do nothing. They are al
wavs on foot and out of money, yet
if we are to believe them they have
been the superintenden.s OF the lar
gest mills IN America Everyone OF
them has been Governor Drew s prin
cipal sawyer for at least ten years,
receiving not less than So a day.
They all know moro of machinery
than the mon who make it, and are
ready, not to commence saving, but
to commence cutting, changing, sph-
cling, and rebuilding, with promise
that if I will give them $3.50 per day
and board they will double the capa-
city Iof my mill and be ready for work
in about three weeks | have never
been deceived By ons OF them, but
they leave their mark wherever en-
plo,ed. One half OF them ought TO
be hung and tins other half sent to
the penitentiary. One came to me
few days ago who was an exception,
for. notwithstanding he WAS 1.-The
best sawyer in Florida, be was will
ling to work for SO month and
board, or So if he boarded ''hisself
hungry looking wretch Iwouldn t
have boarded him even day for 81
and | know be couldn't board him
self at any such price. Said I, ''Do
you SEQ that road out therel Hevery
meekly said be did. Then, said l.
YOU go out there, and when you get
to it take either end you like; the
one that viii put you out OF my sight
the quickest will suit me ths best.
He went. If he had not, | would
have put tie dogs after him in three
minutes.
L employ none but the best hands
not paying too much OF too little,
for one fault Is about as bad as the
other.
L can't say just what my lumber
costs me, but L know that when sold
1 have taken in more money than L
paid out. l am 80 years old, orabout
that, was born in Florida. and was
raised at time when bookkeeping
was not thought of.
l now have my second husband
and l am the mother ofnine children,
seven of whom sge living. Several OF
the elder are doing business for them
selves, yet they always come to
'1nother" for advice, and when they
don't take it they wish they had. l
have always managed my own busi
ness, and / expect to while live. l
awake in the morning and plan the
DAYS work while the men are asleep,
and at the breakfast table give every
one his orders. iuclu hing my husband
who never objects to my doing the
thinking for the family.
My first advice 20 men who con
template gong into the sawmill bus
mess is-don't do it, for not one il
twenty Of you has ability to succeed.
Ii, however. you are determined to
tIy il, be careful that you get the best
machinery, strong and heavy enough
to stand the bad treatment of awk
ward haAds. Buy the most durable
belts, no matter what they cost, forI
half the failures in our backwoods
mills are caused by constant b, eak-
ing If belts. And when a complete
outfit is secured, locate where you
can get timber and sell lumber.
Keep your machines in good orior,
taking special care of ali parts out OF
sight. Pay your hands in cash, aud
not in promises, for they work for
the money, and not for any love
they have for you or your business
When you can't pay, shut down,
stack your lumber, and discharge all
hands. Your mall will neither cat,
drink, nor wear anything while stand
ing still. But when you do run, work
everything to it, full capaciiy.