Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-05-19
LUMBER LORE.
Figures Relative to the
"fo"th OF the Local lntera.,s as
SHOWN by +. &. Denkmann.

IN Oh tne Local Rnterp.ts as
SHOWN by F. G. Denkmann.
r T. Denkmann, of this CITY, George
oaoie' OF Davenport. and Judge ].
W. could. of Moline, were summoned 10
onlcago last week to testify in the case
OF Eau Claire Luu Der company against
certain railroads charged with discrimi,
natlng against mil interests of Eau
clare IN the matter of dfferentals. MIR.
Denkmann presented table prepared by
himself giving the long and short lines
from the lumber distributing points to
the principal consuming points in the
west, showing that if the figures were
made On distance tariff entirely, the
three cities would be entitled to as good g.
rate as they have now. His testimony
showed great study of the subject.
| In 1866 the total cut of the mills 10
the three towns, Davenport. Rock Island
ana Moilne, Was about 100000 feet.
In addition TO these mills there were in
Davenport three lumber yards, and in
ROCK Island one, handling RATED lumber.
their supply of lumber being received
from the small mills then in operation on
the Wisconsin aud Chippewa rivers, the
lumber being foated down in RATS. In
1868 the total amount of RATED lumber
handled at these points was about TO-
oUO,OUO feet, making total OF manufac-
tuTed and RATED lumber in 1866 of ABOUT
2|OoO, go feet in the three towns. The
prl1clpal part of the lumber was for local
use. the demand for lumber west of us
being largely supplied by Chicago deal
erS.
The supply OF logs for these mills was
obtained from the Black river, Wis, and
from the St. Croix river.
Owing to the discrimination in freight
rates by the railroads in favor of Chicago,
as against the river points, there was but
little encouragement for the wholesalers
OF lumber at these points on the Missis
SIppi river. Notwithstanding the unfair
discrimination against the river points,
the owners of mills Cn the Mississippi
river were not discouraged, and continued
to increase the output of their mills until
IN 1876 the total cut of lumber of all the
mills IN the three towns aggregated about
100, GOO, coo feet. In addition to this
there was handled OF RATED lumber about
10 600, 600 feet.
The total cut of the'mils of Davenport,
Rock Island and Moline, for 1879, WAS
asout 1870. O00001 feet. This was the
largest amount ever produced IN any
one year up 10 that time; but from
that time forward the business has
been developing and increased to an aver
age output of something like 100000
600 feet per annum, besides lath, shin
giles and pickets. AT the above named
points. the sawmills havs been enlarged
and improved, from time to time, al great
cost to the owners thereof. As the
reader knows, large numbers of families
hsve secured homes around the mills,
where the heads Of families. and in many
cases the boys, find steady employment
at remunerative wages, an 1 are depend
ent on these enterprises for Employment
obtained therein.
The witness also presented a tabulated
statement showing the number Of men
employed in each OF the mills of the
tri-cities and on the boats run by them,
the total number being 1869 In short
by force of figures and statements of
fact it was aimed 10 show to the commits
sion what is well enough realized in here
that the lumber business of the
tri-cities IS an immense industry entitled
to fair treatment on the part of railroads
and everyone else.