The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1893-12-15
Wages in Logging Camps.

A correspondent of the Post-Intelli-
gencer residing in Seattle writes:
$50 much dissatisfaction is daily ex
pressed by laborers, especially those
following the lumber interests of this
state relative to the hard times and
low wages received in exchange for
their labor that | wish to call your at
tention to til enclosed print cut from
the Appleton Post, of Appleton, Wis,
relative to the wages paid in Wiscon-
sin tor the same kind of labor by one
of the wealthiest firms in that state:
AS sign OF the times it may be noted
that according to report the Paine
Logging Company, of Oshkosh, is
hiring men and teams for work in the
woods this winter for $50 per month,
where last winter $75 was paid for the
same service. They are hiring men
alone for $l2 per month Truly,
times have changed"
In regard to the above a reporter in
terviewed j. p. Millett, of Cherry Val
ley; c. w. Rich, of Mosher; Pat Nc
Coy, of Edison, and E. G. English, of
Mount Vernon, four of the largest
loggers on the Sound, who are stop
ping at the Diller. They state that
there is no great dissatisfaction among
the men in their employ, although the
wages have been considerably reduced
since the summer Heretofore the
wages paid to laborers in the woods
were $35 to 800 per month and board,
and now they are $26 to $50 and
board. The rate quoted in the clip
ping also includes board Transfers
in the woods last year were getting $50
to 500 per month and board, but now
they are getting $50 to $75 and board.
While there has been considerable re-
duction in the wages paid to green
hands, there has not been so much
falling off in those paid to experienced
competent men. There are very few
camps running now on the Sound, but
if a man wanted to start up logging
he could get all the help he wanted
for 500 to $40 a month and board, but
! they would be short time men, and as
soon as the times should improve they
would leave. The prices quoted in the
clipping are the minimum prices paid
in Wisconsin for inexperienced help,
but competent men are receiving more
than is there stated. Mr.. Millett said ::
"However, there isn't logger on
the Sound who is making any money.
And very few of the millmen are bet
ter off. At my camp in Cherry Val
ley | am not using any teams; | am
using engines, and am satisfied that
that is the most economical method.
We employ about the same number of
men as we would have done did we
use teams, and the only difference to
us is that our four engines take the
place of about sixty horses, whose
feed and repairs would cost more than
those OF the engines. Logs are now
very low and man can buy all he
wants at 81 per thousand feet. The
logs | am cutting, however, are all
culled timber and | haven't sold any of
those for less than Sc per thousand
feet. The trouble is that there is no
market for our rough lumber, and
such as 1T Is we are now threatene d
with the loss of a portion by this tariff
tinkerlng. Almost our only market
for rough lumber is California, and if
lumber is put on the free list we allow
the British Columbia mills to ente
the field and divide that market with
us. During the time Southern Cali
fornia was booming many of the Bri-
fish Columbia mills were even able to
pay the duty and ship lumber into
that section. There is prospect,
however, that this South Africa boom
will help our market to some extent
BY the way, have an order to fill for
the Midwinter fair. | am going to get
out stick to go down t,.ere which
will be larger than any senA to Chi
cago. 1t will be 100 feet long and
square thirty-six inches.