Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-12-17
SPRUCE CUTTING.
Interesting Facts Concerning Outlook for Loo
Production During Coming Season.


" On the Road Selling Spruce" for the
Northeastern Lumberman of December 7th
The mild weather of the past week has
counted against the log production in the
woods. especially where the ground is
still soft and muddy. This may work
some hardship to individual operators.
who are ready to yard their logs, but
each day that is lost by reason of the
warm weather diminishes the output To
that extent, and makes what is cut worth
the more next spring.
The tendency, no doubt, each year is to
cut large product, each operator thinking
that his salvation depends upon the size
OF his output. This seems to be bad Judg-
ment, but of course each operator must
be his own judge of what is pest for him.
From the present outlook I should say
there would be as much lumber cut this
winter as there was last throughout New
England, and | am quite certain a con-
siderable increase in the cut through
Canada and the provinces
In the eastern townships, province of
Quebec, the new mill nearly ready to run,
owned by George Van Dyke, Hon. Will
liam B. Ives and Hon. r. H. Pope, will
be a new factor in the situation, though
we may be sure these parties will get good
prices for their lumber
In this same section Mr.. Frank Dudley,
who lives in Portland, Me-, and who has
been running three sets of mills in the
eastern townships, will not figure as SO
large factor in the situation this year as
he has in years past. He has sold his
Megantic mill to the Montague Paper
Company of Montague, Mass, with all
the plant and the limits. This must re-
move very considerable production of
lumber from the market The mill
which Mr.. Dudley has been running in
years past at Scottstown was only leased
by him, and the lease has expired. 1 be-
lieve this property is owned by the Cook
shire Mill Company, who do not care to
renew the lease, and who will prefer to
sell their own lumber. This eliminates a
second mill from Mr.. Dudlcys control.
l think he still owns small mill at
Athabasca, but not of large capacity.
Very much of the lumber which Mr..
Dudley has made in years past he has
shipped by the Canadian Pacific Railroad
to st. Johns, on the Richeleu canal
whence it has been forwarded by canal
and Lake Champlain to New York mar
kct. A Canadian tells me that contracts
have been made the past season to ship
lumber from Three Rivers, on the ST
Lawrence river, through by canal and
river to New York at 1925 to SO 80 per
thousand feet making very cheap water
carriage. Mr.. Dudley could reach New
York much cheaper by the way of st.
Johns and the canals and Lake Cham
plain than he could in any other way.
The Cookshire Mill Company has
recently loaded vessel for South America
with its spruce, ut Quebec. The season
is so late, however, that it would not be
safe to charter another vessel to load at
that point at this time of the year, hence
whatever shipments the Cookshire Com
pany may make to South America will be
put aboard ship at Portland, Me- The
freight from their mills TO Quebec is less
than to Portland, but the port charges are
less in Portland, and generally little
better price is obtained at Portland, while
often times vessels may be chartered from
Portland to South America cheaper than
from Quebec TO the same point.
There are more orders for spruce in the
South American trade this year at this
time than were offered last year. This is
encouraging to those who are fitted to
snip spruce as required by that market.
The St. John and Nova Scotia markets
are also favored with several orders for
South American spruce. The marked
rise In deals is an encouraging feature for
provincial lumber manufacturers.
1t is very satisfactory to note that prices
for spruce dimension and yard stock by
rail are fully So per thousand feet higher
than last year at the corresponding date.
This is also supplemented by the fact that
there is less to come forward, and less
number of mills running, than was the
case last year, so it would seem as though
the railroad mills capable of running in
the winter season will have fair business
at remunerative prices.
| have often wondered why some of our
New England lumber dealers did not
arrange with the Boston * Maine for
rates of freight to New York on
spruce, and | have often won
dered why the great Boston x Maine sys-
tenn itself did not encourage larger
movement in lumber over its iron. 1t
would seem as though they could compete
with vessels. both from the Kennebec
river and from the Penobscot. In many
cases lumber shipped from those rivers is
first brought to Boston, and then
shipped over the Old Colony iron or
Fitchburg or Boston Il Albany to inland
points 1t would seem that a little mis-
sionary work on the part of the freight
department of the Boston & Maine could
capture ali this business, and add very
largely to its income.
As compared with the rates of freight
which the Canadians get over their roads,
and pro rata over the Boston * Maine
and other New England roads, many of
orr local freight rates are too high. The
lumber business is the best business the
railroads can possibly do. Lumber is
transported mainly ON fat cars the entire
loading and unloading is done by the
owners of the lumber any accident which
may dump car is attendant with very
light expense, frequently only that of re-
loading while the dumping OF carload
of flour, or eggs or butter frequently en-
tails laeavy damage.
1t is certain that a very large proper
ton of the forest products are now per
mitted to rot at the mill or in tho forest.
which lower arrangement OF railroad