The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-02-11
MANS PART IN LUMBER.
Some Comprehensive Figures Pre-
pared by State Labor Bureau.


pared by State Labor Bureau.
Several weeks ago the labor bureau sent
out circular letters to the principal saw
mills In the state-some fifty in number
requesting information on the foil wi az
points: First, seasons cut of lumber,
lath and shingles; second, number Of
days and nights operated; third, average
number of men employed in the mill an
yards fourth, proportion of the seasons
cut disposed of. AS yet only seven cen Of
the firms addressed have replied, but the
reports received, being from the largest
and most representative lumber manu-
fatcurers in the state, furnish ample ops
portunity for analysis. Thus the general
length of the season and the average
number Of employees required in, the man
ufacture Of a given quantity of lumber,
as well as an approximately correct idea
OF proportions between lumber saw ID ana
stock on hand, may be secured.
The reports show that the length of the
season ranged from 125 days, the short
est, to 200 days and 1856 nights, the long
est. Collectively the seventeen mills were
operated 2,Sl7 days and 1,Sn nights-thir-
teen of the seventeen mills being operat-
ed nights. Considering a nights work as
equivalent to that of a day. the seven
teen mills together show 4,6S8 days opera
ton, or an average Of 275 for EACH. The
exact average however, is 165 days for
each of the seventeen mills and IA nights
for each Of the thirteen mills operating
nights.
The total number of employees in the
seventeen mills was S,4S9, ranging from
Is in the smallest to $50 in the largest.
The average for each would be 226.
The total cut for all the mills is given
as 649, SAC, $50 feet of lumber, 104 143 $50 lath
a md CHI ole xyn~ orr1T hi
have 3S,226,240 feet Of lumber, 6,12607 lath
and 7,421, 544 shingles for each of the mills.
And by dividing the total product by the
average number Of days operated the re-
suit shows the average cut per day of
all mills to be 2,363,o76 feet of lumber,
37S, 704 lath and 45S7S6 shingles.
1t may be of interest to note what an
individual days work stands for in this
production of lumber; and 1t would be
still more interesting if data were avail
able whereby comparisons could be made
between the product of an individual
days work in past years and that Of the
present day with its improved machinery
and facilities.
From the figures given above it is found
that GAS, ,080 feet of lumber, 104, 143, $50
lath and 126 166, $50 shingles were produced
by 1,256, 626 individual days labor. This
shows that one mans work for one day
represents 5lf feet OF lumber, " la and
100 shingles: This result does not appear
to ne much affected by the size of the
mill, as it Is found that the smallest mill,
operating lbs days only, and employing
but 15 men, and producing only 100000
feet of lumber (no lath or shingles), one
mans work represents 533 feet Of lumb er
for the days cut, while in the largest
mill, operated 176 days and 173 nights, en-
ploying $50 men, and producing for the
season los, S27 100 feet Of lumber, 100000
lath and 100000 shingles-there one
mans work in day represents Az feet
of lumber, 81 lath and los shingles-being
practically the same as in the case alb We,
where the additional Sc feet of lumber
made up for 81 laths and 105 shingles in
the latter case.
AS to the proportion Of the cut disposed
of during the season, the reports rece.v-
ed indicate remarkably brisk movement
of saw mill products. The proportion dis
posed of ranges from 20 per cent, In the
case Of one mill, to the entire cut in six
of the mills. A summary of these vari-
Gus proportions show that of the en- ire
cut of all the mills. so per cent was d s.
posed of during the season, leaving but
Is per cent on hand.