Daily Kennebec journal., 1902-01-21
IN THE WOODS.
Operations in. Names Forests Are
Progressing Well This Winter.
This Has Been the Best January Known in the
History Of the Business.

..The conditions in the woods ar
| lust perfect for the lumbermen at pres
ent." said Land Agent Ring, yesterday
to the Journal. Every lumberman
see speaks glowingly of the situation
There is Just enough snow to make
| hauling easy and the bottom is fine
, When the snow came in the early fal
there was no bottom. the ground hadn
| frozen as it should. Then came the
freshet and took away about all of the
early snow Before more snow came
the ground hardened, the swamps froZe
I'D, and now everything is in splendid
shape for a big winters work. l be-
lieve the cut this winter will be greater
than ever.
Not only are these good conditions
reported from the northern woods. but
in Penobscot. Kennebec and Andros-
coggin waters the situation is al that
can be desired. The camps are busy
with work, and according to indications
the same satisfactory conditions Will
prevail right through the winter unless
something unforeseen crops out in the
shape of weather..
From another source it is learned
lHdC tne IuIllDtl OIl lHe Nell
nebec are doing well now, although
things looked blue early in the season.
Men were very scarce, a big blizzard
came along in November to discourage
the small crews and bury the roads
under a solid three feet. Then follow
ing this the freshet came and disaster
ensued.
II never knew a better January for
work in the woods said a Kennebec
operator. yesterday. THE snow has
been just right, the ground has been
solid and the weather has been healthy
for the men. Yarding has been done
with ease. and hauling has been a
pleasure. The cut will not be large for
the lumber manufacturers, but the es-
Inmates planned by the pulp opera tors
will be equal to the figures made in the
fall. I don't know of any logs for sale
now. The contractors have about all
they can do to fill their contracts be-
fore the season is over. I should say
that logs will be high, next summer,
which, of course, will make lumber
high.
There are no spectators in logs.
Every fall contracts are made by lum-
per and pulp manufacturers with the
operators for SO many feet of logs at a
certain price. Some operators may be
successful in securing the amount they
have contracted to furnish; others NAV
not be so fortunate. When the spring
opens the operators know just how
many logs they have got to drive in
order to fill their contracts. If they
cannot drive their logs to market they
must manage to get them somewhere
so as to comply with the terms of their
contract. Then the price goes up.
maybe.
1T would be impossible for me to saw
Just what the cut in the Kennebec wa
ters will be this winter, for there are
several weeks of good cutting vet to
come. but have faith to believe that
the total will nearly equal the estimate
made few weeks ago. There are not
quite so many lumber operators in the
woods as was expected, and there may
be falling off in that particular; but
the pulp operators will secure lust
what they planned on obtaining. On
the whole, I think the year will be up
to the average, if it does not exceed it,"