The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1902-03-05
NUMBERING on THE CLARION.
A Good Account Of Operations in the
Upper Clarion River Country From
Our Old Friend, the Tramp.

Dear Sir:-You will not he surprised tC
hear from your old scribe again. Not
nearly so much surpr sed as not to have
heard long ago. So away up here near
where Little Tobey enters the Clarion
river l shall renew my acquaintance with
the columns Of the REPUBLICAN.
Here at Portland Mills the people put
in an anxious time last night. The ice
went out Of the creek here yesterday at
noon, doing more damage than for a
number of years past. The Portland
Lumber company lost log, and booms to
the value Of goo, probably, 10y the ice.
Then in The afternoon it rained very
hard and in the evening the creek rose
very rapidly for while. Up at Carrier,
on little Tobey Buzsrd Il Co. mad put in
about 1000, 600 feet of logs which they had
sold to the Portland Lumber Co. and
which they were to deliver at the mouth
of TObey. 4 runor came that these had
all been swept away, but this morning it
appears that Buzard a Co. did not lose
over 30 pieces. The Portland Co. had
800, 600 at Mill Creek, and fears were
entertained that they would be swept
away. But wbilea few lloated off the
| loss there was uifling. Then Bear Greek
enters the Clarion just opposite Portland
Mills and a little above the dam built
across the Clarion. There is in Bear
Creek a stock Of about 1000, 900 feet and
it looked as Il, ugh that might go. But
it all lies secure yet in the month of the
| little creek. The loss of these logs would
have been a serious matter for the men
dependent on the mill for support.
Fears were entertained for the safety of
timber and logs lying on the bank below
this. Lumbermen have grown little
careless for tho reason that the spring
breakups have been quite ordinary af-
fairs for some years past. As a conse-
/ quence timber and logs have been piled
too close to the water and then not so
securely as they should be- David Moore
has 10000 feet Of square timber at Lilly
| Pond, and Steiner 10000 at Rock Eddy
| Ford 10, 600, most of which is at Arroyo.
The Rhines Estate has 10000 at Halton
Gardiner has 10000 on Spring Creek.
William Moore 225,OCO near Raughts ;
/ Croasmun 10000 at the same place; Bell
Bros. 10000 at the mouth of Wynkoop
run. These figures are large and quite
close the actual amounts. Besides this
there is somewhere between $4,000 and
100 600 in smaller lots, some oft hemlock,
some maple, birch, beech, etc. Between
Milestone and Portland Mills there is
therefore in the vicinity of l,OO0,-
OOO cutie feet Of square timber to go to
market this spring. There are some logs
also.
steiner lost lO,OOO cubic feet OF timber
by water this morning. 1t is possible
most of it can be recovered. David
Moore lost few sticks. Joseph Metts
lost heavily in logs-aboul 100000 feet.
There has heen quite trade on the
creek the past year or two IN maple
square timber. 1t has been used quite
extensively for bodybuilding, principal
/ ly tor gun wales. Beech, white birch, in
fact most anything at all has been used
for ties, bul heads, and possibly for
plank. But the "Combinen has II, tilted
builders that tie gun-wales hereafter, and
the bottom plank as well, must be hem
| lock. Hardwood" as the other woods
above mentioned are called, may be used
| for ties and streamers, and, to a limited
extent. for headings. This is quite a
blow to the maple square-timbor busi-
ness, possibly, yet the general market
than for hemlock, we are told. But we
do not stand sponsor for the exactness ol
this statement. 1t seems to be the inn
preston up along here that the "Com-
bine' is the sworn enemy Of the lumber
men aud boatmen of the Clarion. And
it is limited that the price OF timber and
boats is already fixed in advance by the
aforesaid octopus.
The days of hemlock up in these parts
are numbered, and if men cannot get
more for square timber than the sawed
lumber, square timber will be a scarce
article hereafter from this section. Ths
cost of hauling long distances, the uncer.
tainty of the winter, the uncertainty
about water TO run on, the risk Of ice and
water, and possible wreckage on the way
down, all contribute to make a good
price only reasonable anticipation as
well a4 a realization.
The Portland Lumber Co. has saw
mill here and one two miles above this
at Croyland. The one at Croyland is
where all the Especial orders are filled
and sawed. 1t runs both winter and
summer. 1t will average abont 10000
feet per day. The one here is gang
mill. 1t has circular for making
"Kants," two edgers, and slasher, and
with good los it would easily cut 100000
per day. 1t runs only in tie open season
Last year it opened ON March ~, and
closed on December IA. There is work
in the woods or in tho yard during the
winter most Of the time for the men who
reside here, if they wish to work. There
is possibility hat the CroyIand mills
may close down this spring or summer.
If the Portland Company do not buy any
more timber to be manufactured here the
mill here will probably run no longer
than four or five years yet, possibly moi
50 long. The Leather Trust has timber
to sell that can be brought here to manu-
facture, but the Trust seems to think that
peeled hemlock has dscoverable quail.
ties. yet unknown to lumbermen, that
are valuable, and names a corresponding