The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-05-02
". JOHNSON


ecN COST Or os PINEliE
Ii sttRlIERsGlVE INTERESTING 4
" lFio ,! RNi AII ON II
!! This is "a ssnbi ect which apparently ara il
has never otimnnded . the 4 entioas
ana! q respect which It deserve q at Il the;
hands sof the various yellow; nine as; a !.
Psoclations. During the pas yea !. III 4.
.uring stutnpage at the fair value so:s
IS per thousand feet, the writer feels
safe in saying that the average cost
OF manufacturing yellow pine lumber.
No. common and better. and get.
ting back your money, presents an
average throughout ! the South 6of
somewhere between $3.50 and \ s1s
per thousand feet. esis .5j \! 4 q I'D
No. common with most of us rem.
resent at least 40 per cent. OF our 10.
tai output. and when We realize that
practically, half Of our output Of lum.
Der Is being sold to-day at about half
It's actual cost. 1t is going to take
more than the difference In the high
,er grades to make up the loss ON No.
p common. In other words. 1t is tho
writer's candid opinion that therelis
not a yellow pine sawmil1 operating
In the South to-day selling this slum.
ber5 at what are considered market
prices able to break even. On the
contrary. there is no doubt in the writ.
er's mind but that every yellow pine;
saw1niill in the country is to-day do
I ing business at quite a large loss, and
this loss represents more than the val
ne Of the stumpage. In other words;
on to-lay's market-if We may call
It a market at all-7--the yellow pine
sawnill man Is getting absolutely.
nothing for his stumpage and making,
ia pretty good loss besides. II the
various yellow pine associations would
make this question OF cost leading
feature of every circular, which they,
send out for the next year, we feel
sure TINT 1t would help great deal
to bring the sawmill man to his
senses. and make him realize that he
/ Is today selling his lumber at an enor-
nous loss. y,
Ten years ago. when yellow pine
stumnage did not cost over so cents
per thousand feet and labor about
hall Its present cost, also supplies and
machinery. etc. It was possible to
produce yellow pine lumber at very
low figure.
II We believe that there are a good
many sawmill men who are still fig.
Inring upon these old time conditions
and who are jollying themselves along
with the Idea that their total cost OF
producing lumber is simply represent.
ell by their pay roll. Forgetting en-
tirely, to take into consideration the
other items which you mention such
rs Office expense, selling expenses. tax
es. fire Insurance. depreciation OF
plant. trade discounts. reclamations.
etc. When all OF these items are TAX
en- into consideration and the sawmill
mans books are properly kept, the
sawmill man will learn that 1t Is I'M
possible for him to produce yellow
pine lumber today Mt a less cost that
we mentioned above-from $3.50 to
$13 per thousand feet, No. 2 COM
mon and better. If this fact would
be pounded into the heads OF each AMI
every one Of our yellow pine snwmall
friends. It will do more than any
thing else to bring about at lenst u
fair restoration of prices. The aver
age sawmill, when he gets his plan
Ing mill sheds filled up. simply makes
up his mind that the lumber must be
moved at some kind OF a price. 1f,wa
would NIL shut down and hold our
lumber like the white pine men OF the
North. we would to-day be making.
at least. a fair profit, Instead OF a
ruinous loss. II you will continue to
hammer away on the question OF man.
ufacturing cost. and educate the saw.
mill man to know the actual cost OF
his products. you will make yourselves
and your association one of the great
est benefactors of one OF the great.
est manufacturing Industries in the
United States. Any cooperation that
we can give you will give us pleasure.
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ITea1l1s S11itor