The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1912-01-27
SMALL PROFIT ON
WASHINGTON FIR
UPPER PENINSULA TIMBER DEAL
ERs SAYS WESTERN oP-
ORATORS GET Low
PRICES.


Timber operators in the upper PENN
sula cannot understand how Washing
ton lumbermen can afford to sell their
fir timber in this section at the going
prices. The Western men, TO secure
fair share OF the trade i'm this terri
tory. have to put in their timber at
about the same price that Norway pine
can be purchased for here. says the
Mining Journal.
The Washington lumbermen first be-
gan to send fir to upper peninsula
counties some five or six years ago
They then sold the timber at even low
or prices than they now receive for II.
and their margin of profit must be
small. A Marquette county lumberman
says the Washington firms are not get
ting more than from SO to IS on each
1000 feet placed on the cars at the
shipping point The prevailing price
for fir timber. twelve by twelve inches
square, thirty-six II. in length, is $26
thousand, delivered here. The
freight on each carload from Washing
ton is from $3.50 TO $500. The average
quantity on car is 10000 feet. so that
the freight charges alone are from ST.
TO $40 a thousand.
Can Operate TO Advantage.
1t costs less to lumber i'm Washing
ton than in the upper peninsula, how
ever. The weather conditions are
more favorable there and the trees
are SO much larger that power machin-
cry can be used to advantage The
average height of the Washington frs
Is $50 feet and each tree produces or
an average of from $500 to 5000 feet
of lumber Steam ,skidders are used
with good results. The cost of labor
in Washington is about the same as
here, but because of the difference I'm
the size of the trees the production per
man is much greater. A steam skid
der, working steadily will handle the
timber at the rate of 100000 feet i'm a
day.
While the life Of fir has not been set
tied to the satisfaction of consumers
in this region, it is thought that it will
stand UP well because it contains a
large percentage of pitch, which keeps
out the moisture and helps to preserve
it. Norway pine, six by eight inches in
size, and sixteen feet in length, COM
mands about the same price in this re-
gion as Washington fir.
Mining Companies Using Fir.
The mining companies OF the upper
peninsula are the principal purchasers
of Washington fir, and they are now
using about 30 per cent of this timber
in the construction of their shaft
houses and other. large mining build
ings that are not constructed exclu-
sively of fire proof materials Much
of the Washington fir delivered to the
mines is of greater length than the tai
lest timber cut in this region.
A year ago the western railway COM
panies proposed to advance their
freight rates, but this action was de-
ferred as a result of an injunction Cb-
tanned by shippers. If the increased
rates proposed at that time had gone
into effect, they would have meant APP
proximately 1870 advance. WITH
such an advance effective it is a ques-
ton If the Washington operators would
he able To compete with those furnish
ing Norway pine to the trade of the
upper peninsula.
The Western operators are now cur
failing their operations To meet their
demands and during the past year not
only the Western operators. but the
timber dealers of other sections of the
country. have reduced their superfuous
stock at least 10 per cent below nor
NAL.
1t is reported that the demand Tor
lumber is now much better than for
nearly three years past, and 1912 is eX-
pected to be good year In spite of
the fact that the building operations
in 1911 fell off 10 per cent. as COM
pared with 1910, 1911 was more sat-
isfoctory one. from the viewpoint OF
the dealer, than 1910.
Might Better Wait.