Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1914-02-14
INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISE.
Raw Material in Way of Standing Timber
Would Justify Establishment of
Saw Mill at Custer.

Mr.. C. H. Crawford of Rapid City, S.
D., who for the past several years has
been general manager of the Lamphere.
Hinrichs Lumber Co. spent several days
in Custer during the fore part of the
week for the purpose of ascertaining
the possibilities and advisability of es-
tablishing in Custer large saw mill
plant. To number of business men
who held meeting for the purpose oi
discussing with Mr.. Crawford this pro-
position, Mr.. Crawford stated that he
had ascertained from the state and
federal Forest Officers that there was a
sufficient stand of timber in the vicinity
of Custer to produce 500, 100000 feet of
lumber. To handle this timber on an
economical basis and to produce the lum-
Der in way that it would be possible
to make profit in the enterprise, Mr.
Crawford stated that saw mill should
be established which would have daily
capacity of approximately 10000 feet.
and the logs would necessarily have to
be brought to the saw mill by means of
a narrow gauge railroad. The erection
of such plant and the construction OF
railroads would mean a very large ex-
penditure of money and the operating
of the plant would require the employ
ment of an average of 300 men, thus
causing payroll averaging approxima.
tely $l5, 100000 per month.
In order to interest men who had
sufficient means to undertake an enter
prise of this sort, Mr.. Crawford stated
that number of questions would have
to be definitely determined before the
enterprise could be assured. The ques
tions of first importance to be considered
are as to whether or not the Govern
ment and State officials would be will.
ing to enter into contract for a suffi
ciently large stand of timber at a reason
able stumpage rate tojustify the expense
of constructing large plant: Second,
as to whether or not the transportation
companies would be willing to give satis-
factory rates for the expectation of the
products so that they could be shipped
to the eastern markets in competition
with lumber which is now being shipped
from the western coast: Third, as to
whether the community would be will
ing to welcome such an enterprise and
endorse it to the extent of seeing that
the company would not be charged an
unreasonable amount for the necessary
sites, rights.of-way, taxes, etc. 1t was
further stated by Mr.. Crawford to su b.
committee of the business men which
was appointed to take various questions
up with him in detail that the condi.
tons under which logging operations
must be conducted, the quality of tim
ber, the distance from market, the keen
competition in the lumber industry and
other factors, at the best, would maxi e
it difficult to operate at profit unless
every reasonable and possible considera
tion by all parties concerned would be
granted. And in regard to these con-
ditions he stated that unless the com
munity could see its way clear to offer a
set, definite bonus, say per cent on the
first 81 900, 900 spent in payrolls, that il
might be impossible to secure for the
community an enterprise of the sor
contemplated.
After the general meeting of the bust
ness men with Mr.. Crawford, sever a
individual committee meetings were
held for the purpose of determining de
finitely what, if anything, could be done
by this community towards assisting in
establishing the enterprise. At the
final meeting held by the business men
it was definitely decided that Custer
would offer to Mr.. Crawl ford or any other
individual who would establish saw
mill in or adjacent to Custer that woult
guarantee to cut 500. 100000 feet of tim
Der at the rate of approximately 100,O0(
feet per day, free mill site and suct
rights. of-way as are needed for the con
struction ofthe necessary logging rail
roads. Various other plans and sug
gestions were made as to what the COM
munity could do in the way of taxation
bonus and other considerations which
might be attractive to an enterprise sucf
as contemplated, but it was not definitely
decided at any of the meetings Just wha
could be done along this line. although
Ipno nf 70
ably of such plan and thought that
some such considerations could be
granted.
Mr.. Crawford spent several days in
the woods looking over the various
stands of timber and before leaving Gus
| ter discussed the matter fully with tht
Forest Officials concerning the purchase
of stumpage. He left Custer on Febru
ary llth going to State Forest Super
| visor Roskie's headquarters for the pur
pose of looking over timber and dis
cussing with him plans for the handling
of timber on the State Forest.
1t is, of course, at this time impossible
to state whether or not saw mill plan
such as contemplated will be established
in or near Custer at any time in the
near future. 1t is at least encouragn,
to know that we have sufficient raw
material in the way of standing timbe
that would justify the establishment o.
a large saw mill and that a man of Mr.
Crawford's experience in the lumber
industry has been attracted to tn,
field and is looking up the posi-
bilities. Whether or not the sav
mill plant is established now or a
any time in the immediate future,
would seem that with the raw materia
and resources at hand that such plan
would be justifable at some date in tb'
not far distant future, as the timber sup
ply in other heavy timber producin
states is rapidly diminishing. For tn,
present, all we can do is to hope that
large saw mill will soon be establishes
and that no more Of our timber will b