Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1916-05-26

of the lumber industry of which it i.
one of the centers; in fact familiarit,
has made it seem minor ever-da,
affair to us. People Involuntary
compare the lumber business here
with the great sums paid by the rich
mines of the Occur d Alenes or some
Of the war babies" which are now
paying such enormous dividends. Ir
fact the chief difference in the lum.
Der business ard most other industries
is that for the last nine years the
former has had nothing left wher
ordinary running expenses are paid.
In talk to the Moscow Chambe,
of Commerce recently A W. Laird,
general manager of the Potlatch
Lumber Company, gave brief ac-
count of the activities of his concern
from which many interesting facts are
gathered.
One of these was that the amount
paid out annually in wages by the
Potlatch company is one sixth of all
salaries and wages paid by all of the
lndustrys of the state put together.
1t is on-fifth of the value of all
winter wheat, one-half the value of
all dairy products.
The amount paid out in wages be-
tween 1917 and 1915, inclusive-pre-
cisely the period during which the
industry thas been extremely depress-
ed-was SIS, 1T, 200 at Potlatch, $4,
O65, 900 at Bovill and 50, 27s, 600 at Elk
River. Here operations have only
been going on five years and have
been practically discontinued during
the winter. The company has in
that same time paid the railroads SIS,
233, 600 on lumber bound out, not in
GLIDING that on supplies inbound nor
on logs between woods and mill.
The taxes paid in the same period,
that from 1907 to 1915 inclusive. have
been $375, 900 to Latah county and
SITS, 600 of Clearwater county. Part
OF the latter sum was paid to Nez
Perez county before Clearwater was
created. In this connection it should
be noted that taxes have of late years
enormously increased in amount al
though the timber on which they are
mostly leavied has steadily shrunk
with each years logging. The rate
per annum is much higher now than
earlier in the period mentioned.
Since the company began saving at
Potlatch ten yaers ago it has cut l,
Ops, 600, 600 feet there and in the Elk
River mill in five seasons its cut has
been 209, 900, 600 feet, total of l,
235, 600, 600 feet without including the
cut of the Palouse mill, which ran
for some time after its purchase by
the Potlatch company but is now dis
mantled. In addition to all other ex-
penses So per Thousand feet has been
paid out for supplies for logging, etc.
The number of cars of logs hauled
to the mills of the company since it
started work is estimated at l25, 900
and the cars of lumber shipped out at
SO, 600, assuming stock on hand at the
beginning of this year to have been
loaded. This makes an average out
bound freight charge of few cents
more than $3.50 per car and explains
the desire of the railroad companies
for the location of saw mills on
their lines. Moreover, of late years
the average freight haul has been
longer and the railing charge higher
than formerly. This is one of the
unfortunate features of the industry.
OF its logged lands the company
has sold %, 5000 acres to 400 buyers,
an average purchase of Sc acres, most
Of which We're on ten years time at
six per cent on the deferred pay
ments. The prices have been low and
are not increasing.
The lumber company maintains its
own town at Potlatch, owning the
grounds and buildings, paying all ex-
penses and FURNISHING all accommod-
ations only to its own employees. Its
population runs from 200 to $1,000,
according to the condition Of the lum-
Der market. Potlatch is steadily be-
coming better improved and hand
somer as lawns, gardens and flowers
are extended and has had good public
utilities from the beginning. The
company started the town from a
combination of economic reasons, one
of the chief being a desire to keep
saloons away from the neighborhood
of the mill and shops. 1t has also
been found that all necessary public
functions are pergformed at much
smaller cost then if left to municipal
authority. One of the best schools in
the the state is maintained at cost,
high school and manual training de-
partment, of $40 per annum per child,
the lumber company paying the
charge without assistance from Latah
county.
Altogether it is evident that a