Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-08-11
WOOD Up 40 PER CT.
And GOING HIGHER
High Cost Of Labor and In.
creased Cost Of Delivery
the Main Causes

The old teachings of take no thought
of the morrow may be all right in some
things, but in the present day when
cord wood is scarce and slab wood
scarcer, and the winter time coming
on, condition and not theory CON
fronts the average householder.
A few years ago during the winter
many man was willing to put in the
time cutting wood at from rs cents to
81 cord. But the past winter and at
the present time wood cutters are
scarce and hard to find at So cord
An average cutter can put up one and
a half cords a day and fast worker
might cut two cords, at the So a cord.
And while the cutters are scarce and
have not been working to any extent
last winter, the wood hauler with a
team is demanding So day, while one
year ago they were willing to work at
from $3.50 to So. With hay at 500 a
ton and Sc the price for shoeing a team
of horses, the man with team feels he
is entitled to the advance.
During the past winter there has
been but little wood cut in this vicini.
ty compared to former years. This per
haps was due to the big wages paid
elsewhere and also to the fact there
was no assurance that wood would
bring a profitable price this winter
Slab Wood Nearly Doubles
Cost of production is the story fol
the advance in all Kinds of wood com
pared to former years. In the small
slab wood bought of the mills there
has been an advance Of so to IS cents
la load. The price today is $2.75 load
compared to So and 1925 one year ago
but deliveries are slow.
Four foot slab wood has taken a
more radical advance as now it is sell
ing from $3.50 to SIS cord compared
ago.
There is but little ash on the market
and the same may Sc, said of oak. Deal
ers say they cannot gbuy at present.
The few lots in town are selling for
81 to $3.50 a cord and the chances are
that oak and ash will soon be almost
off the market.
For second growth fir the general
retail price for cash today is $3.50. One
year ago it was selling for from 1915
to $4 and the general opinion of deal
ers is that price this fall of So is one
of the probabilities. After the local sup
ply is exhausted, and there is but lit
tie close to the city, dealers will be
obliged to buy at more distant points
aud this will mean an extra cost for
delivery.
First growth, or big fir, is now quot
ed at $3.50 a cord an advance of about
SO over this time one year ago. While
the wood dealers claim to be making
on ea u r"'. NJ T6re 4 an one Ssa
ago, they Zee that even $3.50 is u "
figure and the winter may see an adj
vanced price. These prices are base !
on cash transactions, as in the merean-
tile world wood is placed on a cash
basis. -rst the same as bacon and SUI
gar.
Cutting Cost Doubled
When it comes to placing the respon-
siLility for these higher prices for ali
kinds Of wood, the answer is the same
III all, namely, the increased cost to
the dealer. Very little cord wood has
been cut the past winter. Many work
ers who could earn from $2 to $3.50 a
day swinging an axe were employed
this winter in the cities and industrial
centers at SO or more.
There has been no great amount Of
wood business done so far this summer
by the dealers, and the higher price is
in no way due to the greater demand
or competition from householders who
are taking advantage of the lower sum
mer prices.
SO there you have it. The dealers say
they have but little wood stored and
are making no more on cord at the