The Jasper news., 1918-12-26
coMMENps SPRUCE PRODUCERS
Men Who Worked in Timber Exhibited
| Real Arnericanisnl.


mendous machine ofspruce production,
rather than with the fighting units in
France, aircraft material was being pro-
duced in the Northwestern at the
pace of q lame snail,
The monthly output for October, 1917,
when the Spruce Production Division
assumed charge of oper, ,tions, was
scant 100000 feet. Contrasted with
this are the figures for October, 1918,
when 1900 per cent increase had been
recorded, with total for the month OF
23,500, 900 feet of airplane stock.
The answer of the boys who served
with the Spruce Division, some 10000
patriots who played the role of lumber
jack in uniform, is in those figures.
They had achieved the impossible, and
had placed at the disposal Of America
and her allies the wealth of sprightly,
resilient spruce that. insured dominion
of the air and the downfall of the last
German plane. "a
Atthe time when the Spruce Division
took charge of aircraft numbering, prices
we're drifting toward $3.50 per 1000 for
rived cants. The allies, desperate for
material, paid it without murmuring.
They paid even more, for the finished
airplane lumber, after reflections had
been made, approximated 5000 in cost.
Scarcely 40 per cent of the stock then
furnished ever went into airplane ma
terial.
The most recent, statement Of the
Spruce Production Division, to August
81, shows that the organization has
handled 90, 900 feet Of perfect air
plane stock; that Sl4, ,64S,S ,S22 was spent
in its production, and that S15, 1904
was received for the finished material.
The average cost Of this perfect stock
was $l51.37 per 1000 feet, and the aver
age selling price was $156.66. The OPP
erations to August 81 showed profit
of approximately 100000.
The statement OF cost5- includes gen.
eral overhead and all direct costs, not
including transportation charges east
of Vancouver Barracks. 1t represents
the penetration and conquest of an alb
solutely virgin wilderness, the blazing
of new roads, the construction OF grades,
or railroad lines, the establishment of
scores of camps, and all the multiplied
ty OF expense connected with work of
such magnitude.
The remarkable record Of S2S.77 per
1000, in selective logging, has been es-
tablished during the year. This in
cludes cost of stumpage, and all opera
tions involved, to the delivery OF the
raw lumber at the millponds,
Thirty thousand. enlisted men of the
| Spruce Division, from every state in
America, tyros at the numbering game,
for the most part, turned the trick in
mills, logging camps and other branch
es OF the industry TIE traffic depart
ment handled 10000 carloads of lun.
ber. Government operations, entirely
exclusive of private'contracts, were pro.
ducing 60 per cent Of the air-plane
stock when the order to cease work was
received.
An industrial army of civilians $780,
900 strong, the Loyal Legion of Log
gers and Lumbermen, We'd with the
activity OF the Spruce Division, produc
ing record amounts of material for can
tonments, shipping and commercial
purposes, thus accelerating and insur
ing the continuity OF the numbering
industry in all its branches throughou
the war period.
For the achievements of the Spruc
Division, General Disque refuses pei
sonal credit, declaring that the enthu
siasm and loyalty of the enlisted me-
and officers are responsible for the spec
with which the eagles of America an
her allies were fledged and sent forth t
conquest.
When General Disque speaks of th
80, 900 boys who served under him. toi
ing as lumberjacks in the gloom an
] drizzle OF the tall timber when the ba
tie game was played overseas, he b.
comes strongly partisan in their b.
/ half.
EVERY one Of those fellows wante
I I to 60 to France" said General Disqu'
recently. 'It was my hope that som
of them, at least, should see the wis
gratified. Had the war continued, or
regiment of our men would have bee
raodu oavt month to orovc tha ,,,o ..