The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1918-12-21
BUYERS MAKING PRICES ON Low-
ER BASIS THAN IN WAR TIMES
VENEER STOCK STILL HIGH
Outlook IS For a Pretty Fair Sized
Isput Of Logs in This LEGALITY
During the Coming Winter

just prior W the tuulnb VI tnc Wal
log buyers were offering unheard OF
prices for logs In the locality about
Crystal Falls. Eastwood and veneer
birch was in greatest demand and
buyers were falling over one another
10 let contracts.
Owing to the very uncertain con-
ditions OF the labor market at the
time the jobbers were not in hurry
TO cover and as result few II any
contracts were actually signed at the
exceedingly high figures.
Immediately following the signing
OF the armistice and the cancelling of
some contracts by the government
there was right-about-face on the
part OF the buyers from an anxiety to
buy TO hesitancy that finally result
ed in offers at much less figure than
those put forward while the war was
in progress.
Prices still on High Basis.
At that the prices that are being Of
fered are fairly remnuerative and with
the easing OF the labor market that
is bound to follow the jobbers ought
10 make some money. While labor is
going to be easier the chances are that
wages will not decrease. Men will
not be so Independent, however, and
jobbers expect that they will get more
return for the dollar they spend In
labor than they did few months ago.
AS sample of the prices that are
ruling in this vicinity we might men
tlon the figures at which one jobber
sold his logs during the week. They
are. Eastwood. $1,000; veneer birch.
$500; birch, not fit for veneer. and
maple, $1,000: hemlock. $4,000.
Pulpwood sellers had an awful jar
from the prices that were talked OF
early in the fall. At that time the
buyers were Offering any old price to
get the timber Now the big fellows
are referring the prospective seller to
different agencies In hoees Of worry
ing down the price. We understand,
however. that when purchases are
made they are on the basis Of $1,000
per cord for spruce, $500 to $40 for
balsam and hemlock or $4,000 per NJ
in logs for hemlock.
Some producers say that they are
having their contracts held up. indi-
eating that the paper manufacturers
who have fast association and rule
the market with an iron hand are
hoping for cut in the wood price be-
fore the winter Is much farther along.
Logging Conditions Good.
In the main the conditions in the
woods are good. The soft weather has
frightened some jobbers, but the snow
still remains and the indications are
that II will continue to stay with us
and that the bottom will be improved
by the soft weather of the last two
\ weeks.
The "hu" hasn't interferred as much
with operations as one would expect
Loggers are taking all the precautions
possible and while some camps report
4 lot OF fiu. others have been entirely
free from II.
The woods work has swung to q
piece price basis during the past two
years and now sawyers are WORKING
by the log and not by the day. This
change was necessitated by the mum
ber OF inexperienced men who enter.
ed woods work. II man hasn't hat
experience in cutting timber and keep
ing his saws In shape he will not Gu
much In day, while another mar
who has the necessary experience will
do lot OF work In a day. BY putin,
the saving end on its own feet, log
gers have saved much money. and al
tffort Is now being made 10 extend thu
piece work TO skiddIng as well as saw
Ing.
Excessive prices OF hay and grainl
have cut IN heavily upon loggersthi
winter. Hay Is selling at from ss5 Il
u $40 per ton, but there Is an indication
\ that a lower basis Is approaching a
market indications are for an cas-
Ing np all along the line