The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1921-01-21
PEQUAMINC-THE TIM
Der WORKERS UTOPIA
How An Upper Mich. Lumber Com
pany Solved the Labor Problem.
(By !. d. Tucker, u. p. Develop
ment Bureau, Marquette.

q
ent conditions between the employer
and employee maintaining, and as long
as the timber resources Of this nation
shall last, there will always exist dis
tinct differences between the boss and
the bossed in the lumber indstry Of
this continent. There is a never-ceas-
ing and, in fact, a constantly increas-
ing tendency among the woods-work-
ers toward better living conditions,
via the higherswage route. and until
that demand is met, in some substar-
tial way, by the employer, it is prac-
tical certainty that labor troubles in
the woods will 60 on.
And yet, if we look around bit,
we are almost forced to the conclus-
ion, that after all it is not always and
entirely the fault of the worker. In
fact, recent trip throug Upper Mich
igan's hardwood belt has convinced US
pretty definitely that it is, actually a
question of management, purely and
simply.
/ know of no instance where this
theory is more forcibly demonstrated
than IN the little numbering settle
ment of Pequaming, Baraga county.
where the Charles Hebard & Sons
numbering company has not only es-
tablished thriving numbering settle
ment among it's workers, but has ac-'
tually created a community SO re-
markably unusual that visit to the
place is a revelation
With ample realization Of the value
of satisfied labor, the Hebard broth
ers have gone in extensively on a plan
to cater, almost deliberately, to the
contentment of the employee. And
this they have accomplished so sue
cesfully that a recent strike wave,
which swept through the entire re-
gion, crippling most of the bigger
concerns now in operation in upper
Michigan and seriously curtailing
numbering activities in that section,
merely scratched the serene surface
Of activity at Pequaming. In fact, it
had little or no appreciable effect up
on the Hebard output.
The first indication of what D. L.
Hebard and Charles Hebard have
done toward insuring themselves
against loss through labor trouble is
evidenced in the approach to the vii
lage Of Fequaming. The evidence
consists on nine miles of excellent,
well-graded, macadamized highway,
extending from the township line of
L'Anse, another numbering village in
Baraga county. An official highway
map will not show the road, for it is
not main trunk highway. It is the
creation Of the Hebard lumber COM
pany entirely, for the use and conven-
fence not only of its employees but for
the use and convenience Of the thou
sands who come annually to visit
the little numbering village.
As one enters Pequaming, the first
impression is, probably the cleanliness
of the place. The road, winding thru
dell of tall oaks, cedars and hem
locks, is entirely free from refuse, or
debris of any kind. And on each side
appear cozy looking cottages, each
glistening with freshness and radiant
amid the well-kept premises. White
picket fences, heavily trained with
vines, separate the cottages from each
other, and from the road.
In the heart of the village is located
the summer home of ID. L. Hebard,
luxurious, though not overz-extrava-
giant bungalow, almost entirely sur
rounded by tall naples, and the prem
ises artistically arranged with grav-
ell driveways, flower beds and other
decorative features.
The pesent population of Pequam-
ing is about five hundred, with as
many more eager applicants to pick
from when the need requires. We
stopped one Of the workers on his
way to the mill and asked him what
had brought him to Pequaming. He
replied, "If you knew of a place where
you could rent house for $1.00 a
year, where water and lights are pro-
vided free, where cordwood is fur
nished you at s1.5O a load, where
meat, groceries, and clothing are pro-
vided at cost far below that which
you would pay in any other commune
ity and, besides, received wages ,of
from $500 to 5000 day, would you
60 there?"
II is true. Here in Pequaming the
Hebards have built up cooperative
organization which, for its size, is
probably without equal. A married
Hebard employee receives his house
with no charge except the $1.0O to
make the contract legal. The He
bards, Of course, own the property
.