The diamond drill., 1921-01-01

l
\ adjustment In wages was the drop
lin log prices, especially in maple
which SCARED last year TO as high as
/ $50 per thousand feet This. however,
was an abnormal condition and as
soon as ii disappeared prices on ma
pie fell rapidly until d price OF $e2
was quoted last week with but very
few takers as the price IL less than
cost Many loggers are covered at q
contract price about $50 per thous-
and on maple and the indications are
that prices will range from $25 10 $50
unless some unforeseen condition a
rises.
1 Hemlock is a drug on the market.
| Stocks OF sawed hemlock remain at
most mills. for drastic has been
made in sawed lumber of that kind
within the past month. This condi-
tion was brought about mainly by the
deep cut in southern pine and west
ern fir that appeared upon the mar
ket i'm quantity at price of about
$50 per thousand.
The influence that keeps hemlock
up is the paper market. Much OF the
local crop goes into sulphide pulp.
Paper mills are refusing to buy in
quantity now. most OF them having
stocks in pile so that they have ham
mered down hemlock until it is a.
way out Of proportion TO the price OF
paper, which still rules abnormally |
high.
The same conditions rule In the !
other pulp woods, spruce. balsam and !
poplar A big buyer told us about
two weeks ago that he purchased a
quantity at price OF around $40 per
cord This is wholly out Of step with
paper and the latter must drop or
some action be taken TO investigate
the profits OF the paper man.
Spot print paper. which went as
high as $400 per ton. is softening and
now rules about 5000 while contract
print in small lots which ruled az
s220 month ago Is now offered az
$3.50 TO $500 Big users are paying
from 800 TO $3.50 per ton.
In 1907 spruce pulp wood ruled al
$3.50 per cord and paper at s4S.5o per
ton Contrast this Condition with
that existing today when spruce is
going az $40 per cord and paper az I
5000 per ton and one can readily see
that there is niger in the paper
pile somewhere a cord OF wood
viii make about 500 pounds OF paper
which means about 2I5 cords OF wood
TO the ton OF paper.
Hauling In Full Swing
Hauling is now in fun swing. The
small tobbers who use snow roads OF
4 combination OF snow and ice com
menced last Monday The large op-
orators who depend upon ice roads ,
have been swinging into the hauling ,
columns from about last Wednesday I
depending upon the number OF miles
II road they had to build !
The natural query now is car sup I,
ply. II Is understood that there !
sill be a better service than last win !
er but how much better remains 90
,e seen The logging service on the
crUmpled entirely +
ast winter while the st Paul service +
wasn't much better The increase r
n equipment for this season together
With the certain decrease in log ont y
,ut ought 10 mean better service the i
'oming months. III
Freight rates are mounting fast =
nd have aldeady become a dctermin-
ne cost. SO much so that many oper- !
itors are getting nearer the timber \
,elt and saving much thereby Well
lumber men say that with
n a few years all the wood working
Mills viii be moved north. They
,ase this prophecy npon the under-l
standing that the high rail- rates viii Z
'oniinue
Further Reductions Indicated
During the week just passed evi-
lence OF further reduction In wages {
vas In evidence Advices from Her
indicate a wage rate base
II $40 minimum IL Is claimed that
he operators in the east end OF the
peninsula are also going to that ba
ds
STATE SoLONS HAVE BIc lOB