The L'Anse sentinel., 1924-01-04
FORD CREATES new
LUMBER INTEREST

lhcpEHecu 'Aon ASAe ASS"s'
Christmas season Of 1928 in the
Upper Peninsula Of Michigan sees a
lew era for that country brought
sbout by the advent Of Ford lumber
Industries.
This rejuvenation affects two areas
bf thousands of acdes, one at Iron
Mountain and the other, the territory
about the towns of Pequaming and
|L'Anse on Keweenaw Bav, Lake Su-
perior. It has changed the prevalent
idea in Northern Michigan saw it's
best days in the frenzied numbering
of several years ago.
4 Modern methods including extern
sive use of the Fordson tractor have
made possible economical production
of 10000, 900 board feet Of lumber
4 the past year from tracts formerly
considered too far from the mills for
profitable use. A storage system by
which great piles of logs are easily
handled with road cranes has largely
solved the problem of transportation.
Because of the storage facilities most
q the hauling from forests can be
\ 1cne in winter when the snow allows
NDe Of large sleds on which the logs
re easily drawn long distances. Most
- the lumber brought out is used
q the Ford Motor company plants.
The Ford company's interests in
orthern Michigan are little more
han three years old, the first tract
q wood and the site for the first saw
hill at Iron Mountain having been
purchased in the summer of 1920.
Nearly 5000 men are employed.
~ Tract after tract of standing tim
Der has been purchased since the
Irst' unit was acquired. The most
ecent acquisitions are the lumber
cawmills at L'Anse and Pequaming.
b these purchases, virtually all of
be towns came under Ford control.
Model communities, where profit
1ering has been successfully stopped
md excellent housing and educational
kcilities are being provided, are re-
hitting.
1f The production schedule for the
bawmills at both L'Anse- and Pequam-
shg call for 100000 board feet per
Month each. These mills operate on
two-shift basis with. the standard
Qight-hour day and six-dollar daily
minimum wage.
The Iron Mountain lumber mill is
rrning out 9,000,000 board feet per
honth with three eight-hour shifts,
pAying standard Ford wages.
Profteering by some landlords and
storekeepers which was attempted at
each Of these three centers following
the prosperity due to steady work and
higher wages was met by the Ford
Hotor company in the same success
nl manner as elsewhere. The COM
ANY has established commissary
torres near the mills where every ne
essity can be bought at price close
b actual cost. At Iron Mountain,
$50 modern houses are being built.
These will be rented at low rates to
Employees. Hundreds of houses on
property purchased by the company
Ire leased on the same plan.
4 The development Of these enter
prises is so rapid that new chapter
In their history is added every few
days.
q A huge new charcoal retort install
ation OF advanced design costing
IS, 900, 600 is under construction at
Iron Mountain. In this plant, edg-
lngs or waste wood from the sawmills
and possibly slashings from the log
eing areas will be distilled in large
ovens By recently perfected process.
Charcoal, valuable in production of
bigh-grade charcoal iron; wood alco-
pol, invaluable for industrial uses,
md possible motor fuel; ethyl ace
Pte, required for artificial leather
reduction and other by-products will
esult from this utilization of waste.
he new process will distill the wood
by the heat Of its own combustion
Father than by the usual application
bf heat from outside the retort.
The new body factories at Iron
Mountain were started on produc-
ion basis this month making sedan
loor boards. An addition of nearly
900 men to the Iron Mountain work
ing forces within the last two months
pas resulted from this and other new
>ctivities.
Eventually, al Of the sedan body
voodwork will b completed At the
ody parts plant, the @knock down.
famss being shipped directly to Ford
ody assembly plants throughout the
vorld. Such locating Of manufactur-
ng plants close to sources Of mater
Al supplies is in keeping with the