Hungry Horse news., 1955-02-18

western Montana economy re-
fleets one of the best winters in
the history of the Flathead lum-
Der industry.
The combination sees about 400
men working in Columbia Falls
and nearby Martin City oran
mills and in the woods. Favorinx
factors are good markets, and an
open, mild winter.
Over $500 freight carloads Of
lumber were shipped from Column
bia Falls over the Great Northern
railroad during 1854. Columbia
Falls is Montana's third largest
lumber shipping point following
Libby and Missoula.
PLUM CREEK
| At Plum Creek mill, largest in
the Flathead, employment total not
counting woods and hauling crew
is 1876. The payroll is running $780,
600 a month. There was a five
cents an hour raise effective Feb.
l..
| Plum Creek has discontinued re-
ceiving logs from Flathead Nation
al Forest purchases up the North
Fork until next summer. Presently
10 trucks are bringing logs from
private sale up Swan lake. It is
a so mile haul. Royal Creek Tim
Der Co. is the principal logging and
hauling contractor for Plum Creek.
Hauling is to be curtailed at the
end of the month in view of anti
cipated road conditions.
SUPERIOR
The picture of busy, open win
ter is likewise reflected at Super
ior Buildings Co. where 48 men
are employed. It is one of the best
hauling and working winters in the
history of the mill that was found
ed in 1924. Superior now heats it,
mill pond from the new burner
4 There was temporary inactivity
. this week due to a breakdown o.
the resaw, but work is to resume
by Monday.
Seven and eight trucks ar,
bringing logs in from a Flathea.
National Forest purchase up tn
South Fork of Coal creek wher
i Will Warner has the logging con
n tract. Hauling will continue 2
long as road conditions permit.
Superior had planned loggin
truck bypass to avoid the ole
county road to the AAC plan
q Take-off would be about a hal
mile north of the oil. Howeve
this plan is at a standstill.
81 STOLTZE RAISE
I Stoltze Land and Lumber Co
has a good supply of logs in th
Il yard at their nearby Halt Moo
mill. Charles Jellison, Flathead
: state senator now in Helena,
Stoltze's principal logging contrac
tor. Hauling stopped at the end I
December.
Stoltze has los men workin,
and there was TIA cents an hor
pay raise effective Jan. l..
ROCKY MT. LUMBER
n. At Rocky Mountain Lumber &C
gs there are 35 men working a 81
=. day week shift at the planer. n
80 sawnill is to resume operations !
month. Russell Warner is loggin
< and hauling contractor from Fol
est Service purchase on Hallowa
creek up the North Fork.
..g Rex Brown has five large trucl
|N moving logs from his Teepee cree
s purchase IS miles from his mill +.
~ Coram. Road conditions with Il
3 prospect of an early spring breah
81. up had indicated an end of X
hauling before the present col
snap hit.
~ Brown has % men logging ar
2 hauling and 20 working at his ne
Coram sawmill.
F, X and l., Martin City, that h
Z so men working in summer h
Z a force of 25 men at the mi
Z Woods activity has stopped. F,
and L had a wage increase tn
averaged up to 10 cents an ho1
effective Feb. /.
An addition is being built to t
MI machine shop at the mill.
Glacier-Coram Lumber Co.
z Coram and Martin City had o
u Grated until Feb. 10 and is doy
temporarily.
' The base wage at Stoltze m
|sa with the new tx cent raise
|S $1.851s cents an hour.