iNCRHASixc; KKi'.ici rr KA'ri-:s as a lxjst in 



MANUFAC'1'L'I<I<: 



Bv Austin F. Hawks 



Field Secretary and Forester. X. .-1. IV. T. 



The raniificatitJiis uf ihc railroad situalion and ihc increasing freight 

 rates are so intricate that it is difficult to foretell what changes they 

 may bring about in manufacturing methods. They will force the 

 manufacturer, for one thing, to be more exacting as to the material 

 on which he is to pay freight. In other words, the process of manu- 

 factun." which is carried on near the woods will probably be carried 

 farther. Increased freight rates will result in a tendency in our 

 national industrial development exactly opposite to that, which has 

 prevailed for the past few decades, and has resulted in the rapid 

 growth of our great cities. 



The development of local plants near the woods to carry on the 

 first stages of manufacture, and utilizing, in many cases, electricity, 

 dc\e!oped from local water ])ower, will be a logical result. In fact 

 some of the large paper companies are already considering the estab- 

 lishment of small pulp mills near the woods. 



Examples of the rise in freight rates as affecting the turning in- 

 dustry are the following increases on lumber from points in Maine to 

 points in Rhode Island. A rate of 20 cents per 100 pounds was 

 increased to 31 cents, and a rate of 25 cents to 35 cents. As applied 

 to white birch squares, which weigh about 4,000 pounds per thousand, 

 these increases were from $8 to $12, and from $10 to $14 per thousand. 

 The tax amounting to about 40 cents per thousand has to be added to 

 these rates. 



The followin'r table illustrates the range of freight charges at ])res- 

 ent rates : 



Cents per loo Ihs. 



Points in Maine to Providence 31 to 35 



Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., to Chicago 23^2 



Points in Arkansas to London. Ont 50i/2 



Wliere the material to be nianufactured can be shipped in the form 

 ready for manufacture, the freight charge is not so excessive, but if- 



153 



