The Hardivood Distillation Industry in New York 51 



the fuel value of wood tar is at least twice as much as that 

 of coal for a given weight. 



Labor. 



Labor is a very important item in the cost of production. 

 Altogether the labor is unskilled at all of the plants with the 

 exception of the ])lnnt superintendent or manager, and in the 

 case of the largest plants there is a chemist or expert engineer 

 employed who receives more than the ordinary day wages. 

 There is a distinct tendency to raise wages at the various 

 plants. At the present time these vary between $1.50 per 

 day to $1.60 at one phuit up to $2 per day at others. All 

 ])lants, of course, run night and day but there is a very small 

 force engaged in the work during the night time. At most of 

 the plants there is a given piece of work to be done each day, 

 and when this is completed the men are free for the rest of 

 the time. , For instance, in the wood yard, the day's work 

 may consist of loading so many cars of wood. AYhen this 

 particular work is completed, the men are through for the 

 day. 



Altogether the larger the plant the greater is the economy 

 in labor. The greatest saving in labor in the development of 

 the industry, has been the change from the old round retort 

 plant to the modern oven plant. Owing to the fact that the 

 trucks are pulled in and out of the oven by means of a power 

 cable, there is a great saving in labor over the old round 

 retort plants where the retorts had to be loaded and discharged 

 by hand. 



At a 4-oven plant having a capacity of 40 cords per day, 

 there were the following employees : 



2 firemen at the boilers. 



2 men in the still house. 



2 firemen for the ovens. 



4 men in the dry-kiln. 



4 men to charge and draw extra trucks or cars. 



