$1,000,000 Worth of Timber Used Annually. 



The question now arises in our minds as to the amount 

 of timber used annually for these purposes in iron mining in 

 the state of Minnesota. Upon investigation we find that there 

 are certain fixed rules for this in a general way that are fol- 

 lowed by mining men that enable us to arrive at somewhat 

 accurate figures. 



The first rule is this: One lineal foot of mining timber is 

 used to every ton of ore mined. The second rule follows; 

 one cord of "lagging" is used to every hundred tons of ore 

 mined. Thus we find, taking last year's output of 10,000,000 

 tons of underground ore, that 10,000,000 lineal feet of mining 

 timber was used, which would equal about 25,000,000 feet 

 board measure. And by the second rule we find that 100,000 

 cords of "lagging" were used. Figuring at five cents per 

 lineal foot, the average price paid for mining timber, we have 

 $500,000 paid out for mining timber. Also at $5.00 per cord, 

 the average price paid for "lagging," we have $500,000 mak- 

 ing a total of $1,000,000 for this industry in an average year. 

 In other words a cost of ten cents on every ton of ore mined 

 underground. This surely makes an item to be figured on in 

 the timber assets of this state. 



Demand Is Certain to Increase Every Year. 



What of the future along these lines? Will the iron mines 

 use more timber in their work, or less, as the years go by? 

 The answer is, from present indications they will continue to 

 use more and more, for the old mines will go deeper after the 

 ore. New ranges are being explored and opened that will be 

 mostly underground work, and a number of the large, open 

 pit mines will eventually have to change to underground min- 

 ing to get all their pre out, when they become too deep to be 

 successfully worked from the surface, and to mine the pockets 

 of ore that are found in and around them. 



In view of these facts, and last but not least, how about 

 the future timber supply for this great industry, which we 

 can readily see will have to depend as the years go by, more 

 upon suitable timber to carry on their operations? As stated 

 in the beginning of this article there has been a plentiful 



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