A MODEL MUNICIPAL WOOD YARD 



VIRGINIA has lived up to its reputation as a model 

 city by establishing and successfully operating a 

 model municipal wood yard. It has always been a 

 problem to obtain anything but temporary and tran- 

 sient labor for city work because there was no form of 

 employment which could be offered in the winter 

 months. This possibility of using the city labor in the 

 wood yard in the winter and thus creating a perma- 

 nent employment for a better class of labor was a 

 strong incentive to the city. 



Once the idea had taken root they promptly pro- 

 ceeded to put it in operation in true business fashion. 

 A considerable tract of birch and maple timber within 

 three miles of the city was purchased at a stumpage 

 cost of about fifteen cents a cord. An eighteen horse- 

 power kerosene saw outfit was installed on this tract 

 and enough six-cord racks, divided into two-cord com- 

 partments, to take care of all the delivery teams: In 

 this way there was no delay in measuring the wood 

 while the teams waited. The wood was measured up 

 and waiting for the teams at all times. The city teams 

 were used for delivery. Iced roads and a down-hill 

 grade to town made it possible to haul two full cords 

 the minimum delivered to any one address at a load. 



The office work was handled by a manager in the 

 court house. The city papers advertised the fact that 

 the city had wood for sale at $3.00 per route for 16- 

 inch wood, $4.00 for 24-inch, $5;0b for 32-inch, $6.00 

 for 36-inch and $8.00 for 48-inch. Full payment to be 

 made in advance. The applicant filled in the order 





