214 FOREST PRODUCTS 



are products of the distillation process, directly under the ovens or retorts 

 or under the boilers. * 



The estimates regarding the cost of fuel vary considerably. Alto- 

 gether estimates were received from $1.15 to $2.00 per cord. The cost 

 will naturally vary with the kind of fuel used, the distance from source of 

 supply, efficiency of boilers and steam pipes and other correlated factors. 

 In one of the larger plants of the state which has seven 25-ft. ovens, it 

 was estimated that 300 bu. of charcoal, 300 gal. of wood tar and all of 

 the available wood gas were used for each charge of seven ovens. At a 

 prominent plant in New York it was estimated that 300 Ib. of soft 

 bituminous coal were used for the distillation of i cord of wood. In an 

 oven containing 10 cords, therefore, this would require 3000 Ib. of soft 

 coal for one charge. It is estimated that 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 plant 

 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. During 1916 these varied between $1.50 per day 

 to $1.60 at one plant up to $2.00 per day at others. All plants, 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. When 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. 



