MINE TIMBERS 333 



SPECIFICATIONS AND PRICES 



Sawed timbers and lumber which are used in the mines of this country 

 are always purchased on the basis of the thousand board-feet and are 

 bought in various sizes from the sawmills and local lumber yards. The 

 specifications are not at all standardized and the prices obviously fluctuate 

 with the lumber market. 



The round timbers are purchased largely from the local region. In 

 Pennsylvania the sections about the anthracite and bituminous coal 

 mines have been heavily cut off for mine ties, props, mine rails, and collar 

 timber. The Butte mining district is dependent to a large extent on the 

 lodgepole pine timber from the Deerlodge National Forest and to a less 

 extent on the western yellow and lodgepole pine cut in western Montana. 

 The Birmingham mining district of northern Alabama has been heavily 

 cut off for the important iron and coal mines. Northern Michigan sup- 

 plies a great many hardwoods for the copper districts of northern Mich- 

 igan. The forests of the Arizona copper mining districts and the precious 

 metal mines of California have also been depleted to some extent for 

 mine timbers. However, California has such an abundant timber sup- 

 ply that the demand for material for her mines represents but a small 

 percentage of the total demands on the forests in that state. The 

 mines of this country are not generally located immediately in or 

 near abundant sources of forest wealth, except in California. 



The specifications and prices vary a great deal with the local condi- 

 tions. Specifications for mines in Illinois and Indiana would not suffice 

 for those in Pennsylvania, and the same would be true of the various 

 metal mines of the West. 



The following are the standard mine timber specifications and prices 

 for one of the most important mining companies in Pennsylvania which 

 annually consumes large quantities of timbers. These prices were quoted 

 in 1917. 



All mine material to be cut from sound, living timber, felled between August ist and 

 March ist. Timber must be reasonably straight, have all knots trimmed even with the sur- 

 face, and free from defects that impair the strength and durability for their intended use. 

 All measurements to be made at the top end under the bark. Material to be inspected at 

 point of loading unless otherwise advised. Xo shipments accepted unless covered by regu- 

 lar order. Prices quoted are f.o.b. cars D., L. & \V. R.R. 



Prop Timber. 



Prop timber to be 10 ft. to 30 ft. (averaging 15 ft.) long, of any kind of hardwood, 

 and including hemlock, pitch pine, spruce and chestnut, 

 r 6 in. diameter top 2 cents per lineal foot. 

 8 in. diameter top 3^ cents per lineal foot. 



