SHINGLES AND SHAKES 



355 



saw at the the top of the jack ladder in the saw mill and the short lengths 

 sent down a chute to the shingle mill on the lower floor. 



The following shows the cost of logging shingle bolts on a typical opera- 

 tion before the war in western red cedar in Washington : 



COST OF LOGGING SHINGLE BOLTS, 1 WESTERN RED CEDAR 



1 This cost was for the period of the winter of 1916-1917. 



The prices received for bolts on this operation varied from $4.75 to 

 $5.50 per cord. Eight thousand Star A shingles were derived from each 

 1000 ft. of logs. Each cord of shingle bolts contained, on an average, 

 about 850 bd.-ft. Each cord was made up of 25 to 40 bolts, each 52 in. 

 in length. 



Generally, the shingle manufacturers prefer their shingle bolts in 

 such sizes that from 20 to 30 make up a cord and it is commonly accepted 

 that a cord of these bolts is equivalent to about 700 bd.-ft. 



No trees less than 15 in. at the butt are accepted for making shingle 

 bolts. The western red cedar usually grows with a large flared butt, espe- 

 cially in the oldest and biggest specimens. In these cases, the swollen 

 butt- is cut up into shingle bolts and the upper part of the bole, which is 

 less tapered, is utilized for saw-logs or for poles and piling unless too large. 

 The best timber for shingle purposes and from which the best shingles are 

 made are the trees with a straight, slightly tapering, and limbless bole, 

 straight grain and as free as possible from such defects as rot, shake, 

 checks, etc. 



The operation of taking out bolts for the shingle mills may either pre- 

 cede or immediately follow the logging operation for saw-logs. The 

 latter practice is more frequently followed and very close utilization is 

 customary, even defective or hollow logs and high stumps being used 

 where low transportation charges justify the expenditure. A few years 

 ago, when all stumps were cut from 5 to 20 ft. high or more with the aid of 

 spring-boards, shingle mills, moved from place to place, obtained their 



