TIMBER RESOURCES OP MAINE. 397 



The estimated cut for 1878 was 100,000,000. About 18,000,000 of this 

 lumber is shipped to European markets iu "deals," mostly sawed from 

 spruce, 3 by 7, 3 by 9, and 3 by 11 inches. The price of spruce logs at 

 the mills was $12 per M feet iu 1867, and $9 in 1877. The price of spruce 

 manufactured in 1867 was $13 for random and $15 for dimension pieces. 

 In 1877 it was $10 for the former and $11 for the latter. It is estimated 

 that the shingles and other short lumber sold in that market will be 

 about one-quarter of the value of the long or sawed lumber. 



On the Passamaquoddy River. — It was estimated that double the 

 amount of logs would be handled on this river and its tributaries in the 

 winter of 1878 than the season before. Some 150 men had gone into 

 the woods with 80 horses and 20 oxen. Spruce logs are worth $8 per 

 M, and men's wages from $13 to $17 per month. 



On the Saint Croix River. — Quite a number of firms have gone out of 

 the business since 1867. "If the winter of 1878 should prove a fair one 

 a third more of logs would be got out than in the last season." Not 10 

 per cent, of the lumber goes to foreign ports generally. The amount 

 sawed in 1876 was 63,000,000, and in 1877 60,000,000 of feet. On both 

 branches of the Saint Croix 1,700 men and 850 oxen and horses were 

 employed. About 65,000,000 feet were expected to be cut the winter of 

 1877. Prevailing prices of lumber : Spruce, $10 to $13 ; hemlock, $7 to 

 $8; pine, $10 to $12 ; hard-wood ship-plank and timber, $15 to $20, de- 

 livered at the vessel in Calais. "The stock of longs is almost entirely 

 sawed up during the late season, and the quantity manufactured will not 

 vary much from that of 1876, there being quite a stock of old logs on 

 hand at that time. Lumber is being got at lower rates than usual the 

 present season, but wages being low a fair margin is allowed for profit." 



On the Saint John River. — The lumber business on this river was ex- 

 pected to be double that of the last. It was estimated that there would 

 be driven into the Saint John market in 1878 more than 200,000,000 feet. 

 On the Upper Saint John, above Van Bureu, there would be employed 

 700 men and 200 horses. The wages were $15 per month for men, and 

 $28 for men and horses. Whole number of men estimated at 4,500, 

 and number of teams 1,200. Average stumpage, $1.75 per M feet. 



On the Saco River. — The amount of lumber manufactured on this river 

 was 33,000,000 feet in 1874, 24,000,000 in 1875, and 20,000,000 in 1876. 

 It is estimated that the cut in the winter of 1877-'78 would be 18 000,000. 

 These amounts do not include the quantities produced by the Bartlet 

 Land and Lumber Company, at the head of the Saco Eiver, which 

 amount to a little over 4,000,000 a year, and send by railroad to Port- 

 land. No small lumber is manufactured on the river, ]>ine, spruce, and 

 hemlock being the kinds used. About 2,000,000 of sapling shingles are 

 made annually. 



On the Narragaugus River. — The business was expected to increase from 

 that of last year about one half. Number of men employed the present 

 winter (1877-'78), 200; horses, 76; oxen, 80. Average wages paid to 

 men, $22 per month; amount of anticipated cut, 13,000,000 feet. There 

 are manufactured annually about 12,000,000 feet of long lumber, 8,000,000 

 laths, 5,000,000 shingles, and 200,000 clapboards. Prices: Pine ship- 

 ping boards, $15 per M; pine refuse boards, $10; spruce boards, $10; 

 laths, $1.15 per M. 



On the Union River. — During the past season, the production on this 

 river amounted to 24,000,000 of long lumber, 14,000,000 of shingles, 

 4,000,000 of lath, 10,500,000 of staves, 100,000 clapboards, 500 tons of 

 "excelsior," and 100,000 feet of spool-wood. This is exclusive of fuel, 

 railroad ties, hemlock-bark, &c. This amount will fall short of last 



