LOGGING IN THE DOUGLAS FIR REGION. 



169 



MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT. 



In addition to the equipment listed above, some small equipment 

 is necessary in connection with loading, such as hooks, tongs, slings, 

 straps, splicing tools, links, engine repair tools, clevises, etc. The 

 fixed investment in such equipments amounts to about $100 per 

 loading engine. 



COST. 



The cost of loading consists, in a general way, of operating labor, 

 improvements, depreciation on loading engines, maintenance or re- 

 placement of lines, blocks, etc., and supplies. Some operators con- 

 sider it advisable to charge a portion of certain more or less fixed 

 costs, such as the salaries of foreman, bookkeeper, timekeeper, etc., 

 to loading. 



OPEEATING LABOK. 



The operating labor constitutes the heaviest item of expense. It 

 is this item which generally finds its way into cost statements of 

 operators under the heading " Loading." Needless to say such a 

 segregation is misleading unless one is familiar with the practice. 



The total cost of a loading crew per day depends on the method 

 used and the rate of pay. If the power is furnished by a spool on 

 the yarding or roading engine, the loading crew is usually considered 

 as being made up of a head loader, second loader, and spool tender. 

 In theory, a part of the labor cost of the fireman and wood buck, 

 necessary adjuncts of the yarding or roading crew, should be charged 

 to loading. If the power is furnished by a separate loading engine, 

 the loading crew consists of a head loader, second loader, engineer, 

 and fireman. Of course, if oil is used as fuel in the loading engine, 

 the services of a fireman are generally dispensed with. 



The following list is intended to approximate the" average wages 

 paid to members of the loading crew during the past six years. The 

 wages designated " High " and " Low " do not represent extremes, 

 but an average of high and low wages. 





Wages of loading crew. 









Position. 



Average. 



High. 



Low. 



Headloader 



S4.25 

 3.50 

 3. 25 

 3.25 

 2.50 



$4.75 

 3.75 

 3.50 

 3. .50 

 2.76 



S3. 50 



Second loader 



3.25 



Gipsy, or loading-drum, tender 

 Loading engineer 





2.75 





3.00 





2.25 







While this list of wages is substantially correct, taking it straight 

 through the industry, it is to some extent misleading. Head loaders, 

 where the output is large, are not infrequently paid $5 or more per 

 day during what might be called normal times. Then, the engineer. 



