LOGGIKG IN THE DOUGLAS FIR REGION. 213 



The cost of constructing the spur lines was below the average, 

 since the surface of the country was relatively smooth and little 

 down timber and brush had to be contended with. The soil, how- 

 ever, drains poorly, which made it necessary to ballast most of the 

 spur railroad with rock ballast. This had to be blasted out of solid 

 rock, broken up by hand, and hauled about 2 miles upgrade. When 

 ballast was not used, the upkeep of the spurs was abnormally high. 



A 45-ton geared locomotive worked between the camp and the 

 dump, about 3 miles, hauling about 6 loads per trip and making 

 about 6 trips per day. A 45-ton geared locomotive hauled on the 

 spurs, bringing in three loads at a trip. The spur railroad hauls, of 

 course, varied in distance, but the average haul was about 1^ miles. 

 The adverse grades on these lines did not exceed 4 per cent. A 

 24-ton rod engine was used to haul the men to and from their work ; 

 also to haul supplies, ties, steel, oil, etc. 



The cost is based on a year's output of 50,300,000 feet. A portion 

 of the salaries of the foreman, bookkeeper, and timekeeper, and all 

 the salary of the civil engineer, are prorated against the labor cost. 



(a) Operation (labor) : Three locomotives were operated, with 

 train crews as follows : 



Per day. 

 Engineer $5. 00 



Fireman 3.25 



Head brakeman 4. 50 



Second brakeman 3.75 



Engineer 5. 00 



Fireman 3. 25 



Brakeman 4. 50 



Fireman 1 2. 75 



Engineer 3. 25 



The tracks, main and spur, were kept in better condition as to sur- 

 face and alignment than is ordinarily the case. No great amount 

 of time was lost in unloading, a train of six cars being unloaded in 

 about eight minutes on the average, sometimes in five minutes. The 

 main locomotive traveled about 36 miles per day and the one on the 

 spurs about 30 miles. From 200,000 to 225,000 feet of timber was 

 hauled per day. The volume of the average load was 5,000 feet. 



(h) Maintenance of line (labor) : This segregation includes the 

 labor cost of keeping all railroads in good condition as to surface 

 and alignment, keeping ditches open, and taking care of slides. 

 It also includes the cost of considerable ballast. The total mileage 

 maintained at any one time did not exceed 5f miles, so that the cost 

 of this work seems excessively high. It should be explained that 

 the main line was used for the first time at the beginning of 1917 and 

 that several rather large slides occurred during the year. 



