LOGGING IN THE DOUGLAS FIR REGION. 243 



In the case of the works shown in figure 83, the cost was about $1,500, 

 the piling costing $4 per pile in place. 



The maintenance of sorting and rafting works depends for the 

 most part on the life of the piling. In the case of the $1,000- works, 

 the piling has a life of about 4 years ; in the other case, 8 years. This 

 means that the annual maintenance cost amounts to $250 and $188, 

 respectively. 



Outside boom sticks are from 75 to 82 feet in length ; swifter sticks, 

 from 66 to 70 feet. They are straight, sound, have a little taper, 

 average about 16 inches at the small end, and have holes bored at 

 each end for the insertion of boom chains. The average cost of an 

 outside boom stick, with holes bored, is about $11 ; the average cost 

 of swifter sticks similarly prepared, $7.50. Boom chains for out- 

 side sticks, made of 1-inch iron and weighing 80 pounds, cost about 

 $4.50 per chain. A swifter chain, made of a little lighter iron, 

 costs about $3.50. These chains are from 6 to 8 feet long and have 

 a ring at one end, a toggle at the other. Standard light driving 

 peavies are used in rafting. They cost about $2 each. The pike 

 poles, which average about 24 feet in length, cost about $5 each. The 

 total cost of boom sticks and chains for a complete raft is as f oIIom^s : 



31 outside boom sticks at $10 $310. 00 



10 swifter sticlis at $7.50 75.00 



31 boom chains at $4.50 139. 50 



10 swifter chains at $3.50 35. 00 



Boring holes for 41 sticks 41. 00 



Total $600. )0a 



The life of boom sticks averages from two to three years. Boom 

 chains have about the same life. Of course, in fresh water this equip- 

 ment lasts much longer. 



Sorting and rafting in the Columbia River and Puget Sound re- 

 gions are ordinarilj^ done by the logging operators with day labor. 

 In a few cases it is done by separate companies at fixed rates per 

 thousand feet. The rates in one case in the Puget Sound region are 

 35 cents per thousand feet for western red cedar and 25 cents per 

 thousand feet for the other species. These rates include the unload- 

 ing as well as the sorting and rafting of the logs. The logging com- 

 panies furnish their own boom sticks. 



In the Grays Harbor region logs driven or dumped into tidewater 

 or the Chehalis River are generally rafted and sorted by separate 

 companies at fixed rates per thousand feet. The sorting and rafting 

 company operating at the mouth of the Humptulips River charges 

 the following rates: For catching, sorting, rafting and delivering 

 at the boom, 50 cents per thousand feet on logs or other timber 

 products under 40 feet in length; 15 cents per thousand feet extra 



