FREIGHT CHARGES 



20I 



For the northwest the ratio of freight costs is even greater. 

 For example in the case of Oregon or Washington Douglas fir 

 35 to 40 per cent of the retail cost goes for freight costs. Even 

 in the southeast the charge to the large markets represents 15 to 

 25 per cent of the total cost. 



In Butler's report on " The Distribution of Softwood Lumber 

 in the Middle West," he gives the following freight charges per 

 M and per 100 lb. using pre-war rates: 



Briefly summed up, it may be said to cost less than $5 to get 

 northeastern lumber onto the general markets, between $5 and 

 $10 for freight from the southeast, and $10 and $15 per M from 

 the Rocky Mountain and Pacific coast regions. 



The Interstate Commerce Commision Report for 1918 gives 

 the annual freight bill paid by the lumber and forest products 

 producers of the United States as $215,000,000. Of the total 

 railway tonnage they constitute 1 1 per cent, being exceeded only 

 by mineral products and general manufactures. As compared 

 with lumber soft coal yields 34 per cent less revenue per ton mile, 

 hard coal 13 per cent less, and grain 9 per cent less. Dressed 

 meat and cotton pay 26 per cent and 60 per cent more per ton 

 mile, respectively. 



Freight rates are of various kinds. The following need defini- 

 tion before the general subject can be discussed further: 



(i) Commodity rate — a freight charge levied against all 

 articles of the same kind. For example the rate for lumber for a 

 60-mile haul on the Boston & Maine Railway is $2.85 per M while 

 logs take a different commodity rate and cost $3.95 per M even 

 for softwoods. With forest products three commodity classes 

 are usually made: " (i) rough products such as logs, bolts, or 



