The Bemidji Daily Pioneer

TO BEGIN SAWING SEASON

Hoarse Whistles Welcome Announcement to Business Interests of Bemidji.--Payroll of Mills Amounts to $50,000 Per Month in Salaries.

The machinery of the two big sawmills in this city have been running at intervals during the past three or four days a sort of preliminary "limbering up" of the steel and iron which has been idle since the close-down last fall. and before the end of the present week, both plants will be running "full blast." The whistles on the two mills have been blown for several mornings, and the hoarse sound is welcome to the people of Bemidji, as it announces the beginning of another active season of the principal industries of this city.

The machinery in the Crookston mill was given a final testing yesterday, when everything worked smoothly and without a hitch. The usual repairing has been done during the winter lay-off, so that the plant is in first-class condition for the long sawing season that is just about to begin.

The mill was to start this morning, with full crews for both night and day shifts. The logs which will be used until the ice in Lake Bemidji thaws are being brought by rail to the city from the logging camps at Fowlds, there being a large supply which were cut during the past winter at that point.

Howard Dea is superintendent of the mill, a position which he has filled very acceptably for several years. Andy Larson, formerly head millwright, is now general foreman of the mill. succeeding "A. W. Danard, who will this season have charge of the Crookston mill, which is to be operated again.

The usual army of men will be employed this year, and as conditions have always been favorable at the Crookston company's mill, the starting of the plant means that a large number of families will be maintained through this agency.
The Bemidji Lumber company's mill steamed up yesterday, and everything about the place worked nicely, indicating that all machinery was in "apple-pie" order for the beginning of the sawing season.

The actual work of sawing on the regular schedule will begin tomorrow morning, and the company expects to put on full day and night crews next Monday morning, when 350 men will be given employment.

No improvements were made in the Bemidji mill, the mill having been run here for the first time last season, being brought from Mille Lacs to Bemidji a year ago this past winter, at which time the plant was given a thorough overhauling and placed in first-class condition, so that it is one of the best mills in northern Minnesota.

The logs which will be sawed for the present at the Bemidji mill are being hauled to the city over the M. & I. railway from Northome and Funkley, where camps have been maintained and big crews have cut timber all the present winter, assuring a large supply of "raw material."

M. A. Hopkins, formerly of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, has been engaged as superintendent of the mill.

The mill of the Douglass Lumber company has been sawing lath during the past two months, and the plant will began the cutting of lumber just as soon as the ice goes out of Lake Irving. This mill employs about twenty men on a day shift. The plant is not operated nights.

The operation of the sawmills in Bemidji means an output of not less than $50,000 per month in salaries alone among the laboring classes, which is a big figure in any community; and the resumption of business at the plants means increased business all over the city.