From The Archives: Organized Airplane Spruce Production

J. Frederic Throne from Portland Chamber of Commerce wrote an article in the Apr. 1, 1918 issue of Aviation & Aeronautical Engineering in which he explains the "immensity and importance" of the work of the Spruce Production Division of the Signal Corps. of the United States Army".

He said: " The organization and its work is the largest business venture of any kind attempted by the West."

There was an "insistent demand" by the government "for spruce, more spruce and yet more spruce, for the production of airplanes".

The urgency for the production of spruce was for the U.s government and its allies. The article highlights the working conditions the types of jobs the spruce industry employed including "high climber", car loader, carriage man, camp helper and what their wages would be. The industry also employed who were "engaged in necessary repairs, moving, construction, fighting fires", and getting paid overtime beyond an eight-hour day. 

Read the full five page article by Thorne. 

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