INPUT DATA FOR TAVDA SAWMILL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000600040433-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 21, 2011
• Sequence Number: 433
• Publication Date: August 19, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/07/21: CIA-RDP8O-00809AO00600040433-7
CLASSIFICATION CONFIDENT'_TAL
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REPORT
INFORMATION REPORT L--
CD NO.
DATE DISTR./ 1 A;;g 19^
1. Tha loge for the Tavda sawmill are flodeted down the Tavda River into a
quiet backwater near the mill. Here a chain conveyor picks them out of
the water and moves them to the mill. The power for the conveyor is ob-
tained from a steam engine which uses crushed waste material from the
m11 as fuel. All other power for the mill s operations is obtained in
the same way. There Is no shortage of fuel since the mill's operation
result in about 30% waste, and there is a large crushing machine to
,, nvert this into fuel.
2, The sawmill has three sawing units, each of i heee uici: a series of saws.
Each log is run through the machine twice. The )oS:' are mostly pine,
about 30 feet long, with an average diameter of l5 inches. It takes 25-3c,
minutes to sax each log completely, including time for adjustment, etc.
This works out to a total production of 70-80 loge per 24 hour day.
3. The sawn lumber is taken out of the mill by conveyor and stored in the
yard. Most of 1' is air-dried- A a Ii ie of 10A, 1c st_eaam-dries
usually the better grades. Most of the lumber is loaded onto trains but
some goes to the Tavda wood-forking factory nearby where It is made into
skis and many other products. This factory is divided into two sections,
each housing two large wood-working machines, planers or something of
that sort. About 200 people are employed ther', mostly trusted Soviete,
indicating that some of the work, at least, is secret.
There follows a rough breakdown of the labor force at the Tavda sawmill
in 1941. The majority of the workers were deportees (men and women).
These people were under the supervision of the NXVD, but lived in
comparative freedom in houses about four miles from the sawmill.
Working on the conveyor taking logs from the river to the mill -
two i.2-hour shifts of 100-150 people each.
CLASSIFICATION COXMOFTUIJ
-lsiil
NO OF PAGES
NO OF ENCLS.
WSTED eELON;
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPO N 0.
25X1
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/07/21: CIA-RDP8O-00809AO00600040433-7
 Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/07/21: CIA-RDP80-00809A000600040433-7
25X1 -
Feeding the dewing units, conveyors, etc, inside the mill -
two 12-hour shifts of 60-80 people each.
Working on the large conveyor which took sawn material out of
the mill - two 12-hour shifts of 20 people each.
Stacking, cleaning and other yardwork, including train-loading -
two 12-hour shifts of 2-300 people per shift.
Construction crew composed of three gangs, 15 workers each. These
men were all carpenters, skilled, by USSR standards, in the
use of tools. They took care of constructing small buildings,
platforms, etc.
In addition to the deportees who did most of the work de::cribed above,
there was also an ample supply of forced labor, apparently from a nearby
camp. As many as 3-400 of these people were herded in to carry out
particular jobs. While working, they were always fenced in and closely
guarded. Most of them were Soviets and there were also some who appeared
to be Chinese.
a 1941 there were about 50 trucks assigned to the
A plyinood,factory was being constructed about six mile-) away, but had
not been finished by late 1941.
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/07/21: CIA-RDP80-00809A000600040433-7