Merced Falls, April 3 (Special) - The annual migration of lumberjacks from northern woods to the Yosemite Lumber company camps north of Incline has begun, preparatory to starting logging operations next Thursday, April 10. The Merced Falls mill will start cutting about April 15, almost a month earlier than last year, it was announced today by H. W. Mathews, plant superintendent.

      "With an anticipated improvement in the lumber market, this year's cut should total between 50,000,000 and 60,000,000 board feet," said Mathews. The estimated 1930 output of the Merced Falls mill will be worth $3,000,000.

      The first timber is expected to fall in the woods northwest of Yosemite park within a week, with about 150 men at work. The huge logs will be brought to Merced Falls over the Yosemite Valley railroad and mill operations started about five after the first logging. The plant will open with about 100 men at work in the mill and yards, said Mathews. Single Shift Start

      Milling operations will start on a single shift basis with output of about 200,000 board feet a day. Production will gradually be increased, declared Mathews, until 500 men will be employed at the mill and 500 in the woods at the end of 30 days.

      While the loggers have been assembling this week, a crew has been at work at the mill overhauling machinery and conditioning the plant and yards for the season. Extensive improvements have been made at the mill pond, Mathews said, necessitated by the raising of the San Joaquin Light and Power corporation dam six feet. This raised the water level in the pond a like amount and materially improved facilities for handling the huge sugar pine logs, according to Mathews.

      The box factory at Merced Falls will open May 1 when an additional force of 100 men will be employed. Operations will continue woods and at the mill until snowfall.

      Two lumber train crews will be put on by the Yosemite Valley railroad when logging operations are at their height, said W. L. White, general manager of the railroad company today. The first train of about 35 cars of logs is expected down from Incline within two weeks. Finished lumber from the Merced Falls plant will also be shipped out over the Yosemite Valley railroad.

      Last year the plant started operations May 9 after an 18-months' shutdown occasioned by a temporary slump in the lumber market. Last year's cut totalled 50,000,000 board feet about 75 percent of which was high grade sugar pine. With an earlier start this season the 1929 production is expected to exceeded, according to Mathews.

      Although logging and milling operations are carried on only during the summer season, finished lumber is shipped out of Merced Falls during the entire year, Mathews pointed, to markets all over the country. Through joint managerial connections, the Sugar Pine Lumber company of Fresno will assist in marketing the Yosemite output.