New-York daily tribune., 1856-03-14
THE LUMBER TRADE OF MICHIGAN
FROM tie Detroit Adrerti,er.

FROM ne Detroit hdreytiseT.
Nery few people have adequate idea OF the inn
mense extent to which the lumber trade OF this State
has grown within the few past years. Ii Is still within
the memory of most of our young men, when the Tor
ess Of Michigan had never echoed to the sound Of the
woodmans axe and when her rivers yet dashed on IN
obstructed by races flood gates and DAMS and when
the busy hum of the engine had never driven saw
within the limits Of the State. The pinenes OF 81.
Clair Saginaw Grand River Flint and Leaper still
lowered heavenward and their monarchs still waved
their plumed heads in grandeur. But the wave OF
emigration gathered force with each succeeding year,
md enterprise and adventure rode upon its crest.
Hardy froiticr sought out new homes beyond civ
ilizhtion Hunters followed the retiring game west
ward and greedy spectators sought out fictitious To-
cations for Imaginary cities and yages and sold VS.
ionary squares for their ideal surveys. Real pur-
cbasers Of unreal tracts of land stole in silently one
after another and the wilderness began to put on the
show and sembance of busy busting life. Farms
waved their fields of golden grain where but short
time before the thick set wood had made hiding place
for the wild beasts. Towns grew up, cities full armed
In commercial dress sent out their echo Il their busy
life in every portion of the State. Every river was
OBJ tructed at every possible point with mills. The
monarch of the forest fell before the of the wood
man. and even the dense forest swarning with
energy and labor. But 30 gradual has the change
cone that it has not been noted. And where cbserya
ton is turned to this subject asOnishment is the ab-
sOrbng emotion.
II is not strange that the uncutivated foreets of
Michigan should yield her income of 800 900 per
annum. The calculation may seem incredible, but It
is susceptible Of demonstration We have exported
To Chicago something 800 900 feet Of lumber;
about 100 900 600 feet to Wisconsin,, leaving Only
100000 600 feet for home consumption, which is very
lOw estimate.
This lumber comes from Saginaw, Lapeer, ST. Clair,
Flint and Grand River Ia ST. Clair County, something
ever 1000 600 feet of lumber during the past year.
ell of which, except 100000 feet has been sold at
average of about Sll per ,O00 which would make
oggr, gate value Of S45l GOO.
In Saginaw and vicinity the cut has been much
larger as the mills ire more numerous and the faci-
tes greater careful estimate for that region is set
down at l05 40 feet which has sOda an average
Of $40 per 900, making aggregate of 81 055.O77.
We have not been able TO secure the statistics Of
this trade in Lapeer, Flint and Grand River for tie
present year, but setting them down at about last
years figures, shall have an aggrt gate of upwards
of 1900 OoO which, He'd TO the actual estimates
above, give total of So 800 600. But if all portions
of the pineIts have during the past year increased
their business much Saginaw ana st. Clair, this
sum must be sTeled 10 upward Of IS 100000.
So much for the yet almost undevelOped wealth of
Michigan. Rapidly as this trade has grown to i'm
poranoe, and though prose with vigor and en-.
teprise it will scarcely reach its most prosperous and
profitable point within the coming ten years. Vast
forests of the finest pines still main untouched by
the lumberer, and whenever entered it viii be years
before their supplies will have failed