Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1856-03-05
THE LUMBER TRADE OF 1855.

THE LUMBER TRADE OF 1855.
The lumber interest of Michigan form one
of the richest sources of wealth. Few of
our citizen have an adequate idea of the ex-
tent of our pineries, of the vast business that
is annually carried on through their broad
range. Our peninsula is girded on its east
ern, northern and western slopes, by forests
of pine, immense in extent, and of the
choicest quality. Between our illimitable
treasures of mineral wealth on Lake Superior
and the Straits of Macknaw and the ada
cent waters of Green bay, lies another treas
ure Of almost equal extent and value. There
vast forests of pines also rear their lofty
cones, and contribute to swell the riches of
our commonwealth. No State in the Union
can boast of such rich possessions as the
pine forests of Michigan. Not even Maine
could ever have presented such allurements
to the enterprise and capitol of lumbermen,
as Michigan now offers Our pine lumber is
unrivalled, either in quantity or quality; and
the facilities for manufacturing, and the wide
choice opened up for markets are unequaled
either east or west.
Within the past few years, considerable
portions of our pine forests have been ex-
plored and purchased. Large tracts have of
course been entered on speculation, but the
wonderful in our annual product of lumber
shows that a prodigious capital has within
that brief period been invested in manufac-
turing establishments. Ten years ago the
simple county of st. Clair produced nearly
all the pine lumber required in this section,
both for home use and expectation. Our an
nual product has trippled, yet it now forms
an insignificant fraction in the aggregate pro-
duct of the State. From careful estimate
by some of our intelligent lumbermen, it APP
pears that not less than .fve hua-
dred millionn feet of pine lumber have
been manufactured in Michigan during the
past year. The calculations may seem in
credible, but it susceptible of demonstration
Chicago alone as received over three hun
dred million feet, and Chicago though the
most extensive, is but one of the marts for
our trade. At least one hundred million
feet may be added for the lake ports in Wis
cousin. And this leaves only one hundred
million for home consumption and the Ohio,
Canadian and Eastern markets. This in
cludes the Green Bay supply, nearly all of
which are drawn from Michigan soil, and is
exclusive of the supply drawn from the
punky forests which skirt portion of the
Western shore of Lake Michigan.
The past year can hardly be said to have
been a prosperous one for our lumbermen.
That interest felt most sensibly the enormous
advance in the prices of produce and the wa
ges of labor The short crops of 1854 left
the farmers of Ohio little means for improve
ment last season. Tbs general arrangement
of monetary affairs consequent upon the
eastern war, unsettled some of the best for
eign markets, and thus curtailed the eastern
demand. The Main dependence has been
upon Chicago, which through its numerous
railroads, has scattered such an amount OF
lumber as to make it rank next to Albany
among the great lumber marts of the Union
But the high price of freight to Chicago
which prevailed during the latter part of the
season. also exerted depressing effect upon
our market, and restricted sales.
ST. Clair Co. manufactured over fifty mil
lion feet of which is being held over The
average price was about 81 dollars per thou
sand, showing the aggregate value of oul
product in this single article to have been al
least $4,000.
In Maine, the business has proved disas
trous, involving many dealers in bankruptcy
Prices have not been sufficient to meet the
cost of production there. The total amount
of lumber surveyed at Bangor in the year
1855, was $3.50, 1914 feet, against 159,
562, 1897 in 1854, and 1S2,9422S4 in 1853
In Is4s it went up to 213,00O,099.
Port Huron Commercial
CoRUNNA Coal FIELDs.-The editor o