New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-03-15
Kindlipr wood.


Split kindling woSd, put up in bundles
for use, was introduced into the market
few years ago, and those who preferred
convenience to economy, purchased it in
preference to cOrdwood, which must be
sawed and split on the premises. 1t was
then first sold by grocers in small bundles,
for the accommodation of poor people and
impr0vident h0usekeepers WI lie others
scarcely more prudent, patronized the
venders who sold it in boxes, very decep-
tive as regards their apparent size and
actual capacity.
1t soon came into general use, aud has
almost entirely superseded cOrdwoOd, a load
of which is rarely seen in the streets. The
business Of furnishing it has become com
mon in this and other cities, and numerous
factories are busily engaged in supplying
the increasing demand. The small amount
of capital necessary to carry it on, and the
extravagant profit realized have encouraged
many small lumber dealers to enter the
business and transform their yards into
factories. An engine, two or three circular
saws, and splitter, are all the machinery
necessary, and skilled labor is not essen
tial. So far as the dealers are concerned,
it is as pleasant and profitable a business
as could be desired, but few facts respect
ing the profits gained by them may interest
honsekeepers.
Those who have never estimated the
value of lumber in its many forms may be
surprised to learn that kindling wood is the
dearest of all, furniture and manufactured
utensils alone excepted.
Housekeeuers could save fair per-
centage on the cost Of kindlings by pur-
chasing clear stuff at the nearest lumber
yard, and paying TO have it sawed and
split. A lumber merchant assures us thas
he has calculated the amount of kidding
his stock would make, aud is convinced
it would be more profitable to cut it up for
kidding than to sell it in its present
form, if he possessed the facilities for
doing so. As the cordwOOd used by the
manufacturers of prepared kindlings costs
less than half as much as squared lumber
it follows that if the latter could be advan-
tageously sawed and split, the profits on the
former must be beyond all reasonable pre-
portions. Ceiling laths, fence-pickets, trel-
lis-slats and other small timber can be pur-
chased and sawed into stove lengths cheap
er than kindling wood can be bonght by
the load, box, or bundle. The dispropOr-
| ton is still greater if we substitute cord
wood for clear lumber and hire a lAbOrer
to saw and split it for US. That it should
| have come into general use under these
circumstances shows how wasteful Ameri-
cans are.
The little bundles that are retailed at the
groceries seem to have been affected by
the tendency toward contraction which
affects everything from legal tenders to
fruit baskets. They were formerly cct Il
nine inch lengths, but have gradually di-
minished to three and one quarter. 1t is a
consolation to think that they can not be
made much shorter and still be tied, so the
limit of brevity may soon be reached. A
bundle contains about as much wood as
one section of an ordinary sized stick Of
cordwood, and could be prOftably sold ftE
one-third of its present price.
In English cities kindling wood is scl6
by the pound, as are also potatoes and
many Of the fruits. The same practice
should be introduced here. We have passed
out of the days Of abundance, and must
begin to stop the leaks.-Ne'o York Post.