Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-10-31
THE LUMBER SUPPLY.

vHE LUMDLA tCOTTLl.
Among the papers read before the Ma
tional Board of Trade at its session in
Chicago, was one in relation to the lum-
Der supply Of North America. This paper
il of such character as to create an in
terest throughout this country. 1t was
written by Mr.. James Little of Montreal,
ono of the oldest lumbermen in Canada,
and was addressed to Major Walker OF
London, by whom it was placed before the
Board. With what rapidity the lumber
has disappeared from the State of Maine
has been noticed by all persons within its
limits who have reached the age Of fifty
years. Use and waste have almost ami
hilated pine timber, and are rapidly max
ing havoc with the spruce and hemlock
forests. Places which twenty-five years
ago kept mills running and sent lumber
away to market, are to-day importing lum-
ber for their own use. And what we see
In this State in our immediate localities
holds good in all places where lumber is
produced.
The paper to which we refer deals very
particularly with the subject, giving the
present rate of consumption in each lum-
ber-producing district, and the author
draws the conclusions from his facts and
figures that the lumber supply in the Unit
cd States will be exhausted in ten or
twelve years.
The total annual consumption of lumber
in the United States, at the present time,
is stated to be about ten thousand millions
of feet, and the chief sources Of supply
are Pennsylvania, Maine. Northern New
York, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota,
and Canada. The amount of lumber fur
nished by Pennsylvania annually, amounts
to five hundred millions Of feet, chiefly
pine and hemlock. and it is estimated that,
at this rate. five years will exhaust all the
lumber in that State. AS for Maine, Mr..
Little says it has little pine left. except in
the region of the Penobscot, its chief sup
ply for home consumption being now
spruce, and he computes that at the pres
emit rate of consumption, amounting to
seven hundred millions of feet yearly, this
State will be completely stripped in less
than ten years, and according to the OPP
Unions of some, five years will suffice to
exhaust all it has worth bringing to mar
ket. Northern New York produces three
hundred millions of feet. yearly, chiefly
spruce but as the State Government con-
templates reserving that territory for wa
ter reservoir and public park, that source
Of supply will soon be cut off. Michigan
produced this year two thousand million
feet. and in less than dozen years the
whole supply of this State will be exhaust.
cd, taking the most favorable estimate Of
tn lumber capacity. The supply of Min
nesota and Wisconsin will not last longer
than that, taking into account the addi
tional demands which will be made upon
It, owing to the increase of population ant
the exhaustion of present sources of sup
ply in other States. The Canadian pro-
duct of lumber at present amounts annual
~ TO about thousand millions of feets o.
about one-tenth of what is required for thu
United States; and Mr. Little estimates
that were Canada called upon to furnisl
the whole supply required for the United
States, it would use up every stick of PINE
We have east Of the Rocky Mountains in
three years.
Now while we doubt the reliability Of
Mr.. Titles calculations as to the time in
which the supply of lumber will be ex.
hausted. we know that the waste and con.
sumption are great and rapid, demanding
more attention than the subject receives
The increasing cost Of lumber is doing
something to prevent waste, as we'll as t.
bring into use more brick and stone TO-
building and other purposes in which WOO
has been used. but still the destruction c
the forests continues. Forest fires al
more destructive if possible than the ak
Of the woodman. Large tracts are burn
oyer every year, leaving the growth black
ened and dead. loss to the owner and a
equal loss 10 the great community that de
ponds upon lumber for building purposes
Within fifteen years the lumber on tn
Kennebec and Penobscot will be practi
cally exhausted if the consumption con
tinues - at present. Before that happens
Bangor must revolutionize her industry
shape it into other forms than the making
Of boards and shingles, in order to hold
her rank in population and business. On
the Kennebec the revolution is now going
on. and though lumber fails there will still
b work for willing hands to do. Fancy
Bangor man obliged to go New York to
purchase shingles to cover his buildings,
and then think what an accompanying
change such an event carries with it in the
business OF Bangor and all eastern Maine
We hope the calling of attention to the
decrease of lumber will cause more care to
b. taken = its preservation and growth