Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1874-08-19
Il 10 safe To Bay Lumber.

1t plr-c-- ccLMllDt- ~ AK
lumlcr trade are - remarkable
thst Ee are tempted 10 put them
n concise form. and ask the oueS-
ton: Is IL safe nOE 70 inves; in
lumber for future use We state
the case thus:
]. TIE best authorities. and IL
fact authorities OF every grade.
agree that the standing pine Of
this country and Canada i being 50
rapidly diminished tia; the utmost
economy in consumption Is the
viSest course
=. The production If lumber, il
NAV be said confidently, has reach
ed lis maximum. There i left no
large uuieveioped regions, hut the
field i well covered with manufac-
tories. and though some new mills
will be built here and there. the
aggregate cutting capacity will
no. be increased when the year
Is casualties are taken into
account. Il is not likely that we
shall again see the production up
to the figures of the past three
years.
8. The movements in progress in
the various lumber districts 10 cur
tail operations in TIE woods next
winter, cannot fail 10 have some
influence. The reduction may not
be equal 70 that proposed, but that
there will be a considerable falling
off in the supply Of the logs in all
regions there can be no doubt.
The old logs will be used up by
the end Of this season, the favor
able rafting Of the spring and sum-
mer having cleared the upper
streams Of old and new stocks.
There will be nothing for next
years supply then, but the dim
inished producs Of the coming
winter.
4. Lumber can be bought now at
prices which barely cover the cost
Of production, and that cost can
not be reduced in the future, but
on the contrary it must increase
from year to year as the cutting OF
the timber recedcs from the rafting
streams and the mills, making long
er hauls and longer and more cost
ly running Of the logs.
5. Transportation Of the manu-
featured lumber can be had now at
lower rates than ever before-less
than it costs, according to all pre-
vious figuring. This condition il
not likely to be repeated soon, il
ever. The seasons discourage
ments have been so great that
numbers of vessels which having
outlived their usefulness in the
general trade, would look to lum
Der carrying for a short prolonga
tive Of their existence, will b.
abondened, while new craft will h
scarcer than ever before. In thi
region ..sera is not now q livcl
insnmer in the shipy lids wher
last year there were q hundred
and there is no promise Of any
: thing better this winter. The IA
will bring the numerous casualtie
among the old lumber-carryin
craft, and their places will not b
filed again. Freights must i'm
prove another year, or the bus
ness will stop, and those engage
in it will turn there attention
more profitable lines.
6. Lastely-we should perhaI
/ have put it first-pine lumber is
: staple article Of commerce, the us
$ of which are multiplying at lea.
: as rapidly as the supply is demir
: ishing
Every lumberman and lumbe
: dealer who is well informed in h
D business knows that the above col
: ditions are fairly stated, and thi
!. the statement might have bee
Y much stronger without any vic
/ lence to truth. Under these eli
{ cumstances is it safe TO invest
: lumber at this time il buyer
\ think it is not, manufacturers sc
xI Al 4 =.