Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-11-02
Lumber.

Lumber
The following ratings are those adopted a.
Chicago and now prevail at st. Paul in all
wholesale offices. 1t is worth while for dealers
to note the entire list for future reference, as
they are most conveniently obtainable IN this
way, and the GLOBE is the only st. Paul paper
which has published them:
CHICAGO YARD GRADING.
The system of grades prevailing among the
yards OF Chicago, Is most difficult thing to
describe, yet general similarity of ideas ia
supposed TO prevail among ell dealers. We
therefore endeavor 70 give the general laws
governing their grading.
First Clear.-Shall be not less than twelve
inches in width and twelve feet long Except
that in some yards tea foot pieces are admit
ted in the upper gradss, the majority adhering
to the twelve foot standsrd), and with 10 i'm
Projections, unless the piece is fourteen IN shes
or over ia width; will then allow inperfec-
tions equal to sap, one inch on one side, ex-
tending the whole length of the piece, bat the
face must be perfect. As the width increases,
will allow larger impcrfections in proportion
to the width.
Second Clear.-Shall be not less than ten
inches wide, and must be perfect up to eleven
inches. Above eleven inches imperfec-
tions may be allowed equal to
sap one inch on one side of the whole length
of the piece if well manufactured. With in
creaaing width Will allow other and larger i'm
projections in proportion to the width but not
imperfections enough to decrease its value be-
YOnd the standard of twelve inch piece of
above description.
Third Clear.-Shau not be less than nine
inches in width Except as below, and perfect
up to ten inches; will then allow impsrfec-
tions equal to sap one inch on one side of the
whole length of the piece if well mauufac-
tured. This grade, however, is subject to
modification In that while it is mainly the
Of Albauv rnirdc md
may generally be found 10 combine the grades
of Box, a Stock and S-inch = varying from
standard inspection by allowing a minimum
width of nine inches and length of twelve
feet In yard grading, knots as big as q half
dollar may be allowed IN & fair sized piece, az
to general location and effect upon the use of
the board. Smaller knots. az high as FIVE in
number, or bright sap on each edge of one
side, two inches in width. In narrow boards,
one face must be nearly perfect except S-iuch
A, where the general rule applies modified BY
the width. A stocks usually refers 70 Pinch,
but may apply to 10 inch stocks when SO
specified.
B Boz and i St0rks usually range IN price
with Third Clear. Eight-inch 4, although Of
the same general quality. ranges from 80 TO 20
lower in price. Ten-inch Stock in all grades
usually ranges 81 below 12-inch.
4 Selects 3 Stock, Eight inch 4 and B.
These are all of about one grade, and are taken
from Third Clear and Selects, what may be
called Zine boards" between the two grades
4 Selects are properly q grade below, al
though some claim 20 make It equal 10 Sd
Clear. In this grade, sons yaIds will allow
shake, where the use and general value IF the
piece Is not seriously impaired thereby. IS
rule, however, no shake is admitted. Knots
may be allowed according to size of board and
location of knots but seldom both knots and
shake. Widths may run from S-iEch upward.
Sap may be allowed equal to two inches on
| one side of nine inch piece, increasing with
the width. The term BOX" Is applied TO all
grades, where the width makes the lumber
suitable for corRice and shelving, or wagon
box boards, from which latter the Chicago use,
OF the term is derived. Sample boards may
be described as follows: 4 board twelve feet
long, twelve inches wide, had one knot the
size of dime, one cat-face knot, two saps on
one side, of which one is narrow, running tie
whole length, the other three inches at one end,
tsperin out Rt four feet Seine call this
fair, Others good, 4 Select.
B B0G.-Is thirteen inches wide and over. A
board seventeen inches wide, sixteen feet long,
with twelve medium knots; another sixteen
inches wide, two saps of two iuches each on
one side and ten small knots on the other were
seen In pile of B Box, but were criticised by
other graders.
3 Stock is usually twelve inch, but may in
clude ten inch stocks. Eight inch b is of
parallel width az to o up to grade, in pro-
portion to width.
B Select in general character is a sap board;
if narrow, one aide may be well covered with
sap, no knots on the face. Such board may
be from seven to ten inches. At ten TO
fourteen inches, some knots aud less sap. This
class makes good ''one side" lumber for fin
ishing boards and In general, knots may be
allowed OF character not To iDjure the board
for finishing purposes or for cutting up.
sample board sevel inches Wide had bright
sap nearly covering one side, the other face.
Another of thirteen inches had but four inches
OF maat on the sap side, the sap came through
to the face, and there were two SIN I'll knots on
the face. Another OF nine inches had sap Gov
eriDg one end for five feet, sap ran slightly on
to the face OF the board. b Select on wider
pieces may combine some considerable shake
at the ends, If the center is good, or on center
il the ends are good.
The sap in this grade should be judged in
the matter of color by its SURROUNDINGS.
While black sap Is scarcely allowable. 8 SIN
pie discoloration will not condemn the piece
II all other requisites are present. A piece
OF fair width with one clean face to work
would admit of a blaoksr sap on the outside
of the cut. In this grade also may be admit
ted class of soft wide lumber with large or
even loose knots, where the cuts between the
knots may give large proportion of finishing
lumber. Such lumber is often found where
the rules of regular and strict inspection
would condemn piece to the grade of Gull,
yet where the piece is of especial value for
cutting up.
Common. ALI coed sound lumber ten feet
long and upwards, however knotty, if the
Knots are tight and sound and not coarse
enough to weaken the board, are included il
TINS grade. Also sap boards, when the sap
Is fairly bright. Boards free from rot and
shake, which involve their usefulness. are
common boards. Lumber which will make a
water-tlRht roof Is In all markets included in
this grade. "Splits or Checks, if straight and
not or en- extent or nature to materially In
1ure the board, are generally allowable. The
lumber must be of full standard thickness
and well manufactured.
Worm holes may be permitted in this grade
In number and character proportional to the
size or the piece, but as a rule, wormy lumber
should be excluded IS Culls. Custom has al
lowed common plank, measuring " thick, 20
be measured as If full two inch. a few wcrm-
holes are not objectionablein dimension stnff
unless enough in number to weaken the piece,
or OF a generally unsightly character.
G Boz is a grade of thirteen Q3) inches
wide and over, with small, sound knots.
d Boa Is simply good, wids Common.
Neither Of these last two pretend TO any
grading above Common, except that their -
widths adapt them to special uses.
Culs.-Unsound lumber, loose knots, bad,
black knots, or large coarse knots, loose or
shaky hearts, unedged or wauey, and badly
shaky lumber, black sap stain, especially if
mouldy. Ali wormy lumber, rotten streaks.
or ends badly manufactured as to thickness,
wedge boards or tarved lumber Chick on one
edge and thin on the other) or boards which
won't hold water. All the above properly be-
long in Calls, and when unfit to be used as
roofing to nail shingles on, or is generally un-
slightly in appearance, it is known as ''Scoots."
Refuse, or Mill-Culls, and has no quotable
value.
Lengths. Sin some yards tea feet is the
standard of length, and all lumber is meas
ured in even figures of ten, twelve, fourteen,
sixteen and eighteen feet; odd lengths are un-
known unless in special orders aud in lumber
of over twenty feet. Until within the last
two years twelve feet was the minimum of
length in a merchantsble piece of lumber, and
most yards yet adhere to this rule. All lum-