New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-04-25
NEw-YoRK DAILY TRIBUNE MONDAY, APRIL 3, 1881

1.15O, 900, 900 feet more, that the total TO-
duct of the year win .,gregate 7,429,9oOoOO
feet Now the census agents sent to SIR
vey the pineries of the Northwest have
lust reported that the whole quantity oil
pine timber standing in the three great
| lumber States above mentioned Is only
81 $50 OOO, 900 feet, so that if the rate OF de-
struction now going on is kept mp, only twelve
years will clapse before the supply is exhausted
Indeed, if the lumber operations continue to be
extended in the ratio of the past few years the
end will come in ten years.
At first thought this would seem to be an
alarming prospect. The Maine plneues are
already almost worked out, and most OF the
still extensive numbering operations OF that
State arc now confined to the spruce timber
Last Summer a vessel loaded with Michigan
pine arrived at Bangor, the metropolis
of the Maine lumber regions. The
event created considerable sensation, and
was thought to indicate that the pine industry
of the State is practically thing of the past.
The question naturally arises, what will the
country do when the slaughter of the pines IN
the Northwest il rs complete as it is in ManeT
| Where are our reserves of timber for the next
century? Fortunately, however, the danger OF
a lumber famine is not IA serious as might
seem from n hasty glance at the future. The
extensive pineries of Southern Georgia, cover
ing hundreds Of square miles have scarcely
been touched yet Southern Alabama and
! Northern Florida also contain n large amount
Of pine timber. Texas, which formerly drew
its lumber supply from far distant States,
is now, since the opening of the In
| Anr+l
Orleans and Texas and other railroads through
the eastern part of her vast domain, finding
within her own borders an ample stock for
! her own needs Some allowance must be made
too for the growth Of the young trees IN The
| Northwestern pincrics from which the larc"
timber has been removed, and where the soil
il too poor for the land Ia be- converted into
| farms.
Then We must take into account the cnor-
nous consumption of lumber in recent years
caused by The rapid settlement of the Wet.
! II is hardly possible that as many ucV houses
| barns and fences sill be erected during th"
next ten year. rs have been put up in the last
| decade \, lumber gets dcarcr with thc sweep
ng away of the AREAS of forest llad near ihr
watcr-cour-c- and railway lines other material
will Ice u-cd to som" extent 10 %, place.
! Choar lumber hl~ hrcn an iuc,'imlhic hcnc-
III in Tie development of thr W',t. The
settler can build hou-c far 5000 or $500
! which answers tolrr,nv well g.: his family
until hc can get Nilc :prrAlndrd hy the
n.turus Of two or tho" yc,is' crops, aud II De
! /. I'm haste. for D. tier hc can bUy d." nous"
r,a1r mad IN Chicaco aa', have /; ''ippod m
sections ard st mp on hi. farm. But il may
Ice questioned whether il is Of pcrI.an'pt all
VANTAGE to County 10 lave prri,'lhlc
! hrildinr material so cheap thli brick aDd stone
arc seldom ned The Western homes of The
next century. let IL hope, vii l'e more sub
.ta,.tial than the balloon fruur structures of thr
present DIV, with their thin covering Of dead
boards and their crGmbl'ns inner walls
of lath and plaster The homc sentiment,
which ia one oi the finest fcrlirgs ol our ma
trr,. and serves as sure Foundation FOR most
Of the domestic virtues cannot find unrh to
| ding To- In painted box which Will hardly
Last half an ordinary lifetime. Wien our farm
houses arc 30 constructed rs to give their
owners a sens" of pcunaT"ncc, dignity and
comfort. rural lifc Will have greater charms,
farmers sons will De- less carr To- abandon
the patemal mrcs, aud the rr-tle,>ncSs and
discomfort which i go marked peculiarly of
the American character 1lll be lcss and less
manifest among the agricultural population
FROM generation to generation. 50 there will
come some compensation, and no slight one
either. for the destruction of Naturs grrat
preserves of pine timber.