Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-06-08
SOUTHERN PINE.

Neriiys we have a new South; section
and people emancipated from old ira
ditions which contracted the spirit Of enter
prise and enfeebled the energies of the peo-
pie. Gradually the bright sunshine is chas-
ing away the dark shadows; the material
resources OF the South are daily unfolding
themselves. The census has Just brought to
light the fact previously known to few, if
any, that at the present rate of consumption
we have but twelve years supply of pine
timber left in the lake regions; but in
the Southern States there are 250-years sup
ply. 1t is true that this is not white pine,
but it is a good substitute, and there is no
other alternative but TO use it. 1t is there
fore certainty that in the course of ten
years cities will spring up in the South, many
of them becoming the greatest lumber marts
in the world, and that the vast lumber pro-
duction which now floats upon the
lakes will alone float upon Southern lakes
and rivers. Even now Southern
capitalists and lumber spectators are max
ing extensive purchases of timber lands,
and are removing the steam saw-mills and
other appliances of the Western lumber
trade to the South. The census statistics
show that the State of Louisiana alone con-
tains more merchantable pine than is left
standing in the lumber States of Michigan,
Wisconsin and Minnesota, all combined. Ar
kansas, which has never been regarded as
great pine State, contains, in addition TO its
unrivaled hardwood forests, more pine than
the census credits to Wisconsin. Texas,
Louisiana and Arkansas contain more than
double the amount of merchantable pine
still remaining in the three lake States which
have go long supplied the country with
lumber. The New York Nation in discus
sing the resources of the South and the value
OF its pine timber, says:
The value of this great body of timber is enor-
nous, and must have an important influence in
developing the material prosperity of the South.
But because Southern forests contain a greater
amount of pine than they have been supposed to
contain, the almost total destruction of the white
pine OF the North Is none the less NATIONAL ca
lamity. The southern forests produce no pine
which can take tho place of white pine. The
long,leayed pine, OF when ths forests OF d. me
most Valus BILE timber trees. The wood of other
at all equals II IN Strength or htness Ior all KINDS
of heavy construction. 1t IL, however, as COM
pared with white pine, difficult to work, es-
pecially hen seasoned, and full of resin to
be unfit for those uses to which white is uniyer-
sally applied. The yellow pine Of Arkansas, which
also covers muCn OF Louisiana ana Eastern
Texas. is valua BILE building material, although
inferior 10 the long leayed pine IN strength, and
The destruction of the white pine viii deprive |
eastern America OF her most available and,
able lumber and Southern pine, whatever
it's value, never take IT'S place. The study of
portant commercial changes which may be ex-
pected to grow out of the changing conditions of
NO, tsFtsS.sy to become one of the greatest lum-
Der distributing and manufacturing centers of the
its commercial importance, and the with |
which logs may reach ii by river and lake. point |
ital has been invested during the past few months
in Southern timber lands, and the number of per-
best informed lumbermen realize al last that the
time has come when they must seek new fields for |
These men getting ready to move their mills, |
capital and energy into the South and their |
The outlook for new Investments of this sort |
in the south Atlantic States is not favor |
Guiding the whole of Florida contains less than |
q, COO 900 600 feet of pine. The most accessible
has already been removed, and much Of the re- |
mainder has been injured in the manufacture |
OF Lurpentiue. Alabama and Mississippi contain |
greater bodies of pine, but the thee pine states
west Of the Mississippi, pine forests IN whle9 the
tends over tens OF thousands of square miles Here
during the next twenty five years will be seen, /
believe. the great numbering operations of the |
irdeed, these forests can supply
during twenty-five years the demands which viii |
probably be made upon them. 1t is not easy to
ioresee how great these demands will be. The pop
llation of an enormous territory must procure It's
building materials from these trans Mississippi
pineries.
1t has been demonstrated by the census re-
turns that the whole country in few years
will be forced to draw its lumber from the
South. Already the demand for Southern
pine for Northern consumption and export
is rapidly increasing. Nature has been
bounteous in her gifts TO the South, and now
that these resources are to be utilized the
South is destined to be occupied by the
wealthiest and most prosperous people on
The habitable globe. The rosy dreams of
far-off greatness are to be realized sooner
than the most sanguine temperament ex-
pected. During the war and the era of re-
the wealth of the South faded |
out as rapidly as beautiful cities dissolve
under the tense of the magic lantern. But
the scene is again changing. Instead of
desolated cities and charred chimneys, and a
people cropping in poverty, the South pre-
sents beautiful picture, green with luxuri-
ant richness and ripening harvest of the
luscious sweets of plenty.