Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1882-06-24
OHRGON AND WASHINGTON TIN.
Der.

! the Allsslsslppl valley Lumoerman, pub
lished at Minneapolis, and bears good
testimony to the value OF our forest re-
sources.
Ii would scarcely he possible to exag>
crate the extent and value OF our forests
OF this region. East and west of the
Cascade mountains there are large tracts
OF timber lands which the lumbermen
have not yet invaded. Many such tracts
will be brought within the reach of mar
kets on the completion of the transpor-
tation lines now in course of construction.
In the Blue mountains and On the casts
ern slope OF the Cascades the supply of
| timber Is more than sufficient TO cDver
the local demand. 1t will yield large
surplus for shipment to the level timber
less territories lying eastward. But west
OF the Cascade mountains, and especially
In Washington territory, the lumberman
must look for the material which will
keep his mills at work without fear of ex-
hausting the supply. The finest body of
| timber in the world is embraced between
the Columbia river and British Columbia
and the Pacific ocean and the Cascades.
AS low estimate, one-half the growth
OF the Puget Sound district consists OF
trees which will yield 10000 ieet to the
scre. The. approximate quantity, 'there-
lore, in this tract alone, the area of which
is nearly as large as the state OF Iowa, Is
nearly 10000, 100000 .eet. During the
last % years the aggregate cut has been
perhaps not more than $500, 900 900 feet,
leaving surplus of 1900. 100000 feet
from which to draw. The principal
growths are fir, pine, spruce, cedar, larch
hemlock, although white oak, maple, ash,
cottonwood, alder and other varieties are
found in considerable quantities. Three
kinds. of CEDAR. two OF fir and three OF
pine are indigenous to the country. The
fir, however, exceeds in quantity and
value all the other species. combined. and
the cedar ranks second in this respect.
Trees attain an unusual development,
b tn with regard to height and symme-
try of form. Perhaps nowhere else Can
they be found SO tall, straight and gently
tapering as to fit them peculiarly tor
ships spars and masts. The yellow fir
is not infrequ.nely $50 In height; the pine
100 to 100 feet; the silver Fir $50 feet; the
white cedar 100 feet; white oak 60 feet
and black spruce $50 feet. Ccdars liza We
been found of So ieet girth and 1870 feet
high. The sugar pine OF Oregon is equal
to the best cedar. Ordinary sized trees
yield 5000 10 5000 feet of lumter each
and many as much as $4,000. OF this are
made railroad ties. boards, deals, fci Gin :,
latbs, paling, pickets, barrel slaves anu
heads, household furniture and ship tim
beers. The product of the sawmills is ship
ped to San Francisco, the Sandwich
islands, the Pacific coast of south America,
Australia, and even England, France, ia
pan and China. The first sawmill was
built ON Puget Sound in 1851, with ca
pacity of 1000 feet daily. In 1853 a
steam sawmill was erected al Seattle
which cut 5000 to 10000 feet per day.
The business has. since been greatly in
creased. The largest sawmill of the fii>
teen in operation on Puget Sound is at
Port Ludlow, with capacity of 1000
feet per day. The other mills are situated
at Port Gamble, Port Madison, Port Dis
covery. Port Gamble, Seabeck, Utsalady.
Tacoma and New Tacoma, and the re-
mainder al Seattle. The aggregate daily
cutting of these mills is over l ,000, 900
feet. Some of the logs sawed are enor-
nous in girth and sometimes 115 feet in
length. Planning mills are attached to
most of these larger sawmills, and dressed
building lumber is obtained as required.
Each mill is admirably situated, with q
view to economical production. and near
ly every one of them comprises town Of
itself, with stores, steam tugs, lumber ves-
sells and dwellings owned by the compa-
MES. II is the custom at these mills 10
wait for an order and then saw the lum-
Der to fill it. Sometimes q feet OF half
a dozen large vessels may be seen at the
same time loa ling lumber just cut by the
saws OF these great mills. Ship building,