Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-11-06
L,msE. smlrmExrs ny RAIL.

Il il a little uncertain yet what the
shipments of Puget Sound lumber by
rail will amount TO. but We have every
reason to believe they will be consider
able, gaining little by little each year
indefinitely. The great treeless region
of eastern Oregon, eastern Washington,
and beyond will have to be supplied, and
the only question il whether or not it
can be most cheaply and advantageous
ly supplied from western Oregon and
western Washington, or from elsswh here.
Be this as it may, one thing is certain,
and that 10 San Francisco will never
again be the sole market for Puget
Sound lumber. II will take az much az
1t has in the past, and probably more,
but in addition to that We will have a
greater home demand, An enormous for
eign trade, and q call from the East fer
quantity that In a few years will prob
ably amount to q hundred or two mil
lien feet per annum. Tho building OF
railroads will have this effect, IA it Ia
having In Wisconsin and Michigan,
which have heretofore depended prin-
cipally upon Chicago for their market,
but which are now reaching out to la
kota, Iowa, Kansas, aud elsewhere.
Their lumber ne longer passes through
the hands OF the middle ,nsn of that
city, but goes straight from the milling
towns BY rail to the consumer. An ar
ticle upon this subject in late Issue of
the Lnnsberman's Gasefte. reads as fol-
lows;
The great Increase OF lumbar ship.
ments by rail from initial points Is at
tracing the attention Of manufacturers,
dealers, middlemen and the public gen
orally, a. its effects are far reaching, and
Affect net only the lumber interest itself
but water and railroad traffic, and II
destined possibly TO be seriously felt by
the great weasel interests Of the inland
seas. In order to rightly comprehend
and understand the extent and ramifi-
cations Of this new departure, IL Il
6ecesaary to compile facts and figures
In relation thereto at the great manu-
faoturinQ centers Of the entire country
Hut An examination Of the facts nj 4
single point will serve TO illustrate
satisfactorily 10 those personally inter
ssted ~ least, the rapid development Of
this new feature Of the lumber trade
Mus iseQOn. Michig, a, more fairly de
mOnsSrAtee the enormous growth OF the
rail movement direct from the producer
70 the retail dealer, than any othel
point; aud the following from one Of
the Munkegon journals In worth NOR,
In this connection than a whole column
Of theorixing ON the question: The ship
mouts by water in 1892 reached nearI,
k26 600 600 feet, but this season they vii
not exceed $4,000, 900 feet, the balances
Of the out not now ON hand having beer
nont 10 the markets at the south
and west by rail. II Ia fact tina
the cut Of 1889 will not compare II
quality or extent with that Of 1852
Tbs interior railroad mills are makins
lnuch batter lumber than the mills here
aud they have become great factors il
the trade. The railroad mills in West
ern Michigan cut about N0,000,UQ fee
each season, and as the most Of thi,
stook Roes directly TO the. consumers, i
ID eany 10 figure what effect such an out
put will have on hitherto controlling
Oeutess like Chicago. II certainly looks
as II thin new era In the trade was bal
the beginning Of the end. The breal
which the manufacturers have made d
ignore the middlemsn and reach ths
markets. direct from their mills, will
uns3ouhks><7iv oontinua In widan until ~.
great bulk Of the lumber product Of
Michigan u distributed much the Same
~ any other commodity. No one would
have believed two years ago thst the
MunkeQon manufacturer, Who 20 iroely
kneW another outlot for their iumhe,
than through the Chicago yards, would
today be shipping their stock by rail ii
the rate Of ID. 600. 90 feet per year. bui
facts are faoss. and that is about thu
sixe Of tbs present rail trade Of the CITY