Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-08-29
PACIFIC COAST NUMBERING.
rs. F. Journal Of Commerce

.. r. Journal OF commerce..
But very few Of the people of the Pa
cific coast, unless it is those directly in
terested in 1t, are aware Of the immense
Importance of the lumber trade. On
Stuart street, from Market to the Pacific
Mail Dock, are seen lumber yards, and
here and there are seen vessels unload
ing lumber at the vharves; and this Is
not all, but these piles of lumber, these
modest little eoops of offices, represent
thousands upon thousands of acres of
land, millions upon millions of capital,
giving employment to thousands upon
thousands of hands, all the way from
Santa Cruz on the south to Alaska on
the north. Here are represented, with
few interruptions, chain of forests OF
valuable timber-mines Of treasure to
their owners-mostly all owned BY San
Franciscans, operated from here, fur
nishing the people of almost the whole
world with valuable lumber. This chain
or range Of forests begins with q span
at Santa Cruz, and expands in Msndo-
elmo and Humboldt counties, widens
into vast forests of hard pire In Oregon
and Washington Territory, and finally
terminates in a wilderness of timber in
Alaska. The magnitude of this great
interest becomes apparent on investiRa-
tion. White winged vessels are silently
arriving, bringing to San Francisco o
portion of the treasure secured from
these forests. There Is no speculation
in this trade, no digging and Giving in
dark holes for h0ped-for treasure; the
forests are there, the lumber Ia needed,
and the product il sure. The lumber
business Of the Pacific coast takes rank
where it justly belongs, alongside of her
wheat raising industry.
California produces immense quanti-
ties of redwood, the only section on the
known globe where this useful and even
ornamental wood can be found. Her
laurel equals the far-favored mahogany.
while her sycamore ID becoming known
a. most useful and ornamental wood.
Puget Sound and Oregon furnish pine
and cypress, and all these woods are
found in app srently inexhanstible guam
titles. In fact IL ID stated with. Ne be-
lieve, the utmost fairness that the thirty
years consumption Of lumber on this
coast has % far made no perceptibls i'm
preston upon our immense forests, and
that not oue-fiftieth Of our lumber has
been touched. Il is asserted by some,
but denied by others, that the redwood
and pine on this coast will reproduce t.
self In thirty years; but be that a. il may,
there IL no danger that the supply Of
lumber On this coast viii become ex-
hausted in the lifetime of our children
or our childrcn's children, and she do
velopmeut Of the lumber interest, the
new forests opened. new mills erected
now markets for their product foand,
will afford ample opportunity for the
safe investment Of capital for years "a
come. In fact the lumber interest Of
this coast il in its infancy; Ne are but
at in threshold, and its possibilities oar
not b foretold. In it at the preseal
day are men Who hsve grown Ryay q
the ssryice, but we can safely cay thsy
are man OF honor, honesty and probity
they are men who have assisted in do
yelopine and expanding one Of tn
/. greatest interests Of the coast. and they
are justly entitled 70 every praise 10
THAR indomitablo energy. and are TO b
congratulated upon their suocsaa