Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-12-09
the COTT0NWOOD TREE.
Scientific Americana

The cotton wood tree has long been
regarded in the rural districts as a
practically superfluous production of
nature-a thing not only without a
mission, but without hope Of ever
having one. But in this conclusion
the country folk do the majestic cot
tonwood tree great injustice, and if
the tree could talk, as walls are some
times supposed to do by sinful and
timorous people, the disgraced tree
would be in better repute among the
rustics. 1t could tell the sons Of the
AK and the plow that when they visit
the fairs, celebrations, and 50 on, in
the neighboring towns, and stop
over night at the Metropolitan hO-
tel. " that their aching bones rest on
thread'like fragments Of cottonwood;
that when they dine, be it hotel or
AT a home, the china and glassware
holding meat and drink came many
hundreds of miles wrapped in the
protecting folds of ribbons of cotton.
wood; that the candies which are
bought on circus day to please the
children and the boys and blooming
damsels Desllcd for MANY an hour in
the candy box" on luxurious little
couches of co,tonwood; that when
they drive out with the family car
riage or the more popular buggy,
that the cushions on which they sit
are wood-cOttonwood; that when
they are Strengthened out in their cof-
fins the undertaken will stuff cotton
wood around them and put cotton
wood pillows under their heads; and
finally that cottonwood is u magnani-
nous wood-that it never pursues q
man beyond the grave. There is on.
~ one cottonwood mauufactorv in
this city. hut ii IS n very large one.
having capacity Of about % or &c
bales day, and shipping its goods
to all parts of the country. Ii Oh
tains It's surplus timber in the cotton
wood districts lying between here
and Cairo the wood. stripped OF
bark and Gu, in three foot lengths
costing about s. cord. delivered
The wood at The factory is "plsned
down" on machines specially bull,
for the purpose. the shavings or rib
hons falling down under the ma
chimes almost as fast Is they can bt
removed. The machines make 12t
cuts To The inch on the block of wooC
being worked up, and the lit:lc line:
which move with and project beyont
the surface of the cuttinng tool TO reg
ulate the width Of the shavings.
cord of wood worked up in this wa,
will make about 2400 pounds Of mer
charitable shav.ngs. At the factor,
elsewhere alluded 10 (which make
three sizes of width of shavings, l 81
Inch for fine packing. 32-inch 10
coarse packing and 5-3c inch for mai
tress making) this was found to b.
the average after long and careful
observation OF outputs. The shay
ings are bsled like cotton in balm,
presses Each bale weighing on al
average, 235 pounds. The goods ar
now ready for the market. The
sell a, the factory at prices rangin
from 81 IS 10 81 80 hundred weigh
Eastwood is the principal. il not Il,
only. wood used by shaving manufat
} turers at Cincinnati, o, Richmond
Ind. and other points farther cas-,
the supplies of the Cincinnati manl
factory coming largely from the DO
tom lands Of the kanawha aad Bi
Sandy rivers. But cottonwood. 1t
claimed by the concern here. is vastl
superior 10 Eastwood. both for pacl
ing and understanding purposes
being stronger and capable Of endu
ing more and sharper bending.