The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-06-03
rur NORTHWESTERN LUMBER FIELDS.


From the 81 Poui Pioneer Press
The aggregate results OF the logging opera
tons In the Minnesota and Wisconsin woods reveal the
supendous magnitude OF the Northwestern lumber In
tereet In light which will probably astonish persons
familiar with the subject; The total cut Of the
two States exceeds 4oOpoooooo feet The mind will
be better able to grasp this unweldy number when II Ia
understood that II represents the trees growing
on $50 square miles, or about thirty.hvc town
ships OF land 9n the classification Of dis
tricts the great Chippewa valley region OF
Wisconsin 10 easily frst. with iooooooo feet on
the Chippewa Eau Claire and their tributaries. The
Mississippi above Minneapolis comes next WIKI neSiy
6prUOoo feet. The Wisconsin River returns Al .oO.
OOO tho Duuth district 1917 ooUU. and the Black River
22soO.OOo. The streams on tho west shore OF Lake
Michigan. grouped together for convenience. show q
cut Of S3lODOU feet On the different railroads in
Wisconsin and Minnesota. between 5oOO.oo and
eO0oU,oO feet were cut The cut 10 by Gar the great
eat in the history OF the Northwest
There Ia great truth to which this growth
In the logging interest in the Northwest points The swift
and surprising development Of the country west OF the
Mississippi River has created greater revolution the
lumber business than In other interest that supplies
its varied demands within the last few the
demand from the West has reyoiution1ed the lun
Der trade IN its Its methods its channcls and
Its markets This years investigation reveals clearly
the fact vaguely understood before tas the des
tnation Of nearly all the lumber cut in Wisconsin AMI
Minnesota Ia the treeloss prairics AMI maylca,Iy up
sprnging new cities of Dakota. Montana. Nebraska.
Iowa. and the southern States Chicago. once
the lumber market for the whole West gets only
minute fraction OF the enormous product OF Wisconsin
and Minnesota sni the magnet OF the Western demand
attracts the lumber from the cheap water routes OF the
lakes to the westward railroai lines Nearly all the
lumber the shores Of Lake Superior goes
the Northern Pacific The Wisconsin Central carries II
little to Milwaukee, though much of the traffic by that
line is diverted by the westward lines 1t The
great lumber centres Of the Chippewa Black, and wis.
consn valleys drained by the Omaha and Milwaukee
and ST. Paul to the west and southwest Even the lum.
Der the west shore OF Lake Michigan, within easy
reach Of cheap water transit to Chicago chooses instead
a circutous route by the Chicago AMI Northwestern
road across Wisconsin Minnesota and Iowa to the
nivOrous Western prsrics The all absorbing lu.
Der trade OF Chicago is reduced to the handling of
much Of the Michigan product 10 required for West
crn consumption,
The stimulus Of the Western demand has changed the
methods Of lumber production and transit well as the
direction Of its market The present prospective
haustion OF the richest and most convenient tracts
the margins of nnygabe streams. while the demand is
annually enargng, compes resort to and
n more careful cleaning Of old. During last winter
many tracts were cut for the second or third time.
Higher prices and market made IL profitable to
return to second class timber wndfalls and smaller
growth. neglected In former years So far this ten
dency leads to cleaner and economical reapng
Of the pine harvest 1t is to be commended. 1t may
work harm however by causing the destruction of
half grown trees which contain the promise and potency
OF the future lumber supply. A still more important
change ia the methods and sources of lumber pro
ducton is the adoption Of means for reach
ing rich tracts remote from the channels OF
navgable streams To All extent not generally under
stood the railroads are taking the place of rivers
means Of transit OF the product from its first
source. Hundreds OF millions OF feet Of logs
taken u market year that float for mile
the waters OF rivers Railroads penetrating the
lumber districts i'll direction tho North wiscon
the Chippewa Valley, the Wisconsin Central the North