Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1889-08-02
COSTLY WOODS.
WHERE THOSE SOLD IN NEW
YORK COME FROM.
Some Cost More Per Pound Than
the Most Expensive Meats-Rare
Kinds That are Brought
Many Thousand Miles.

never saw France. 1t comes from Persia
and Circassia by way of Constantinople."
The speaker was fancy wood importer
on the East River, this city, ,and he pointed
as he spoke to dark, roughly-hewn
block that stood with many other blocks
in row against the wall of his Office.
Marseilles merchants, the dealer ex-
planned, were the original importers of
burl walnut, and at one time enjoyed a
monopoly of the business, but of late
years the city of Marseilles has not been
a walnut market of much account.
"Can the demands for fancy woods be
satisfied by the productions of foreign
countries, " asked the reporter.
"No," rejoined the importer. "We
have never been able to supply our trade
with enough of the rare qualities of wood.
That block" pointing to another sample
in the row, ''is snakewood, out of which
cane and umbrella handles are made,
cannot be obtained in sufficient quantities
London and Liverpool concerns control
the snakewood market. 1t is found in
South America. Look at that piece next
to the snakewood. That's camphor-
wood. Wealthy people have trunks made
Of it on account of its moth h-destroying
properties. We import camphor-wood
from Japan. Here's another expensive
wood-sandalwood indigenous to the
Sandwich Islands. 1t is worth about
$500 per ton. Sandalwood causes that
peculiarly fragrant smell in the fumes of
incense. East Indians employ it exten-
sively as perfume. Here is sample of
bo1wood. During the roller skating
mania it sold for eight and ten cents
pound. To-day we can't sell it at almost
any price. Boxwood comes from Africa
and the West Indies. Step into the
next room and I'll show you something
worth looking at"
The reporter entered and viewed a
plank of rosewood the grain of which
formed figure representing the body of
a shark, with the snout of hog. The
plank was framed and polished. This
plank is worthy of exhibition among the
rarest curiosities known.
Rosewood" continued the importer,
''is an expensive wood, its cost approach
ing $500 per ton. Brazil supplies us
with most of our rosewood. Woods of
the quality which have shown you are
seldom used except as a veneer. What
appears to be rosewood coffin generally
is pine, covered with a thin sheet of rose
wood. Pianos and expensive furniture
are almost invariably veneered. That
three feet cubic of mahogany over there
might serve to veneer dozen pianos.
After steaming it for twenty-four hours
it can be cut, or rather shaved, into
sheets one -tiftieth of an inch thick and
then pasted over fine piono cases."
"Why do they weigh fancy wood in
stead of measuring it?n inquired the re-
porter.
"They don't always weigh it" was the
reply. "The very highest grades only are
sold by weight-the common grades by
the foot. In Europe the practice of
weighing wood prevails more than in this
country. Here is another curious feature.
This is a small piece of mahogany. Its
surface is smooth and free from blemishes
now look at the CENTER" and the
reporters entertainer broke the piece in
sections, disclosing an interior honey
eombed with holes one-third of an inch
in diameter made by a white seaworm.
'iThis worm," continued the importer,
''is a fell destroyer. When valuable RATS
are being fioated from the shore of the
countries in which these woods grow,
this little rascal enters the logs filing
the hole after him SO that the exterior
presents a sound appearance. He de-
stroys whole RATS in the manner in which
this piece has been destroyed. 1t is on
account of this worm that the bottoms
of ships are covered with copper"
care these fancy woods becoming
scarce?" was the last question to which
the merchant replied.
Eyes. Each year they become scarcer
and relatively dcarer. In some countries
the timber is cut away for miles from the
coast. This necessitates the expenditure
of more time and money to drag the
umber to the sea-shore and consequently
has tendency to relatively increase the
price, not to say anything about making
the various woods scarcer. l almost for
got an American wood that ranks with any
of them in price and quality. This is
American figured walnut, which is pre-