The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1889-07-06
SOUTHERN LUMBER.
Forest and Mineral Resources OF the
South.

Forest and Mineral Resources OF he
South.
rTimes- Democrat.
The timber resources of the South, lie
oreat possibilities Ia the manufacture
of lumber, were made known OF tJre
that great mineral development Which
has done 50 much to create new
South. richer and more prosperous than
the S5u,h of old. Yet. while there has
been u large development al these re-
sources. it has not, for certain reasons,
been AS rapid as the advance In min.
era, PRODUCTION. In 1880, the total
value of mineral mined in The South
was hut IS 347 ,445, whereas In 1855, II
had increased to $25, ,4s2 600, or 76l pfr
cent. and pig iron product had grown
from 2l2,722 10 s45, $40 tons. Tue pro-
duct Of the South, including such
semimanufactured articles as pig IRON,
has multiplied at least six told III ei&ht
wears. and has increased the mineral
wealth of the Sou.h-that is, the value
of mines, lands, furnaces. etc.-more
than .enfold. How is it with timber
The forest product of this section IN
1880. :ncludisg lumber, sawed and
nlaned. sashes, doors and blinds, ana
similar produces, naval stores, etc, was
uoa,,v SAT 600 600. Had there been
the same increase as in the field OF Minis
erals, the value Of the Sau'hern lnn.ef nan
product to-day would be over $3.50, ,oQ0,-
600. i, is not One-third OF thls. AHe'e
has been n decided improvement, o"t
has not been as rapid Us in sevefa'
other lines Of manufactures.
The truth is that 1t has taken some
wears to convince the North OF tne
value of our Southern woods, and 1T is
only 10. day that they have been iul.S
recognized.
The forest and mineral wealth OF the
South are about equal. II it has thou
sands OF SQUARE miles Of coal and iroI
ores. il has, at the same time, 207 ,oOo,
600 acres of wood land. If II possesses
nearly all the minerals used in manu-
tactures. its variety of woods is equall!
remarkable. II it possesses ores of phe
nonenal richness, 1t possesses SIS
lands upon which the merchants!
timber reaches the high eXceptiona
Weld of 5000 TO 10000 feet TO tue acre
II ite iron, coal and limestone are place
90 close together as to allow OF tn
I manufacture Of pig iron at hgur
lower than almost anywhere else !
the world, so its chief timbers are 81
ualed on streams that render it chea
matter to convey the logs to the mill
and the manufactured product 10 if
market. Iu fine, these two great ma
ural resources of the South are equ
and similar in rearIy all respt CTS, ar
= /. TO be expected that their growth an
> development should be simulteneo'
and relative.
AS has been said, the value of Il
timber resources of the South W
known IN advance of the present mi
- eral boom. The census of 1850 gave
= estimate of the number OF acres
woodland in the South, the amount
is. cutting that was being done, and
merchantable timbe still standing 10
before any general survey of the m
,n eral districts of the South had be
~ made. Capital recognized this wea
aud invested in ii heavily as early
1882. Since then, investments nj
continued IN Southern woodiaE
mainly in Arkansas, tennessee, lAo'
lana. Alabama and Mississippi,
many million acres of the best Ia
have been bought into hold for
advance In Vaiue Iaahet tHou ~.
mediate development. 1t Is c!ain
that in the past ten years, 2O,Ooo
acres of woodlands have been purcf
ed in the South by investors, lars
by men engaged in numbering and
know the value of their purchases.
They were largely based on The
that the magnificent white pine
. Michigan aud Wisconsin are being
= idly used 10 supply the needs OF
country, snd that upon their des'
ton, ii will have to depend upon
South for lumber, as the more west
rs States, like Iowa, Nebraska, Ia
and Dakota, are badly wooded
have no, enough timber TO supply
,,c own demands.
,yS' ~
Iox,ir;ua.a XHanlluull.