The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-01
TESTS OF PUGET SOUND FIR.


Still regard it as in its infancy.
TESTS OF PUGET SOUND FIR.
Facts Ter the Consideration Of Lumber
Men and Others.
In an article on the lumber industry of
washington. published one year ago to-
day, the PosT-IsTELIrGEScER said:
1t Is well known that no lumber in the world
equals Puget Sound FIR for the construction of
bridges, warehouses, freight cars and buildings
which are required to sustain great weight, nor
Is there elsewhere such serviceable lumber for
ships decks.
In positive proof of this assertion. there
Is presented below a series of tests made
by the United States government. under
the direction of the secretary of the in
terror, and the comments thereon, per ex-
tracts from the reports made at the in
stance of the secretary of the interior by
the superintendent of census on the tenth
census Of the United States, made Septem-
TENDER /, 1884.
From variety of woods tested, the
Pacihc Pine Lumber Company, of San
Francisco, who are selling agents for all
the large mills on Puget sound, selected
the following, being the principal woods
OF commerce used for structural purposes.
Speci1c gravity, weight, etc., are all of air
dried specimens:
Ill DOUGLAS FIR.
ordinarily known as Puget sound or
Oregon pine. wood found principally on
the PACING coast ranges, being the most
generally distributed and valuable timber
OF this region, and reaching in Washington
territory and Oregon its greatest develop
ment, forming extensive forests almost to
o Ynl xff< h
very strong, tenacious, compact, durable,
varying in color from light red TO yellow ;
sap-wood thin and nearly white; largely
manufactured into lumber, and used for
all kinds of construction, railway ties,
piles, spars, etc. Two varities, red and
yellow nr, the former coarse-grained and
'onsidered less valuable than the fine
trained yellow fir.
peclnc gravity --..-----..-...-.-.-.-.. o.5l57
ssn .s-.-+.-. ;.-.-.-----....-.-.---..... Gus
Weight per cubic foot ...............s 81 l4lbs.
I'll LoNG-LEAvED PINE,
commonly known as pitch pine, Georgia
pine, yellow pine, etc.) found from South
east Virginia south to Cape Canaveral
and Tampa bay, Florida, and through the
gulf states TO Valley of the Red river,
Louisiana, rarely extending beyond l50
miles from the coast. Wood heavy, ex-
ceedingly hard and strong, tough, coarse
grained, compact, durable, very resinous,
resinous passages few; sap-wood nearly
white. Turpentine, pitch and resin man
ufactured in the United States almost ex-
clusively produced from this species.
specinc gravity ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 0.6999
ASH. -----.......---....- 10
Weight per cubic foot. .4S. g. lbs.
(3.) sHoRT-LEAvED PINE,
known as yellow pine), found from Staten
Island, n. Y, south to Chattahoochee re-
gion OF Western Florida, through Gulf
states to Tennessee and Eastern Texas.
and through Arkansas to Indian Territory,
Southeastern kansas and Southern Mis-
souri,. Wood varying greatly In quality
and amount of sap; heavy. hard, strong.
generally coarse-grained. compact, very
resinous, resin passages numerous, sap
wood nearly white. Deemed inferior only
to long-leaved pine.
Specific gravity. ..-.--....-.-....-.... VolV4
Weight per cubic foot .............. ss.O4 lbs.
~ WHITE PINE,
commonly known as Eastern pine) found
from New Foundland, northern shore Of
of Gulf Of st. Lawrence and valley of Win
nipeg, through Northern states to Penn
syivania, southerly shore of Lake Michi-
gan. and along the Allegheny mountains
TO Georgia. Wood light, soft, not strong,
very close. straight-grained. compact, cas-
ily worked, resin passages small, not nu-
OF Northern states.
Specific gravity. ...................-.-... o.sS54
Ash OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 0.19
Weight per cubic foot. .......,..-....-. 2Lo2lbs.
(5.) WHITE PINE,
sometimes known as cedar pine, or
spruce pins found from South Carolina to
Chattahoochee region of West Florida.
near the coast, and through the gulf
states to Louisiana Wood light, soft, not
strong, brittle, very coarse-grained, not
durable, resin passages few, sap-wood
nearly white.
SPECIFIC gravity. 1891
Weight per cubic foot ...............-2 "a 5Orbs.
81 BULL PINE,
found from SCOTS mountain, Cali
fornia, south along Sierra Nevada noun
tains to san Jacinto mountains. Wood
light hard strong, rather coarse-gralned,
compact, very resinous, conspicuous,
resin passages few, not large, sap-wood
pale yellow or nearly white. Manufac-
tured into coarse lumber.
Specific gravity ---.--.-....-..--,.....'.- q 20
Weight per cubic foot .................so II ms
ID YELLOW PINE
fsometimes called Arizona pinel, found in
Santa Rita and Santa Catalina mountains
and other ranges of Southern Arizona.
Wood light. soft, not strong, rather brittle,
resin passages numerous and large.
Specific gravity. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS o.5oss
Ash 49,. .-..- ..--+-.-..-.....-..--.-- w
Weight per cubic loot ................ 3l.4o lbs.
ts.) WHITE SPRUCE,
found on Cascade mountains, Washington
and Oregon: trees 50 TO 40 feet IN height,
and oJz to 1 feet in diameter. Wood very
light. soft, not strong, and very close,
stTaight-grained, compact, satiny, pale
yellow. resin passages few and minute,
sap-wood hardly distinguishable.
srscflc gravity. ............-.-....--... u544S
Ash ..@...-,--. -..---.--.s.--..s..-- o-aZ
Weight per cubic foot -...-,-..-...... A.49 lbs.
fo1 BLACK SPRUCE,
found in New Foundland, Pennsylvania,
Michigan. Wisconsin Minnesota, and
alone the Allegheny mountains TO North
CarhIina. Wood light. soft, not strong,
close. straight-grained, resin passages few,
color light red or nearly white, sap-wood
lighter.
Specific gravity. ..-....-.....'---'..''-. ossH
Ash " :. ~
(lo.) WHITE SPRUCE
found ia New Foupdland, coast of Maine,
Northeastern Vermont, Northern Mich
loan and Minnesota. Wood light, soft.
not strong, close, sfraight-grained, COM
nacf. resin passages few and minnie, color
Evht yellow, sap hardly DISTINGUISHING.
In commerce. lumber not distinguishable
from black spruce.
Specific gravity ........-......-........ so5i
Weight per cubic foot IS 3 lbs
ui.) Rid CEDAR,
found in Alaska and Coast ranges of
Western Washington territory and
Oregon; trees large, loo TO $50 feet in
height and 10 10 feet in diameter. Wood
very light, soft not strong, brittle,