The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-02
MONEY IN SHINGLES.
The Sound Country Can Get
88,00O,00O Worth of Trade.
PINE AND CYPRESS NOT IN IT.
Manager Shelby, OF the Great Northern,
Tells the Result Of His Inquiry
Low Rates ON the Lakes.

II has frequently been stated by shingie man.
ufacturers on the Sound that their business was
ia danger OF being overdone, as they said that
TIE rapidly increasing number OF mills would
soon produce more shingles than the country
could consume This sort OF talk set p p.
Shelby 70 thinking on the subject and 20 in
vcstgete Il soon after he came here 10 take the
management of the Great Northern coast lines.
For the last three months he has been In CORE
spondence with the editors OF lumber papers at
Chicago and Minneapolis and the dealers at 81.
Paul, Omaha. st. Louis. Kansas City aud other
leading cities OF the Middle states. with a view
10 sscertainiDg the annual production oil
shingles in the several distinct lumber sections,
the relative prices and merits of the different
kinds, ana the extent OF the market for Wash
tpgton cedar shingles.
The result of Mr Shelby's inquiries IN 10 ef-
fectually dispel any fear that there will be any
overproduction OF shingles in Washington for
years to come with any increase in the output
which seems at present probable; in tact, the
demand for Washington cedar is increasing
much faster than the supply. rapidly as the ias-
ter hes grown. Mr. Shelby yesterday gave the
results OF MS inquiry to a Posr-ISTeLLIGEScER
reporter in tho following terms:
Though the statistics OF shingle production
TO be included in the eleventh census have not
yet been complied IL is estimated at over 9009,-
reached BE- the Washington manufacturers,
which includes all of the territory north of the
parallel OF sI Louis from tho Atlantic to the
Pacific coast. Allowing los, 900 to the load,
this Is 600 CIR loads year, and at the rate OF
30 working days 10 the year, 40 car loads day.
"Ihere is no reason why Washington should
not produce half OF this quantity, or 10 car
loads day. This wonid mean 900 a day or
IS, 100000 year which would be poured into
the section in payment for the shingle product
alone. W. j. Judson, editor of the Northwestern
LnnlberD,dB, OF Chicago, says that tho Western
cedar shInge is increasing in favor wonder
fully fast aud in mis- opinion the Eastern shin
giles came. compare with IL. He THINKS that not
one-6fth CT the markets have been reached where
these shingles can be handled. J. \. Mind,
editor OF the Mississippi Valley Lunabermda,
writes me that in the opinion OF the lumbermen
In his locality there will be material increase
III the production OF white pine shingles from
this out and that IL is not impossible that there
may be steady decrease.
"fhe other great single producing section is
the cypress district OF the South. Que of the
largest iobbers in this line in Chicago writes,
however, that within the last two years the
millmen in the cypress district have been max
ing less shingles and more lumber, the latter
being more profitable 10 them. lie roughly csti
mates the cypress shingie output OF the South at
1,2oe. 000,0 900 to 800, 90, 900.
"with the exception of some scattering mills
In Maine, New York, Virginia and North aud
South Carolina, there is no other shingic pro-
duction in the country besides the white pine,
the cypress and tho cedar. The white pine Ia
dropping behind and the cypress is increasing
slowly in production, leaving gap for the cedar
TO fill.
"a comparison of the three kinds shows that
cedar could win on its merits in the face OF
strong competition, which, under the circum-
stances have described IL will not have to
meet. The lifo OF pine shingles is very short,
because OF late years they have been working
up poor stuff into shingles. f. +. Hooper, Sec
rotary of the Lumbermen's Assoc iation, OF Chi
caso. states that the average life OF a shinge is
from ten TO fifteen years and that the cedar
shingles will outiast the cypress, although the
latter Will stlonger than the pine. Cedar also
has the advantage In tho matter of weight as a
thousand cedar shingles weigh about half as
much as the same number of cypress. The con-
sequence Is that q iobber in cypress writes:
The cypress shingles do not find favor in the
North. In Southern Iowa, where they are laid
down for pricc less than the cedar shingles,
they do not meet with favor. and there has been
no increase III their consumption in
that territory or course their weight
IL against them in shipment over long
distances, and, as they cannot be made any
cheaper than the cedar shingle, the difference
between the rates tho cedar producers have to
pay uiiu tbut NhiVh tuc ~ press producers pay
TO go as far north as Iowa is all in favor of the
cedar, taking the weight into consideration
''ln order to aid in the Introduction of WASH
fngton shingles in the East, the Northern
steamship line has made rate of 10 cents
per 100 pounds from West Superior to
Buffalo. The rail rate from the Pacific
coast to West Superior is 55 cents. 30
that the through rate by this route will be IS
cents, Ms compared with ~ cents, the through
ail-rail rate These ships can each carry a deck
load of about fty cars of shingles in addition TO
the cargo OF wheat and -four in their hold At
these rates cedar shingles can be laid down in
New York state nearly rs cheap ~ pine and will
command higher price. The average price of
extra shingles at Minneapolis is: Cedar.
$.75: pine, s,25; cypress, s270 SO that
cedar has the call in the market over both
cypress and pine. At present prices and
frcishts To Buffalo a man III New York state can
buy enough cedar shingles for $40 10 shngle a
good-sized house. II he could get pine for
nothing, IL would not pay him to buy them be-
cause they would rot ont and it would
cost HIM more than $40 Tor labor alone to re-
shingle his house. shingles are also being ex.
tensively used for siding, aud are very well
suited ior the purpose, both from the point of
view of appearance anu durability
"What Is the cost OF manufacturing cedar
shingies?'
"lhe manufacturers know; we know that
they make very good profit with little or no
risk. and we are glad TO them do so. In fact
know of no business that men with moderate
means will engage IN that wall brug any better