The record-union., 1893-10-20

spruce (or red fir which constitutes 80 to
80 per cent. of "sugar-pine milI'' pro-
duction. But there is only small area
Ofsugal- pine lands adjacent or convenient
to transportation. Around Sisson, on the
California and Oregon Railroad, IS an
active and successful district, also some
Localities along the Central Pacltc kall-
road, but they have been logged upon for
many years and begin to SHOW exhaus-
ton. The other principal bodies OF sugar
plue are only accessible by costly fumes,
or thirty to forty miles OF wagon haul,
the former eating up large sum annu-
ally Tor interest on the cost and to keep
repaired, while hauling thirty miles is a
perfect embargo upon marketing any but
the selected portions Of the cut, hence all
these producers must await better prices
or cheaper and more accessible trans
portation.
1t is very evident thst indiscriminate
production is and viii continue to be
ruinOus. The production of lumber is
not like cereal crops or any other annual
growth and the supply is by no means
unlimited. The years roll rapidly by and
wherever forests are being cut it takes
but short time to sec the terrible havoc
OF the woodsman's ak. The estimated
area of our redwood timber is 100000
acres. its yield is large, probably 10000
feet per acre is fair estimate Of stumpage
on the whole, but cutting 4,000,009 feet an
nually gives a supply OF only fifty years,
and in reality very much less time, as a
large portion will always be beyond
reach, and the cut-over forest will not re-
peat itself in much less than $50 years.
The area of Washington and Oregon
pine is very difficult to give even approx
imately. 1t is very much larger than the
redwood area, but its yield Will not aver
age over $4,000 feet per acre, taken as a
whole, and very large proportion OF the
ground will be inaccessib bic for all time.
The sugar and Yellow pine area Of the
Sierra Nevadas is smaller and much the
| largest portion OF it can only be reached
at very great expense. while probably a
great deal will never pay TO get out. The
area as given by Government maps and
reports on forestry are very misleading,
as they classify as pine timber" very
large territory upon which the growth
would never be regarded as fit for mill
ing. Besides, the yield of the desirable
timber viii not average over 1000 to
10000 feet per acre, of which fully 50 per
cent. is Douglas spruce red fir.
The present generation has seen the
great timber belts of Michigan. Wiscon-
sin and Minnesota stripped and sent to
market, but they have made most of the
men engaged in the business wealthy,
and capital and labor has been well re-
Warded. The same men are now looking
with keen eyes towards the timber OF
this coast, as the markets which they
have heretofore supplied are fast becom-
ing dependent upon our product. Puget
Sound has sharp railroad competition
which gives their trade an all-rail rate
Eastward that carries vast shipments OF
the better grades IN that direction, and,
especially shingles, have found very
large market in the Atlantic States.
But without rival routes from our State a
tariff has been made almost as cheap to
Missouri River points as Puget Sound
shippers get, and our leading firms admit
that heavy shipments can be made up OF
our own lumber whenever the conditions
Of trade and confidence in financial stand
ing will warrant them in accepting large
orders.
These are factors which stand much
more in the way than too high freights.
Australia must soon rally from the pre-
vailing depression in her colonies and
viii again be very large buyer, for she
has no other source of supply except the
Baltic ports, with which we can compete
both in quality and price, and a small
production of Cowric pine from New
Zealand. The superior character and
adaptability OF our lumber for all work
especially clear redwood and sugar pine
viii be sure to create a large demand
from Atlantic ports whenever ocean
freights are at usual prices, while Eng
land has only seen samples of these
woods as yet, but sufficient to attract
favorable attention and they will soon be
educated up to using them freely, as
they have several of our other coast pro-
ducts which innate prejudices made them
slow TO adopt.
As | said at the commencement, this
great industry is in its infancy so far as
widespread commerce is concerned, and
it is Il great shame to see it carried on
from year to year without proper re-
enumeration 10 those engaged in it. If a
fair legitimate profit cannot be secured
in any other way, those engaged in it
should unite in great trust as strong as
American sugar or Standard OIL or cot
ton-seed oil trusts, for though such
methods of controlling great staples are
unpopular with many and i'll theory are
severely denounced, yet practically they
have proved to be the only way of regu-
lating the supply to the requirements OF
trade, giving tair returns to both capital
and labor, and as they have been thus far
carried on they have brought no hard
ship to consumers. From the logger in
the woods who strikes the first blow at
the tree, to the carpenter and artisan who
puts the lumber to its final use, all will
derive a greater benefit by q systematic
regulation Of the production. The sup
ply is excessive for the present condition
Of trade, but every year reduces the area
of the forest, while it will require gener-
ations to renew them for commercial pur-
poses, and with the continued great reser-
vations being made by the Government
the entire area of supply is very mate
rally reduced.
With a proper restriction in the produc-
ton the common grades would command
better prices and could be sold in more
distant markets, and all the present un-
fortunate and unsatisfactory condition Of
trade would be corrected. We haven't
an acre of timber to spare. and properly
handled it is one Of the greatest resources
of wealth OF California, and should not be
dissipated and thrown away as is the case
at present. Ordinary trade combinations
have proved failures. Not one of them
ever was created without having ample
methods for one or another member to
avoid its regulations, and but one course
seems leit and that is to place each class
OF lumber in the hands of trustees to
judiciously regulate the supply to the de-
mand without Unduly enhancing prices
TO the consumer. K. II.
SAN FRANCISCO STOCK MARKET.
SAN FRANCISCO, October 10, 1898.