The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1895-06-28
Our Lumber Invading the East.

tering of few drops of orders, within
a shorter time than We now think,
will be followed by heavy shower.
Only this week a Californian was in
this city with samples of redwood
siding and finishing lumber, which he
offered to lay down here at the follow
ing named prices: Quill clear, all red
heart beveled siding at $16a thousand;
sap clear siding at $13 a thousand;
siding 6 and s feet long, $40 or 5000
a thousand; clear l inch finishing
boards, $50 thousand; II, Il and 2
inch clear finishing lumber, 1856 a
thousand.
It will be seen that our California
friends have caught on to the great
scheme of selling lumber dog cheap,
which has been great promoter east
of the mountains. They have follow
ed in the wake of the Washington
Single weavers. The idea is to sell
at profit if you can, but sell any
way. How else can new commodity
gain foothold in an unwilling, I'M
friendly and obdurate market?
For years redwood had been waiting
for it's merits to be recognized in the
Northwestern and Eastern states at
$48 to $50 thousand. The trusting
redwood manufacturer believed that
the Eastern consumers and dealers
would at length come to their senses
and take hold of the California pro-
duct at prices which would pay freight
and leave profit to the manufacture
er. They believe that merit would
finally win out, and redwood would
sell freely east of the mountains at
prices equivalent to those of clear
white pine. But in this they have
been disappointed. They have seen
how the Southern yellow pine manu-
features have pushed their product
all over the country, invading there
with the very white pine centers of
Lake region. They have witnessed
the rapid spread of demand for Wash
ington cedar shingles from Bismarck
to Boston through the influence Of
low prices without reference to profit.
At last the redwood promoters Gin one
instance at lea y have adopted the
modern method of introduction and
promotion. They have offered siding
and clear finishing at such prices that
Eastern dealers will be almost asham-
ed to refuse to buy. This is a potent
measure. They will buy, and if the
scheme shall be pushed for all that is
in it, it will work, and that to large
degree.
Redwood siding is good stuff; good
enough for the most fastidious and ex-
acting; good enough for anybody. 1t
is clear, handsome and will not burn
to flame. It is a species of cedar
and will not rot during he lifetime of
an octo genarian. Anybody who would
refuse to buy such clapboards at $16 a
thousand would kick at siding at ST a
thousand. Think Of it, that price is
cheaper than white pine B, and
almost as cheap as c.. The clear sap,
good enough when painted, is cheaper
that G pine siding.
The finishing lumber, though cheap
er by $40 to So thousand than it
used to be, is still too costly for com
petition with clear cypress, and more
than third higher than yellow pine.
But it beats third clear white pine by
81 thousand. Probably the promo
tiers of redwood will conclude to meet
competition and sell their stuff low
enough to give it thoroughfare in
the eastern markets. So much for the
later developments in redwood promo
ton east of the mountains.
l Your Buffalo correspondent tells us
that in that market Washington
shingles are selling so cheaply that
they are serious menace to pine
shingles. They have already nearly
laid white pine on its back in the
Northwestern states.
In Buffalo, also, fir lumber, particu
larry siding, is making Roadway. The
dealers there object to this interloper.
but your correspondent says that it
has come to stay.
In several of the car factories east
OF the mountains fir is being used for
sills, sides and roofs. The Wells e.
French Company, in this city, has
purchased and is using over 1000, 900
feet of fir in refrigerator GAGS. It is
safe to say that fir as car building
material has likewise come to STAY.
So here it goes. The Pacific Coast
lumber promoters are an energetic.
pushing lot. They are bound to cram
the East with their product until it
shall be accepted and made to hold a
large place in the market. One of
these enterprising promoters recently
sold seventy-two car loads OF lumber
and SHINGLES hptwoor, S;o,v r:.