The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1896-03-06

Sew Uses for Northwestern Timber.

The value of our forests and the i'm
portance Of preserving them has been
preached to an unappreciative audi
4 ence for twenty years, but at the very
moment when the wooded areas of the
country are on the point of complete
extinction, a series of inventions and
discoveries disclose to us the folly of
wasting our natural resources. Fol
lowing the discovery that paper can
be made out of wood pulp, comes the
later discovery that the same material
can be manufactured into vases, tiles,
cornices, f:iezes, dadoes, interior dec
Orations, holfow-ware and many other
household articles of an ornamental
and useful nature
The leading qualities of the wood
pulp show the superior value of this
material for interior decoration. When
chemically prepared the articles are
waterproof and unaffected by acids or
oils. There is no grain to the wood,
and small ornamental mould can be
nailed to the wall or ceiling without
danger of splitting. When trimmed
and finished off the pulp offers the
best surface possible for painting and
decorating. An eastern authority says
that by new chemical processes the
pulp can be given perfect china
finish, with a fine glazed surface and a
ceramic or Japanese enamel finish.
1t is also very susceptible to stains, and
perfect limitations of oak, walnut,
maple or cherry are easily and cheap
ly obtained. In all charac teristics the
new ware rivals earthenware, pottery
and china, without their liability to
breakage A handsome vase or toilet
article made of prepared wood pulp
can be dropped from the mantle with
impunity by the careless servant girl,
and it will neither chip, crack nor
break. Ordinary usage has no effect up
on the fine surface finish and orna-
ments, and they will endure service
much longer than most other mater
ials without losing their attractive ap-
pearance.
The limits to the new art are indefi-
mite and hard to explain. 1t has al
ready promised and fulfilled great
things in interior decoration, but it's
application to the exterior part of
houses may change modern architect
ure to such degree that present styles
will become antiquated. Instead of
building houses with siding boards
and shingles, large sheets or panels of
wood pulpware may be employed, Civ
ing smoother and more enduring fin
ish TO the whole building. The outside
work has already been i'm
proved upon by the wood pulp mould
ings and cornices. With the chemical
ly hardened fiber and glazed surface,
the outside sheets would be impervious
to water without the addition of paint,
and they would be far more enduring.
The saving in waste would also be an
item. The heart OF tree alone yields
fine siding-boards, and the loss from !
trimming is considerable. Nearly all ,
parts of spruce and poplar trees are ,
used to make pulp, and one cord of i
either, it is learned from our authority, ,
will yield about one ton of dry pulp. t
Even the branches and knotty limbs q
ire used to make an inferior grade of i
wood fiber. I
1t is plainly seen that the new in S
lustry reaches out in many directions
md promises great future develop |
1t means much for every north 1"
Western state where spruce and poplar I
lbound. The preservation of such for f
,sts will no longer be advocated simply a
or aesthetic reasons, or for sanitary e
purposes. The utilitarlan value Of a
heir existence will be considered.
they will, in fact, be preserved as are
he spruce forests of Germany, and +
hey will be worked so as to yield an
abundance of raw material and yet re-
,roduce their species in abundance
Northwest Magazine.