The Saint Paul globe., 1898-05-22
LUMBER OF The NORTHWEST
This Vast Region Furnishes Nearly One
Third OF the Nations Output

rather unfitly called 1.-THE King of
Woods"
The lakes NATURALLY, at first, received
the great bulk of the shipment Of this
lumber. Not only were their shores
heavily wooded, but so also were those
capable of floating logs. The towing
business of the lakes originated with
the lumber trade. When the railroads
began to take away the passenger
traffic of the lakes, a number Of ships,
thrown out of employment and for q
long time idle, were at length con-
verted into barges. At first tugs were
used, but about 1870 the cargo-bearing
propeller came into favor.
HANDLING LUMBER.
This lake traffic has not undergone
much change in the original simplicity
of it's methods. At first there was no
need of expeditions; now that the need
has come, conditions, basic in their i'm
portance, forbid any great outlay.
Lumber is handled in primitive way
on the docks, the power used being
manual labor. This handling, result
ing from the necessity OF transship-
ment, is an increasing handicap to
lake transportation of lumber The
rates for unloading vessels at Chicago
during 1887, per LOCO feet of pine lum-
her, were 20 cents for 1-inch lumber,
% cents cents for pinch lumber, and
24-cents for 3-Gnch lumber. Freight
rates from Duluth to Chicago during
this year were about $1.67 per thou
sand. In 1887 the rates were $3.15,
showing considerable reduction in
the decade, but, unfortunately, loading
and unloading charges have not de-
clined proportionately.
The principal lake ports for Western
lumber are Chicag go, Cleveland, Milwau-
kee, Buffalo, Tonawanda, Toledo and
Detroit. study OF the receipts at
these places shows the same signifi-
cant change. Year by year more lum-
Der is shipped by rail. Of course the
lake lumber traffic is still mammoth.
For instance, 917,212, 900 feet were re-
ceived in Chicago by lake in 1897. But
more than half as much, that is, 49,
36S,000 feet arrived by rail- While, go
ing back ten years, the ratio of rail
receipts to lake receipts was less than
a third. the former being 422, ,995, goo
feet, and the latter being ,427, ,795 feet
IN FAVOR OF THE RAILWAYS.
Many causes have combined to favor
the railways. The mills have gradual
ly been going further into the interior.
and the cost of shipping by rail and
water has exceeded that of the ALL
ioii convenience In ordering
has also aided, it being far easier for
retail dealer to order a carload Of
some particular grade than to buy the
cargo. Cars can be shunted onto
sidetracks, ana thus lumber delivered
at the very yardway; while the ne
cessity of trans shipment from the
waterways in the vast majority of
cases is too apparent to be argued
Winter service by rail is also on the
increase. as the retail trade in large
cities is increasing with the growth Of
population.
Besides, the mills have altered their
methods OF doing business. They are
now middle-men for themselves, sorting
the lumber and thus being able to iii
small and particular orders. Former
ly. all this sorting was done by whole
sale dealers, in the great lumber ports,
who bought in bulk. The shipments of
lumber from the Saginaw river show
this change. In 1887, 261, 900 900 feet
were shipped by rail- and 4S6. .285, 900
feet by water. In 1897, 379, ,000, 900 feet
were shipped by rail and S9,173,511 fest
by water.
The irterior mills, too, during a por-
ton Of the year, work on hard wood,