Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1898-02-17
OAK WOOD GETTING SCARCE.
The Danger Of Using Up the Visible
Supply.

No one who Is at all familiar with
existing conditions in the lumber
trade can fail to note that there is
already considerable complaint Of
dearth of desirable oak. Both in quar-
tered and plain stock fairly good lots
of dry oak are notably scarce. The
leading jobbbers have had their buyers
out for months picking up anything
good they could find, and the result
is that very large proportion of the
oak on sticks has already passed into
second hands and is held by the pres
ent owners for distribution to consum-
ers. Mill men in the South are cut
ting 1t all the time, but they do not
have to wait until 1t is dry, or even
partly dry. before selling. II they
choose to do so they can usually nego-
tiate for it In advance of the saving
and on terms that a few years ago
would have been regarded as extreme
>ly liberal. Oak is, perhaps. the most
readily salable of any saw mill pro-
duct, which fact indicates that 1t is
now, and is believed likely to be here
after, relatively a scarce article. >
While there is no occasion for alarm
as to the present adequacy of the oak
supply, 1t is question If the time
has not come when serious considera,
ton should be given to the possibility,
not to say probability, that in the not
distant future oak may become one
or the scarce woods. Considering the
uyid Aictr hut nf
strike many lumber men as a remote
contingency, but that it is not an i'm
possible result, or so distant in point
of time as to be removed from present
consideration, is suggested at least by
the existing conditions of demand and
supply. Oak has been called for stead
lily during most of the hard times pc
riod. The consumption has been large
and has even increased, while that OF
other woods has fallen below the nor
NAL quantity. This shows an increas-
ing popularity and a growing require
ment which, 1t is obvious, must be
met from the constantly lessening
supply. The growth of oak is too slow
to count much in adding to our stock.
Practically we are restricted for sup
plies to the wood already grown and
ready for the saw. That there Is Of
this no inexhaustible stock is readily
proved by the difficulty which has in
creased rapidly within the last five or
ten years, of buying the standing tim
Der in punches large enough to make
them the basis of numbering opera
tions. If oak cannot be bought in
quantities now, there is no reason to
suppose that it is ever going to be
more plentiful. If it cannot be found
now, it never can be, and within
comparatively short time the lumber
trade and the users of oak must face
the fact that it does not exist in suffi-
cient quantity to warrant the liberal
and even wasteful use that is now
made of it,
1t is the conviction of those who
have made the closest study of oak
that it's present market value is based
upon an incorrect idea of what is left
and that we shall wake up some morn
ing to find that we have sold almost
for song the most valuable of our
timber possessions. Oak, except In the
finer grades of quartered stock, Is still
a cheap wood. Is it not too cheap for
4 variety that is in universal demand
and in only limited supply?-St. Louis
Lumberman.