Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-03-05
OUT IN HIGHLAND.
PROSPECT OF A busy SEASON IN
BUILDING.
THE DEMAND FOR LUMBER.
Destruction Of Pine Timber by
Worms Necessitates the Use OF Oak
structiOn-PersOnaI Notes.
Worms Nee

MONTEREY, VA, March 4-SpeciaL)-
The prospect for a busy summer in the
erection Of new buildings has led to un-
usual activity among the lumbermen and
saw-mill men OF the county.
Messrs. Hugh Ryder and Jacob e.. Sim
mons have purchased a saw-mil from q
company near Deerfeld. Augusta county,
and are now operating It on Mr.. Ryder's
land three miles south Of Monterey. The
purchase Of this outfit was a result Of
the increasing demand for lumber. In
several instances, lumbermen nave 'l0g-
ged' their "%sets." but have as yet been
unable to contract Tor the saving. That
the lumber demand exceeds the supply is
net due 20 the fact that the former is
phenomenally large, but rather to our
entire dependence upon home enterprise
to meet the demands. being dpriyed, as IS
the case here, OF all means Of importing
lumber. either in It's rough or dressed
state.
The destruction Of the pine timber by
worms has necessitated the use Of oak
and chestnut as substitutes. and, while
these timbor5 are found IN great
abundance. the rapid inrOads madc-es-
p~ecially upon fine oak forests-for the
common purpose formerly subserved by
pine, IS much regretted by all who appre-
ciate ths value and beauty Of oak when
manufactured into furniture or utilized
In the hardwood finishes 50 common I'm the
construction OF buildings OK the present
IHA NaLF lass L. HI. UEaa AF HfHnLaH.A
lands IN the mountains counties border
ing on the line of the two Virginlas, It
is q Tact that OF the other two hard
woOds-Walnut and Wild cherry, still quite
valuable and pOpular~there IS but little
OF strictly flrst-class value, and that
can only be found in deep g0rge. and at
Inaccessible points. This is due. In some
measure. to the close culling IN recent
years by spectators, but In a much larger
measure to the shameful destruction Of
these valuable tlmbers during the early
years oil the present century. 40 later
han 1880, on the farm now owned BY
Squire John Trimblc. and within one mile
OF Monterey, scores Of large walnut trees
We're feiled. cut into convenient lengths.
rolled into "l~Og-heaps." and burned. Mr..
Joseph Jones. a. citizen of the town, has
"a bedstcad manufactured for him within
the last ten Years, the posts Of which
were made from rails taken from q fence
On the farm ABOVE referred 20, and many
more walnut rails can be seen IN these
old fences among the hills. In a good
state Of preservation. This wholesale de-
struction OF timber IS the subject OF
many vain regrets. and applies not only
10 walnut and cherry, but 20 white pine
also. Looking up and down the valley,
north and south OF Monterey, where may
now be seen most excellent meadow and
pasture lands, riyalllng In beauty and
productive value the famous Bluegrass
Valley OF CrabbOttOm, it ID almost in
credible TO hear our older Inhabitants
speak % the time, within their recollec-
ton. when laurel thickets skirted what
Is now Main street. and when numberless
springs. on either side Of the divide, which
form the very sources OF the PotO-
mae and James. were shaded by a dense
forest OF the most magnificent white pine
and other valuable timbers. Specimens
OF these timbeTs are occasionally found
at this day In the removal OF old barns
and log houses. and, In many cases. prove
to be OF such rare quality and so well
preserved that the logs are resawed into
framework for modern structures.
d. However justihable this wholesale de-
structlon may nave been. followed. as IL
has been. In the same century, by n ter
rlble blight, and the greed Of spectators,
the people are confronted ~ a problem
the gravity Of which is only fully realized
when a building boom strikes our town
and county. such as Is promised for the
season OF 1893.
William w. Waggoner. whose exploits
as a hunter were reported through the
Dispatch two weeks ago, has received