Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-05-28
CORD-wOOD AND TIMBER BUSINESS
Revival of This Important Industry
in Eastern Virginia.

To the Editor of the Dispatch
The revival of dormant industries IS
patent throughout the length and breadth
of the State Of Virginia. For six or
eight years past certain businesses have
been conducted at a loss, and so great
were those delinquencies that these pur-
suits were almost abandoned. The re-
Nival Of one Of these businesses. after Il
lapse of several years-that OF the cord
wood industry of Eastern Virginia. >or
of that portion of the state lying be-
tween the James, York, and Rappahan-
mock riVcrs-is conspicuous example
The regions through which these
streams flow have beer noted from the
days Of the landing of Captain Newport
and the settlement of jamestown in 1901
for its magnificent forests. which abound
ed in timber of every description, that
excited the admiration of the early .eX-
plorers and adventures not less than
the wild game that infested their soil
tudes From the very beginning OF the
discovery of the Chesapeake Bay and its
tributaries the expectation Of ship-timber
commenced. and has continued even unto
this day. After the close Of the civil war
a new industry Sprang up upon all naVi-
gable streams-that OF chopplng cord
wood for northern markets, IL was soon
recognized that the coTd-WOOd of the
Virginia streams was Of such a superior
quality and so accessible to vessels Of
any draft. that these wood products
brought the highest prices and soon mo
nopOized the New York market.
So profitable became this cordwood-
chopping business that large fortunes
were soon accumulated. and agricultural
pursuits languished or were abandoned
in those sections, as the labor of the
country was thus mOnOpOlzed in the
prosecution of this business. SO tempting
became the business that the forests
were much depleted of their growth, and
the market became oVerstocked with
Cord-wood. Then came the great bust
ness depression. which has enthralled the
country for the past eight years, when,
for the want Of sale or market. cord
wood became a drug, and was either sold
AT a positive loss, or, as was done in
many cases, allowed TO rot in the woods
where il was corded. OF course, with
this condition of the business, cord-wOOd
chOpping and timber getting I'm Eastern
Virginia diminished, or rather pTact-
cally died However. the severity OF
hast winter caused an increased demand
for this class of fuel. and this, coupled
with a realization of the past wanton
destruction OF our forests, and the intro
duction of new appliances ,(stGves) for
the consumption of wood, has given an
impetus to the swOod-choppng industry
Of the James river and its tributaries
and every cord of wood now cut is sold
and buyers from the North are securing
the river courses for more wood Wooded
lands have thus greatly increased in
value. Wood dealers on James river are
now getting orders for wood from Cuba.
New YORK Baltimore, Philadelphia, and
Olher markets never heretofore com
peting Tor Virginia cOrd-wood. The price
Of wood has thus greatly increased. and
the wood chOppers-laborers- had
their pay increased to the highest price
PAID since the palmiest days of the trade.