Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-08-28
GOOD PROSPECTS AHEAD.
American Lumber Meets Growing Demand
Abroad and Price Goes Up.

In the fiscal year of 1856 the exports
OF forestry products. of which lumber
was. of course. the chief item, amount
ed to $4,000. 0O0 In 1897, this had ris-
en- to, $4,000. 900, and from present in
dications the exports will exceed this
year $o0.0OO000. Lumber dealers every
where throughout the country, report
that the demand fer all grades Of lun-
Der Is greater than at any time in the
recent years. Yards are running night
and day with tw0 shifts of laborers
loading and unloading. Every sort Of
a seaworthy vessel THAT can be hired
or bought has been pressed into service
by lumbermen on the great lakes, and
ocean shipmentsG of lumber from
southern parts are enormous.
Railroad side tracks are run into all
the large lumber yards and these are
crowded with cars in process of load
ing. the demand for fiat freight cars
in the West and South severely taxing
the resources of the companies. Some
lumbermen. it is reported. are obliged
to hold back their orders on account Of
the present obstacles to prompt ship
ment.
The big demand for lumber is from
the country as well as city districts.
indicating that the farmer is reaping
his share of general prosperity. and is
again able to build new homes. barns
and granarics, to replace fences and
bridges and to generally improve his
property.
Exclusive of furniture the value Of
which is an inconsiderable item in
American export commerce, the chief
shipments OF American lumber are 10
England and Canada and of timber
sawed and hcwn. to England and Ger
many. Information has reached Wash
ington that the Canadian lumbermen
are urging the propricty of putting q
tax on lumber coming from the United
States into Canada. American logs
and lumber are now admitted free. on
the average 10000, 600 feet Of logs are
cut in Minnesota and Wisconsin every
year and are shipped to Winnipeg. The
lumbermen of western Ontaria ana
eastern British Columbia say that IN
der the Dingley law Canadian lumber
is taxed 81 per thousand feet upon en-
tering the United States ana they ask
the Dominion parliament to levy q
similar duty on American lumber en-
tering Canada. The exports Of cana
dian lumber To the United States dur
ing tn. fiscal year Of 1928 amounted
to nearly 10000. 900 including logs ana
pulp wood. Canada imported Ameri-
can lumber dncluding logS) last year
To the value Of about onc-quartcr AZ
much.
The chief cause however. of the en-
larged American lumprr market and NJ
the increased prices for American for
cstry products does not arts" from the
extensive trade batNcen this country
ana Canada. but from the increased 10
cal demand for American lumber for
building purposes There has been q
great boom in bulding operations
throughout the I-nitrn States during the
first six months III iS9a. as compared
with the first six months VI lH9S. The rate
of increase is fully % per cent The cit
les showing a large increase are New
York. cleveland. Kansas. Boston. New
Orleans and Toledo. Washington. Mil
waukee Chicago and Minneapolis
show a large but lesser proportion
of increase. and the only American cit
les which, to July.i, fen off in the
building record If year We're Phila-
delphia ana Louisville.
1t is estimated that 5000. 000 0o0 was
expended in building operations in
American cities in the first six months
of 1890, considerable item of such ex-
pensc being for Timber. The wood
row shipped from the South Atlantic
statcs-Nirginia. North Carolina. South
Carolina and GeoTgia-supplies many
American requirements in building
and finds, too. a ready sale abroad
Among commercial men. it is said
generally that iron excepted, lumber
is the best business barometer. Bridges.
trestles. cars and houses are built in
good times. With the Improvement Of
business there is an immediate de-
mand for lumber and it need be no
cause for surprise that the American
lumber market is booming.