Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1900-10-25
Tn. t,ntsr.

The Columbia River and Oregon
Tim herman, published at Portland, this
state. in their October Issue has The
iollosing interesting article re'ative 10
sug pine and sugar pine industry:
"The growth oiihe sugar pine inter
ests ON the Pacific coast has, " the
last few years, been forging ahead. The
qualifications OF The sugar and yellow
pine industry on the Pacific coast eK-
tends from Grants Pass in Oregon to
Flagstaff in Arizona.
Sugar. pine has been used on the IA
cific coast for nearly fifty years and 1t Is
used for exactly the same purposes as
the white pine has been used in the
east. Doors can be found that have
been made for ,hirty-iye years and are
still in excellent condition and a. solid as
the day they we're placed in position.
Lumberman claim that it is better Tor
door work than The white pine, because
it does not shrink or swell. For these
same reasons ii has no equal for pattern
work, and its durability is unquestioned.
1t is also used extensively in California
by boat builders. 1t takes very fne
finish and is impervious TO the action OF
salt water. 1t has no equal for certain
purposes, such as doors, sash, cutting
tables, carvers, wash trays, bakers
troughs, and in fact any other uses
where soft lumber is needed that is
durable and will not shrink or swell.
1t does not have the same odor as the
white pine Of the east, ald for that
reason is better for any purposes where
provisions are kept than almost any
other wood. There is one peculiarity
about the sugar pine that is not seen in
the white pine, and that Is that sugar
pine shows an oceasional brown streak,
very small, which would look 10 the
man who is not acquainted with lumber
to be pitch streak. II is not, however,
bat is only a portion Of the grain and
contains ssechariue matter. These
streaks will not exude under any con
ditions, and therefore are in no wise
Objectionable.
Up to the present time the sugar pine
interests OF Oregon have been centered
in Josephine county, with Grants Pass
as the center. From one million 10
two million feet is about the extent oi
the sugar pine found accessible in
given radins, thus neccessltatiug its
manufacture with small portable mills.
The sugar pine lumber OF Oregon
| ranks with the highest grade OF pine
lumber in the United States and finds
ready market in the east ss well as on
the coast. Choice clear, No. sugar
pine is worth from SI5 to 5000 per NJ.
at the yards, and finds a market
as far east as Chicago and New
York. Shipments OF Nos. and 4 sugar
pine aIe made to points as far east as
Wisconsin and Iowa.
IN the Swede Basin in Josephine
county, there is j body Of sugar and
yellow pine which is estimated to con.
tain 100000, 900 feet The cost OF haul.
ing the lumber to Grants Pass, a dis
tance OF nearly fifty miles by wagon,
precludes manufacture OF this timber az
present. The builling OF a proposed
railroad TO the Illinois valley, where
very promising copper mines are being
developed. would reduce the wagon haul
to less than ten miles and allow this
timber to be profitably manufactured.
Grants Pass, as said before, is the
center OF the sugar and yellow pine
interests OF Oregon at present. The
Sugar Pine Door Il Lumber Company
have their heal offices, yard aud box
/ factory here. This concern carries a
stock OF 5000 00) ieet OF fir, sugar and
yellow pinr, in addition to operating the
largest shook mill in Oregon. This
company is at present handling the out.
put OF 10 mills. The lumber is cut in
the mountains aud hauled into town,
from distances varying from two to 20
miles. Williams Bros. & Kendall have
a we'll equipped sash aud door factory.
Their product is made from sugar piue
exclusively and finds ready market Ia
the Willamette valley and in California.
The following mills fnd an outlet for
their cut at Grants Pass: Nee Bros. &
Co., Williams, 5000; W. X. Nipper,
Grants Pass, 1900; John McAllister
Murphy. 10000; W. A. Haskins, Granls
Pass, 10000; W. P. x S. Bros, Selma,
two mills 50O)Oi De Almond & sons
Grants Pass, l5,000."