Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-06-21
pAssrNaor rnE NArNur.
This Fine Timber is Being Very Rapidly
Destroyed. 49,


This Fine Timber is Being Very Rapidly
Destroyed.
Chicago Inter Ocean.
There was something pathetic in a
ceremony at Wabash, Ind, the other
day. The last lot of understandable
walnut lumber in Wabash county was
brought to the olty 10 a procession of
q wagons loaded with the large logs.
The procession passed through the bust
ness portion Of the city slowly, like a
funeral proeession--as 1t was. To the
older residents the words, 1.-THE last of
the black walnut" must have seemed
almolt beyond belief. To the people
who lived in what were the timber
States of 40 and so years ago the SEN
tence must have strange sound.
When the pioneers came to Ohio and
Indiana they found walnut trees in
great abundance, trees large and SYM
metrical, giving lumber product that
/ was easily handled. In the earlier years,
when clearings were made In the forest
and trees were cut down anil burned in
great heaps, millions of rails were made
of the black walnut These were light,
and they had lasting qualities, that
made them farcrites with the farmets.
At that time the walnut was not a
favorite among lumber dealers or furni-
| ture manufacturers. With thousands OF
| the finest trees in the world standing
almost in their door yards, the farmers
CT that day had little or no walnut
furniture in their houses.
| Thirty or forty years ago, however,
| there came a fashion of black walnut in
house furnishing aud finishing, and for
! use in desks, tables and chairs, This
was mainly due to the discovery that
walnut admitted of fine polish; that
| it turned itself we'll to decorative pur.
poses, and that IL held it's color as
we'll as it's finish. The fashion extended
| the country over, and there was an un-
precedented demand for walnut timber.
Groups and groves of the majestic trees
that had been reserved we're cut down
to supply the demand. Inroada were
made into the pristine forests to find
walnut trees. Even the fence rails that
had been regarded indifferently, for
years, became valuable, and millions
| of them were purchased or stolen and
4 turned into articles of furniture, be-
cause the dealers had discoy cred that
| the best walnut of the country had
gone into fence rails. ME IA
The fashion continued until the
4 Supply Vi Wdluub luhbof III tu6 oultbt
States was virtually exhausted. In the
census OF 1890 walnut was not men
toned among the commercial varieties
OF lumber 10 the Eastern States. and
was not catalogGed IN any of the lake
grour OF States, while ash, beech, birch.
maple, cedar, elm, hemock, oak, white
pine and Norway pine we're given
prominent places. In the central group
OF States, taking In Ohio, Indiana,
Illinois, West Virginia, Kentucky,
Tennessee and Missouri, ash, beech,
cherry, chestnut, cottonwood, cypress,
elm, hickory, maple, oak, pine, poplar
and sycamore we've catalogued as OF
commercial Importance, while walnut
was entirely limited. In the Southern
group walnut appeared OF commercial
valuA only in one State-Arkaneus In
the Pacific group il was not mentioned.
4 These reports show that rs early as 1890
the walnut supply of the country had
been SO nearly exhausted as to make
the wood which had been common Be
years before rare article of commerce.
Ten years ago there were in the
Wabash country examples of fine old
walnut groves. In some of the interior
countries of Ohio great trees were stand.
ing as late as 1896, but such prio
we're offered for these that in most
cases the owners yielded and turned
their walnut trees into gold, 1t was
supposed when walnut furpiture ceased
to be fashionable that the demand for
walnut lumber would decrease. As a
matter OF fact, the demand has con.
tinued because, iii Europe the call fol
walnut furnishings and furniture has
not subsidized. Within the last two oil
three years agents have gone about the
country looking. for walnut trees OIL
have prowled about country sawmills
looking for walnut logs, and in interior
lumber piles for walnut plaiks. II
| The ceremony at Wabash, Ind, would
have baen equally appropriate In
Pennsylvania. New ork or Ohio. In
all OF them the PEOPLE and the dealers
have seen almost the last Of the BLACK
walnut. Fortunately, the tree is Of
rapid growth, and within tine last II
years many walnut groves have beer
planted. These are for the people 10t
ears in the future. But they will never
be to any generation what the blac
walnut was to the people of 80 or Al
years ago. s w