The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1900-01-26
Wasteful Washington Loggers.

the Hoquiam mill man, which rec ent-
~ appeared i'll the American Lumber
man, OF Chicago, aud furnishes s some.
thing to remind us that the careless
methods OF cutting timber by the lum-
herman of Western Washington, must
soon give way, and better judgment be
exercised by both producer and con-
sumner OF lumber:
when it is considered that the
present demand for the products of
Washington forests requires the cut
ting OF about eight tnwnships each
year the necessity for economy is ap-
parent and the fearful waste of our
forests that today exists becomes a
crime demanding attention and the
lumbermen should be held accounta-
ble. There is no way our lumber pa
pers could better serve the interests OF
the country and of the lumbermen
than to force upon their consideration
this one feature of our business.
"To illustrate that to which | refer
one needs but to visit any old chop.
ping. In many of these he will find
stumps ten, twelve Or even sixteen feet
IN height, containing the choicest part
OF the tree. He will also find tops $50
feet in length, often-times 80 to 30
inches IN diameter at the point where
the last log was removed and with
long stretches of fine timber between
limbs. He will find logs left in the
woods because of small amount of
rot In one end, and many trees left
standing that will become the prey of
the wind or fires that follow the cut
ting. yet those trees, although contain
ing some imperfection as shown by
concks or burills, contain thousands
of feet of excellent timber. He will
also find that all hemlOck has been
lett, because of the lack of proper ap-
piiances to take it to the mills, and
among the older cuttings dead cedar,
charred by each successive fire, but
still awaiting a coming demand that
shall call for the remnant. The ex-
travagance of the logger goes still
farther. Instead of leaving the young
trees to occupy the ground and become
a forest of future generations, he sell
dom is satisfied to abandon an old
chopplng without first firing it, there
by killing the young growth, destroy
ing all seed and hemlock, exposing to
the wind rejected fir, destroying the
soil and making of the old chopping
desert waste.
elf the lumberman of the coast
would notice the result of such ex-
travagance in the east it would hardly
seem possible they should continue
their present methods in the west.
The day has already arrived when our
lands should be logged by rail, connect
ing directly with the manufacturing
plants and all the products OF our tim
Der lands should be utilized. Trees
should be cut to the ground with the
tops as well as the trunks worked into
that is of value. Even the
roots furnish ship knees and the pltchy
butts yield tar and turpentine. The
bark Of the hcmlock should be valu-
able product. Our hemlock is beau
titul wood tor finish and an excellent
box material, without odor or taint;
brush and tops should be ground into
pulp.
off our forests could be handled in
such a way the yield would be twice
as much as it now is. That which is
destroyed by fire and wind after the
logger has finished his work, is more
than that which be takes to market as
a harvested crop. The lumbermen of
the coast should be called to account
for their handling of this inheritance.
It is trust for future generations,
subject to use-not abuse-of those
who are now destroying it.
ssConsumers as well as manufactur-
ers are responsible for this waste and
will suffer in consequence. Floors to
be carpeted are no better for being
vertical grain and tight sound knots
are no actual objection, yet all our
flooring is ordered "clear V. G." After
painting no one can tell whether car
siding is vertical grain or fiat and
there is no difference in strength or
durability, yet most car companies re-
quire all siding "clear v. G." One
half the bevel siding and rustic used
on our houses cuts to short lengths, as
does much of the flooring and finish,
yet the trade of the middle west will
have none of these, although the east
builds as well and covers with 4-foot
siding or clapboards.
'The public is educated to false
ideas Of "good" lumber. Strength,
durability and fitness to the purpose