New-York tribune., 1901-12-15
MAINE LUMBER OUTLOOk .
THE CONDITIONS PROMISING FOR NEXT
YEAR. AFTER A VERY POOR SEASON
TBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUTE

/ Rangor Me Dec 1.-THE Penobscot river Is
now frozen for distance Of several nes 80 uo"
from Bangor and this port is closed 1or the
The weather has been unusually severe III TINS
-! +ba 4-s+ snow coming on November 13 and a
cecond heavy fall on December 2 The ternperd'ui {
has been near zero most of the time lor TN ~
past and on several occasions from ~ 10 "
grees below Lumber shipments were maze from
Rangor I'D to the very last day OF the open eea
son-December / All the mills are now cioseu' e@
cept the few which are saving ooA 'o, -
the manufacturers are figuring up the results " VI
ono of the most unsa tsfactory years in the history
of the industry.
last winter A good crop of logs was cut ana
the prospect seemed good for a busy season ol'
the river, but unexpected and unusual Pe's
Cured in driving the logs, so tnal Iol 'ii1 o -,
part of the season the manufacturers were e .I
entirely without logs else doing
business This lack of logs at time "hen iuii4i
" as in brisk demand at good prices "ds eA'p
atng but there no help Tor II, anu 50 ~
months passed with mills idle good part OF the
time and fine opportunities for money making ui-
improved. !, -. j..
The effect upon the industry OF the ueiaS III 'ii
arrival of the drives is told better IN nsures ta
in words. The Surveyor General OF the fot VI
Bangor which includes the whole OF feIloOsco'
County makes the following statement OF the
amount of lumber surveyed in the last tnlee a.
1899 1S1 1883 feet 1900, 2fS rect l'Vl
600 feet The actual survey from January u NJ
ven1ber 30 this year 115379,ol6 feet Inc De
oe,,har s,,rvev If is estimated, will be enough TO
make total the year of about Ho''oooVo iee'
which is the smallest survey in any year since
1876 The logs were cut, but many of them falied
n reach the mills in TO be sawed, else there
wouId have been a survey this year of about 15o'-
100000 feet.
The outlook for 1902 is promising Notwlthstano-
ing the rather unfavorabe weather condltonS log
ging operations are progressing StS ~ + ;r
most sections and large cut IS eNpeCtto- -; -
will be repetltlofl heAt Sli lilS
and summer the difficulties and delays IN drv, @
inr that were experienced this year. ana even
should the drives little late. there are on hana
i'm the boons and the mills over 3oUoocoo rect OF
this years logs with which to begin saving IN Ins
product. there should be a season oL aN'i'i'S anu
prosperity the Penobscot next year.
This year there were shipped ] Inqn b saIIest 20
number in many years. In 1900 the number OF car
aoes was 979 Freights have ruled low all the year
the prevailing rates having been 81 20 per tho0od
to Boston 50 g to ports in Long Island Sound
and g 80 to Nes-York. Even in the last few weeks
Of the season. when vessels are scarce ana the ne
summer. the New-York rate did not go over IS per
thousand, whereas in former years 1t mas been
IS 50 to 81 in the last few weeks or me season, SON
The foreign trade was light this year -FOUR car
goes of white birch spool bars were shipped 10
England and Scotland. representing value or $oS.-
l2S. and nine Cargoes of fruit box shookS were
sent TO Italy Sicily. valued at S9691 Had yes
sells been ohtainahe several cargoes or shookS
would have been shipped from Bangor TINS sea
son. As it is these CargoeS must be shipped THIS
winter from BuckspoTt. an open haroor eighteen
miles down the river.
The mills on the Machlas River nave c!osed 10, LOT
the winter. after hard season The output mas
been 100000 of long lumber. 32eOo9 lath and
100000 shingles. Owing to the largest dan on
the river beng partially carried away by freshet,
the mills were idle for considerable period this
wear The log supply short, also, weather con
ditions winter having been such that II was i'm
effort is being made get much larger supply OF
logs than usual