The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1901-12-07
LUMBER WEALTH.
Editor Of American Lumberman
Says Michigan Leads all
Other States.

Other States.
j. E. Defebaugh, editor of the
American Lumberman, contributes
an interesting article on the past
and future of Michigan s lumber in
dustry.
"If the question were to be asked"
says Mr.. Defebaugh, what is or
was the greatest lumber state in
the union, someone without con-
sideration might say Maine, some
Pennsylvania, some Washington or
California, but after due consider
alton believe that all would unite
in saying Michigan. The estimated
round figure product for the forests
| of Michigan, from it's settlement un-
til now, has been 217, 1915, 900, 900
feet. The area of Michigan is 3d.
919 square miles, or 81, FOG, 900 acres.
This would indicate lumber pro-
duct for the entire state, consider
able areas of which were prairie
land when discovered with other
large areas but sparsely timbered,
of $3.50 feet an acre.
"Not only has this enormous
amount of timber been taken out of
Michigan but very heavy amount
OF timber still remains. 1t is quite
the fashion nowaday to speak of
Michigan as denuded state, but
today it probably carries more tim
ber than Georgia and some other
states which are considered factors
in the lumber supply Of the country.
| The hardwood resources of the state
which during the regnancy of white
pine were little considered, are
enormous and of wonderful value.
believe il entirely within the
bounds of safe conjecture to state
that the hardwood product OF the
state last year was not less that
| $50, 900, 900 feet, while more likely
it was q billion. In addition to the
hardwood is heavy and growing
hemlock product. This wood was
little valued as long as white pine
was found in large quantities and
when there was no limit to its pro-
duction except the capacity of the
mills. In 1900 the hemlock product
of the state was about 100000, 900
feet, making an aggregate in round
figures of about $4,000, 600, 900 feet
manufactured in the Wolverine
| state Of classes of timber that 20
years ago were hardly considered in.
estimating its forest wealth. We
find Michigan, then, "a state which,
ordinarily considered the victim Of
timber spoilation, still one Of the
heaviest producers in the country
and bidding fair to furnish in per-
petuity no small contribution to
the demands of the lumber trade.
Comparatively few people recog
nize the real importance of the hard
wood business as compared with
pine. The pine business brought
and still brings into the state an
immense amount 'of money, but it
can hardly be compared in this re-
spect with the hardwood trade. The
individual operators in pine make
more money, but as an employer of
labor, as the basis for diversified
industry and as staple support for
the industries and the people of
state, the hardwoods are it's super
ior. Take the course of the lumber
business throughout and this fact
can be seen.
Hardwood timber is more gener-
ally than pine distributed among
the people Of the state. Who're pine
was held in large blocks by mill OPP
orators, the hardwoods are all in
sorts of ownership, from the farmer
or settler with 160 acres up to the
big numbering companies with their
thousands. Logging is more expen
sive in hardwoods, due to the larger
number OF people required and the
more varied character OF the opera
tion. Again, the hardwood mills
are OF much smaller capacity than
| Continued on page eight