The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-07-17
MAINE SPRUCE GUM.
Getting Dear on Account Of Grow
Ing Scarebsy.
- -
Iaepsaes II Number % PuIp MiIIs Haa
Had the Eject % RedueinG
aAe suDply-1AAae
Of PFteaA -

The woods Of Maine yield more thar
one-half Of the five tons OF genuin,
spruce chewing gum consumed in thii
country every year. Though the cit,
factories turn out large quantities OF
artificial gum, made from bitumen
pitch and parafiine and favored with
many beguiling essences. aud sell their
products so cheaply that the poorest
citizen can aiforu to buy all the gum
he wants 20 chew. the clean, amber
tinted life-blood of the black spruce
tree is getting TO be an expensive lux.
ury, says the New York sun.
Before the pulp mills came 20 Maine
crystal pure gum was sold by the job
bers for from 40 TO co cents a pound
Most Of il was selected from newly
chopped trees by the mmbermen. The
advent of the pulp mills and the rapid
transportation of the cut timber bv
rail from the stump to the factory
brought about a change Of method
Old growth spruce timber. from which
the best quality of cum IS obtained. Is
now so rare that 80 acrive iumberman
will not secure ~re -lrn pound Of
gum in a winter.
The demand continuing constont
prices doubled in few years. ri,i1oI
birth 70 u new industry. which piresI
protiable employment to more than
200 men for month in every year. III
has taken about 20 years 70 complete
the evolution Of gum picking from 81
crude art TO science.
The men who engage IN the busi-l
ness have regular routes, which thew
travel for year after year. The terri-l
tory Is leased from the land owners.
Before coming down from a tree the
hunter makes deep horizontal gashesl
on the sunny side Of the trunk. form
ing the wounds from which pitch viii
exude during the summer and later
harden into gum for the next harvest.
Little gum OF last seasons ripeningl
has come 10 market. and the rates
charged are si.s0 to s. a pound. II
April, when the pickers come in With
their packs. the price will fall 70 St.25,
below which figure no gum will be
bought this year
II Is asserted that the habit Of gum
chewing gives one clear brain. and
that the ehewer can think quickly and
act wisely IN conducting the a,Iairs Of
life. More than two-thirds Of the gum
gathered in Maine is sold in Boston.
and most 81 this is reiailed TO local
a fact which may account
for the high intellectual condition OF
Boston.
Persons who visit the backwoodsI
towns Of Maine hear many stories
about enterprising citizens who have
sained sudden wealth by cornerinpl
he gum supply Ia 1856 Mr.. Brown.
! Boston druggist. went to Bangor toI
purchase lumber for a group of cot
aeea fe Was about rs phi iu near Cot I
age DiiE le sold spruce gum rs his'
.tore. buying 't from trc fabbrrr 81 anI
Feraee rate IF 50 pound. Finding
hat he could buy 10 in Bangor FOR so
cnts pound. De Purchased an he|
onid get visiting the camps "a order
@ secure as much asposs.blc.
~ aough nearly $50 tons. which he
aeitcd in Boxes ara stored away to
fait fhe opening cf the river IS that I
could be taken foan to BOSTON bv
oat lhe ire ias iate ia GOING ont 81 >
ar ant before 4
Nm .la price =
H eaHnl Ta madaI