The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-03-09
\ THE PINE OUTPUT
John Harker Writes on North
Carolina Pine.
A Steady Increase in IFS Consumption in The Past
Ten or Twelve Years. Output Now
t,OOO,OOO,OO0 Feet.

John Harker, of Wiley, Harker & Co,
| No. As Broadway, has written for the
| New York Commercial the following ar
ticle on North Carolina pine:
| New York, March 5.-There has been
a steady increase in the consumption of
| North Carolina pine in the past ten or
twelve years. The kiln-dried output is
now about S0O,OOOOOO feet annually
| About 100000, 900 feet of air dried lumber
| is also used. so that altogether about
| 1000, 600, 900 feet of this kind of pine are
distributed each year. Prior to 1885 little
| or none of the pine was kiln dried, as the
manufactures in the South did not have
sufficient facilities. With the introduce
| ton of dry kilns the product was forced
more and more to the front as cheap
and desirable wood, especially adapted
! for interior building and box purposes.
While it is harder than the ordinary
white pine it is soft enough to be worked
easily.
THE SHIPPING POINTS.
The principal shipping points are Nor
| folk, Va. and tributaries into that city;
| Wilmington in North Carolina. The
largest distributing fields are New York,
Pennsylvania and the New England
States, but there is also a lively demand
from every other part of the country.
Prices for number of years show how
firmly this lumber has maintained it's
hold. In 1887 it commanded fair figures
and this continued the case until 1898,
! 10
every other community, it shared in the
general depression. Early in 1899 prices
/ began to soar and they touched the high
| water mark in December of that year.
There was an average increase of 81 to
/ IS per thousand feet In the next spring
there was a lull and prices receded about
! 81 per thousand A reaction in the fall
of 1900 advanced prices 81. In 1901 the
! scale was satisfactory, the average high
standard of two years before being main
! tanned
Unusua' activity marks the opening of
| the present season. New lists of prices
were adopted on January 16 by the North
Carolina Pine Association at Norfolk.
| This has proved a wise move, the sched-
ule being fully maintained. In fact, all
| the manufacturers have orders ahead
that will keep them busy at least until
| May. The situation was never stronger
and the demand never more healthy.
Sales are now being made at as high
prices as North carolina pine ever
! brought.
CONTROLLED BY FEW.
Timber holdings of North Carolina
pine, all in that State and Virginia, are
| in few hands. The largest holders are
the Atlantic Coast Lumber Company, of
Georgetown, S. c., which has about 1 ,000-
100000 feet of standing timber; the Camp
Manufacturing Company, of Franklin,
Va, with estimated holdings of 100000
600 feet, the Surrey Lumber Company, of
Baltimore, upwards of 100000, 900 feet;
the Cape Fear Lumber Company, of
which Wiley. Harker & Co. are exclusive
selling agents, having large mills at Will
mngtOn. N c., upwards of 500, 000, 900
feet. These four concerns, with a few
others of less magnitude, control at least
so per cent of the entire product. Figur-
ing the total holdings and the annual out
put it is clear that in a short time this
virgin timber will become scarce.
1t may be remembered that two years
ago Charles r. Flint, August Belmont
and others tried to consolidate the lum-
Der companies. While their efforts were
not successful there is a prospect of an
agreement being reached among the
large holders, with a view to advancing
the trade in this lumber to- a higher plane
than at present, for there are a number
of ways in which profits may be increased
reasonably by united action.
SUPPLY MAY BE EXHAUSTED.
Today North Carolina pine is the cheap
est wood in the market available for the
purposes for which it is used. Ten years
from now there will be little of it unless
steps are taken at once to stop waste,
especially the cutting of young trees by
small companies; also something could be
done in planting
Taking into account the growing scar
city of white pine and the fact that our
lumber. is now being used in it's place to
great extent, the importance OF dong
everything possible for the North Caro-
lima pine is unquestionable. The South
ern factories are now equipped with the
best modern appliances and turn out the
lumber in a workmanlike manner, so that
it. comes North ready for instant use.
Labor being cheaper in the South, 1t Is
generally found desirable for consumers
to order the dressed lumber. but there Is
also some demand for undressed grades
which are made into lumber in Northern
planning mills and factories.
JOHN HARKER.