Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-05-04

railroad Commissioners Hearing at
Rockiand, Monday, May S, 9 A. NJ.
Of Governor and Council, Monhay,
May Is, at 10 A. NJ.
Of Commissioners Of Pharmacy,
Wednesday,, June 8, at Bangor.
Pulp and paper making will flOuri {; l
in Maine for many years to come
Such is the opinion of Labor Commis-
stone: Matthews, as expressed to the
kennepcC Journal man the other day.
Mr.. Matthews does not say that there
is not possibility for the decline of
the business, as he frankly says that
the discovery of some substance other
Than spruce which will produce an
equally as good quality of pulp anu
raper at a less cost might have such
all effect upon the business. ToGay.
there is no create. indication of such
a substitute being found than here
was 10 years ago. therefore he Sc no
reason for anyone worrying owe re
possibility of Il decline in the ISL
ness-at least not at this tine
Many fear that the pulp hu inCs.
must ultimately come TO an ell D..
cause of lack of raw material ore
discussing the outlok for the trat II
pass this possibility by. or brl n it
| aside without consideration. I'll. il
is Il possibility must be adm. = L.
| though from present time conditi s.
growing knowledge of forestry and ~
probation of the value of the bruce in
| Maine it seems to be very "em)te
one.
| There was Il time in Ma ne. en- Il {,
| too not so many years ago, VIII n he
! timber land owners of Maine had II
| idea that the spruce supply was | :
limited and that there was no need 0
try and conserve it. IL the last i
years the cut has increased so grea =
in all parts of the State that they h G
come TO realize that wasteful meth, Is
will kill the goose which is laying tt ir
| golden eggs and a change has come
| Now, when land owner permits the
cutting of a township by an operator,
he stipulates i'll the lease just how
small a tree shall be cut; that is to say,
| the operator agrees not 10 cut tire
which will not show a cert in diameter
at L given numebr of foot. usually ~.
above the ground. In adj fition to this
many owners insist that the axe shall
be Kept off their lands and that all
trees snail be saved down, Instead Of
chopped. TITS last is coming TO be the
general rule, so that with the great in
crease in the cut there is not the same
increase in number of trees felled
which there would be uR-.e= the Old
conditions
Mr.. Matthews says it rrlst be re-
membered that the owne Of these
pulp mills have a create interest IN
conserving the spruce su )ly than is,
perhaps, generally accr' ilted them
They are not situated the slmc as were
Fthe tannery men. who, pr sious to the
tearly sos. built plants all liver Maine
THESE tanneries were che 2 plants and
We're built with the full k 10 Wedge that
so soon as the available la X was used
they were useless, as new bark could
not he obtained. With I men who
built the pulp mills it is { i fercnt. Thes
have invested fortunes i their plants
and unless they can be 7 ept runnina
for a great many years t. : Investment
may, though proving d Tying one III
present. ultimately prov improbable
Consequently the owners # theSe mills
must use every effort to conserve tn
> spruce supply. This they are doing, Il:
witnessed by the fact that both tn,
Great Northern Paper Co. and the III.
ternational Paper Co, the two concerns
which own the majority Of the pulp ant
paper mills of the State. keep crews Of
foresters at work during the summer
upon their lands for the purpose Of
|, getting every foot Of spr,ce it is pos
I oil IN nhfntt, ,.r1v -
the same tine not to endahger the III.
ture supply of raw nateras by cutting
q single tree which, is ton small.
Touching upon he great increase y
the cut of spruce in recent years and
the possibilities of dangerto the future
supply for pulp purposes, the commits
sioner says
Last year we made a careful inves-
Itigation. study I may say, Of the pull
and PAPER Industry. VIE found that
the present cut of sprtce for puIp pur-
poses is abort 800 900. 00I feet. This Is
in round MIN 'ers, tough we could
give exact fisua IS. butt u his time they
are not necesa y. NV Mr.. Ring, oul
State land age {. inhi last report
gives it as hfs opinio lat there may
Isafely be c, ov~ 00,OO0,COO feet
lof spruce eaci | use round
numbers, as I'll the purposes
as well as ext g Now Mr.
Rings estiHlat, made hap
: hazard. both ina nd by trusted
layents, and we ca I il as being
very accurate and 5ative. Tn st
, figures being CORE hows that we
ARE still well on fe side of the
danger point and lere is yet OPP
portunity for & Increase in the
c,t before il shat ,ached."
, With the preseS iand Tor paper
md the certainty the readers OF
newspapers and oiications viii
|, increase rather tt hninish In TIL.
, wears which are to -e. Mr.. Iatthews
Sces no cause for V. v as to a demand
i for the product ese Maine mills
!, And going furthe points out that
= every wear. aImos cry month sees
" now rsas to viii lp is being put
!, all of which is 10 the great
q Maine industry.
AIR Matthew'S not. however
tbinu mat the fl ill Sc any graz
!. increase in the OF mills IN TN
u ct,ta he is il l to the opinion