Vashon Island news. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1907-19??, 1907-05-24
TIMBER INVENTORY
NATIONAL BOX MAKERS WANT TO
KNOW HOW Much.
Importance of Accurately De-
termining Kind and Quantity
Standing in this Country Urged
Upon Department of Agricul-
ture.

Washington, Nay l5.-The National
Association of Box Manufacturers, with
headquarters at Chicago, has forward
ed to the department of agriculture
and the director of thee ensusa resolu-
ton recently passed which urges the
importance of making an accurate de-
termination of the kind and quality
Of standing timber in this country.
With this end in view the associa-
lion will request congress to authorize
tie bureau of the census and the forest
service to incorporate his work in the
census of 1910.
A circular containing the resolution
and statement of facts on the timber
situation has just been sent out
broadcast by the association to its
members and commercial organiza-
tions throughout the United States
The manufacturers emphasize the point
that 1t is necessary to know how much
standing timber there is in the coun-
try and how long it will last at the
present rate of cutting
These questions are not only of much
interest to every person who reads a
book or newspaper, every person who
uses lumber in any form and all who
ship packages and receive them. The
estimates of the standing timber in
this country are at the present based
on the census of 1880 and 1900, and
they are not considered sufficient
either by foresters or lum bermen.
Stop Guessing and Be Exact
''Is it not time something was
done?" say the manufacturers in their
request for an accurate determination
of the amount of standing timber.
Like all good business men should
we not know first where we stand?
Let us stop guessing and estimating
and know the exact amount Of stand,
ing forest timber in this country. The
time to do this is in 1910, when the
next official censua is taken. It is an
immense piece Of work, but perfectly
practical. The machinery tor it al
ready exists in the bureau of the cen
sus and in the forest service. To au-
thorize these bureaus to dc the work
is all that is necessary.
"The census of 1880 contained an es-
innate of the timber stumpage of the
United States at s5s, 200, 100, 600 feet.
Since 1880 the actual cut of timber,
as shown by available statistics, has
exceeded 100000, 100000 feet. At
that rate, the entire supply of the
United States, which is being cut at
the rate of more than 10000, 90, 900
feet year, will be exhausted in FIVE
years. This we know is impossible.
1.-The census Of 1900 gave an esti-
mate of one trillion three hundred
ninety billion feet. Other estimates
have also been made showing the
standing timber at the present time,
but ell of them are guesswork. 1t is
we'll known that there has been an
advance in the price of lumber of
about 100 per cent in the last eight
years, and this advance is based on
the increased scarcity of lumber and
the increased cost of carrying it to the
central markets. because the standing
supply is so far therefrom.
"Our greatest source of supply is
now on the Pacific coast. An estimate
of this supply made two years ago
shows 700. COS, Oso,O0O feet. If the
annual lumber cut Of the United
States should he taken from this sup
ply exclusively, it wonld be depleted in
twenty years at the present rate of
cutting. The national bureau of
statietics says: Practically the whole
world is asking for American wood
J and its products. The forest service
of the United States declares that the
timber of the United States is being
cut three times as fast as it is grow
ing"