Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1907-08-17
THE Tlr1BER SUPPLY.

The supply of available timber of the Uni
scarcity is such as to awaken public sentiment
in support of every curative measure whether
it be demonstration the system of forest re-
serves naugerated by President Roosevelt. At
a recent meeting OF the Pacific Coast Lumber
manufactures association, Robert L. McCor-
mick, secretary Of the Weyerhauser Timber
company, read paper that attracted much at
tention owing to the fact that statistics were
given showing the available supply of timber in
the United States and the rapid increase there
has been in the consumption of lumber. Ex-
crepts from the paper follow
every man i'll the lumber business today
whose dealings are of sufficient extent to be
subject to influences beyond those OF purely local
demand and supply, realizes that the lumber
industry is in many regions confronted by a
growing scarcity of available timber. Stats
tics point to it. Estimates of timber resources
still remaining point to it also. But the strong
est proof lies in the conditions which already
effect industry.
The lake states of Michigan, Wisconsin
and Minnesota had an original growth of
probably 100000 100000 feet LAUNDERING in these
states began in the early thirties, but did not
assume much Importance until forty years lat
er. In 1873 the cut in that district had only
reached 4OOOOOO,OOO feet. Twenty years later
the cut was at it's maximum, 85OO,OOO,OOO feet.
Last year 1906 the volume of cut had dwindled
to about 3OOOOOO,OO0 feet. From maximum
of eight and one half billion feet in 1892, last
year, 1906, under the stimulus of demand
greater than ever before, the lake states cut
was reduced to one-third of that of 1892. There
is probably standing timber there now not to
exceed twenty billion feet.
"The southern states have had various est-
mates of their standing yellow timber. The
most reliable indicate original stand of $780,
OOO,OOOOOO feet. Prior to 1880 southern yellow
pine was not commercial factor, since then
the aggregate cut has been about 15OOOO,0OO,OO0
feet; there may be 2OOOOO,OOO,OOO feet still
standing in seven southern states.
"The rocky mountain district has not to ex-
mand for the mines, the cities and the ranches.
Without any increased consumption ten years
wo;.ld be the limit supply from all the area !
have mentioned, and if there was not another
timber area west of the Rockies. the United
States would face lumber famine.
1--WE have on the coast today the tim Der
supply of the world. None of us here present
will live to see it cut down. Improved methods
of handling the product in the forest, the
stream, by rail, in the sawm1ls, and economies
and saving features introduced will utilize the
raw material Closer that waste will become
minimum as the value of raw material increas-
es.
within ten years all standing timber east
of the Rocky mountains will be needed for To-
cal use. Within forty years the stand of timber
on the Pacific slope will be in the same class,
and there are no new fields of virgin timber in
North America. Timber can be renewed to
twenty-four inches in diameter within thirty or
forty years, only in the congenal climates of
of the south and the Pacific coost. Individuals
cannot live long enough to benefit from re-for-
esting. Taxes would probably preclude corpo-
rate non-interest paying investment. The
state or federal government will be compelled
to assume this responsibility. After 1912 the
Pacific coast states will be the only region that
can produce lumber supply in excess of local
demand"