The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1907-10-31
GREAT LUMBER INDUSTRY
Grows to Immense Proportions
in q Few Years.

Occur d'Alene and North Idaho, will
cut this year, according to advices to
hand, from 1850, 900, 900 to 800,
900, 900 feet of lumber, having q
commercial value Of eli, 900, 900,
aud it is estimated that from 80 TO
As per cent OF the manufactured pro
duct will be marketed in local
territory. The lumber is chiefly
white, western and red pines and
larch and a sprinkling OF other
woods. The mills turning out this
product range in capacity from TO-
900 to $50, 900 feet day, the larR-
est being at the edge of the Palouss
wheat belt, south OF Spokane, and
in close proximity to what Is declared
to be the largest stand Of white pine
left on the continent. These mills
and camps give employment to be-
tween SO, 900 and $1,000 men at
wages averaging s3. so day.
When IL is considered that the
lumber industry In the Spokane
country has been brought to lie pres
ent development in a little more
than 20 years, its Importance becomes
apparent. In the early days there
were several small circular sawmills
and up and down plants operated by
portable tteam engines and water
power to supply the immediate needs.
These mills cut from 10000 TO l5,-
900 feet Of lumber a day. No reC-
ord was made of the output, but from
this small beginning there sprung up
an industry which holds an important
place in the Inland Empire of the
Pacific Northwest, with modern mills
scattered in practically every timber
district in eastern Washington, north
ern Idaho, western Montana, north
eastern Oregon and southeastern Brit
ish Columbia.
Passing over the period between
1897 and 1908 for the reason nothing
in the way of statistics is available to
show the output with any degree Of
accuracy it is noted that numerous
circular and band sawmills, ranging
in daily capacity from 10000 to
100, 900 feet we're installed, and 1t
was from that time the records date.
These figures show that in 1908 the
combined output Of the mills was
159, 946, 213 feet, Of which 46 IL per
cent was marketed In local territory.
The following year there was an in
Grease in production, shown at 229,
$50, SAC feet, as per cent of which
found local market, and in 1905 the
mile marketed 40 "a per cent Of
production of GA, 553. 446 feet while
last year 40 IL per cent of the cut Of
967, 729, 900 feet was sold In home
territory. The total value of she
product in 1906 was placed a s15,-
600, 900.
The lumber products are shipped
by rail to various parts OF the United
States. some of II going to the At
lantic seaboard, while the bulk IL
delivered to the central northern
states. The heaviest shipments are
to the territory west OF the Missouri
river, but q fair per centags Of the
higher grades OF lumber lie sent to
the eastern states. To transport this
yearly output requires the use Cf
more than 60, cars, or 5000
trains of 20 cars each, or a single
train reaching more than 400 miles
In addition to the sawmills there are
box aotories and plants for the man.
ufaCture of lath and shingles and
sash and door stock, the last named
being marketed largely in eastern
territory. The product used in max
ing the stock lie what is known as
t western pine, the characteristics OF
, which make It the most valuable wood
: existing in large quantities for that
purpose.
Experts declare that the white
pine timber in this country IL idea
yard stock, as 1t is chiefly Of th'
: small red knotted kind. Il Is prac
5 ticalIy free from the defect known Al
''shake" so prevalent In northern
pine ''Shake'' is caused by ex.
l treme cold weather and high winds
b in the winter when the timber i
9 frozen. As there are no extremes In
{ temperature in this country the for
ests are clear of these blemishes
e which cause so much trouble TO thl
8 timbermeD operating in the middl
r western and eastern and New EngIanI
D states.
. When il is known that the forest
d contain the most extensive stands o
e white and western pines on the con
j tinent It must be apparent that tb
v time cannot be far distant when th
, builders and wood manufacturers 4
+ states west Of the Rocky mountain
= must come to the northwest for thei
10 l.-aF.n ukE. wAafas,,ark IL waw8Ha