The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-11-24
COOPERAGE TRADE
FACES EXTINCTION
Scarcity of White Oak
Makes Industry Hunt
New Materials.
Other Woods Are Unsatis-
factory-Tank Cars and
Steel Casks Used.

The tight coOperage industry is now
going through an interesting struggle
+ for existence. II is having more and
more difficulty in meeting the demands
! Of trade, and the supply Of timber nee
: essary for its permauence is not only
( being rapidly depleted, but IS eagerly
sought after by strong rivals.
The term. tight cOoperage," is ap-
j piled very generally TO an wooden. hoop
! bound packages made to contain liquids,
( as conrasJed with slack cOOperage, %
which is intended for solids. The term
/ is descriptive OF the character Of the
( package. which must be- constructed
with ClOse-ntJing. tight slaves.
2 Tight packages are employed as con-
1ainers Of alcoholic spirits and liquors.
fe0ttonseed, petroleum, and other oils,
I turpenune. lard, and other packing
house products, cider and vinegar,
syrups and mOlasses, paints and lead,
and fish. OF these the oil trade con
sumes by far the largest number, in
spite of the fact that an enormous guam
1ity of oil IS stored and transported in
tanks The number of new barrels re-
quired annually for oil Is about 1900, 600
Alcoholic liquids rank next with, ap-
proximaIely. 100000. OF the remainder.
b the pork package is the most important.
Barrel Has Many Advantages.
The barrel has special advantages over
the other forms of containers Tor trans
portation, in that 1t is light, yet strong,
IS easily and quickly handled, and, un-
ike metal, il does not offer a surface
that will be attacked by acids shipped
IN 1t. The low cost of the package al
lows il to be discarded at its destina-
tiOn, thereby saving return tTanspOrta-
ton on the empty packages.
White oak furnishes nearly 80 per
cent of all tight cOOperage stock. the
remainder Is made up OF red oak. chest
nut oak. red gum. cypress. spruce. white
ash. elm, Eastwood, birch. and Douglas
fir. No material except white oak, has
proved satisfactory for the aging OF
alcoholic beverages dependent upon the
action of the wood 10 improve their
quality, but for all other cOoperage, in
Guiding beer and ale, substitution OF
other woods or materials is possible.
Trying Other Woods.
Red oak is q little more difficult To
manufacture into slaves than white
oak, and IS also heavier, and therefore
more expensive TO handle. It runs very
unsOund and so gives a larger per
centage Of poor material. Chestnut eek
offers about the same difficulties Red
gum. although used in considerable
quantities, is far from an ideal wood
for tight barrel slaves and headings.
The abundance Of this species and the
relatively low stumpasa value, com
pared with oak, explains the use 1t has
found as d tight coOperage wood.
The substitution of other substances
FOR woods metals for example. is being
3 tried. Considerable work of this kind
/ has been done and in certain lines Ii
has been attended with success. Ianh
( cars for shipping are largely used. yet
still required annually, For storaS5
and shipment of alcoholic liquors or auy
commodity containing an acid or other
( agent which attacks metal the use OF
such q package is impraCtiCable- On
the other hand, for shipping gasOlene
and allied products, as Well as alcohol
ithe steel drum or steel barrel serves
fnotably well.
White oak. the favOrite material is
: rapidly being exhausted and the future
OF the industry depends upon its ability
TO utilize new woods or find SaUsfac-
! tory substitutes for wood Substitutes
: are also being eagerly sought, and IN
} less steps are taken TO produce ~ much
material as is consumed, some Of the
; hardWOOd-usinE industries will not sur
vive and trades which have foUrished
for years VIII become extinct.