Arizona republican., 1908-09-05

In distinct contrast to tight cooper age stock, which in the main requires cak timber for its raw material, slack cooperage stock, particularly slaves and heading, utilizes the greater or less degree practically every lumber timber of importance in the country, and for this reason it's manufacture is far more widely distributed than is the case with that of tight cooperage stock Twenty one species of wood contrib uted to the total slack staVe produc- tion in 1907, although nearly two thirds of the output was manufactured from the four species, red gum, pine, elm and beech, in the order named. The figures disclose an interesting movement in the industry in the sub- stitution of less expensive woods for those which for many years have been drawn upon most heavily for slack stave material, but which, owing to growing scarcity and advancing cost, are rapidly being displaced. In l9O6 elm slaves were manufactured in larg- CT quantity than those from any other wood. and constituted nearly one fourth of the total production for that year. with pine and red gum occupy ing second and third places, respec- lively.
 In 1907 red gum slaves were manu- factured in largest quantity, closely followed by pine. while elm had drop ped from first place to third. The in crease in the production of red gum slaves was from 142,952 thousand ouctionpieces to 211.O64 thousand pieces, a gain of 6S,112 thousand pieces. or 476 per cent, and that of pine from 1S75S4 thousand pieces to 205,S7S thousand pieces, an increase of 1S294 thousand pieces. or 9.S per cent, while the production of elm slaves de- creased from 24S,11S thousand pieces to 15S,440 thousand pieces, loss of s. SIS thousand pieces, or 36.1 per cent. Owing to it's relatively low cost and availability, beech is also taking a prominent place among the slack coop craze timbers. The production from this wood increased from S0 052 thousand pieces to 125,354 thousand pieces, a gain of 45, BOP thousand pieces, or 56.6 per cent. Other woods, which like red gum, pine and beech. and for similar reasons. are being used in increasing quantities in the manufacture of slack slaves, are spruce, which showed an increase from 31,605 thousand pieces to 76,445 thou sand pieces; cottonwood, from 21,912 thousand pieces to 46.679 thousand pieces; and hemlock. from 12.453 thou sand pieces to 16,535 thousand pieces. In addition to elm, other woods being supplanted as slack stave material by species of lower cost, are maple, which decreased from 99,642 thousand pieces to 97,319 thousand pieces; oak. from 70, S69 thousand pieces to 37.S71 thou sand pieces; birch, from 62,754 thou sand pieces to 21,479 thousand pieces; and sycamore. from S.214 thousand pieces to 2,579 thousand pieces.
 Substantially the same woods were used in the manufacture of slack head ing as in slack slaves, the list extend ing to practically all the leading lum- Der timbers. Pine was drawn upon most heavily in both years, the output. however, from this wood showing a slight decrease in 1907 from 2S,7SO thousand sets to 27,2OS thousand sets. Elm decreased from 19,472 thousand sets to 9,165 thousand sets. and red gum from 16,519 thousand sets to H. 4S1 thousand sets. As in the case of slaves, beech was used in substantially larger quantity in 19O 7than in the preceding year, the output from this wood increasing from 11,6S6 thousand sets to 17,711 thousand sets.
 The number of woods utilized in slack hoop manufacture is much more limited than in the case of either slaves or heading Elm hoops formed the major part of the production in 1907, as well as in 1906, contributing 302, ,62S thousand or 915 per cent. of the total of 330,S92 thousand, in 1906, and 469.734 thousand, or 95.S per cent of the total of 490,570 thousand, in 1907. Among the woods used in minor quantities in the manufacture of hoops in the later year were pine, hickory, oak birch, chesnut, red gum, and maple, in the order named.
 While slack stave and heading pro- duction was reported in 1907 from practically all the states engaged fin the manufacture of lumber. a consid- erable percentage of the stock, in fact being turned out as a by-product of lumber, the industry was to an eXten lOcalizzed, the five states of Pennsyl- vania, Missouri, Michigan, Arkansas and Virginia, in the order named, con tributing 56.S per cent of the total pro- duction. The distribution of the in- dustry of hoop manufacture is much more limited than that of slaves and heading, and is due primarily to the fact that this commodity is made