Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1908-01-02
Wood for Paper Costs Twenty-Six
Millions.

To-day there is general complaint
among publishers that printing paper
is constantly growing dearer. In the
Middle West many local papers are
raising their subscription price 30 per
cent in order to pay for the paper.
From the time when Gutenberg first
used movable type, made of wood, to
the present day of metropolitan papers,
some of which consume the product OF
acres of spruce in a single edition,
printing has in very large degree de-
pended upon the forest.
In the face of threatened shortage
of timber, the amount of wood con-
sumed each year for pulp has increased
since 1899 from , million to 81 million
cords. The year 1909 marked an in
crease of 90, 900 cords in the imports Of
pulpwood, the highest average value
per cord for all kinds, and a consump-
tion greater by 469,053 cords than that
Of any previous year.
Spruce, the wood from which in 1889
three-fourths Of the pulp was manu-
featured, is still the leading wood, but
it now produces little less than 10 per
cent of total. How well spruce is
suited to the manufacture of pulp is
shown by the fact that during period
in which the quantity Of wood used has
doubled and many new woods have
been introduced, the proportion of
spruce pulpwood has remained nearly
constant in spite of the drains upon the
spruce forests for other purposes,
During this time three different woods
from widely separated regions, have
in turn held the rank Of leader in the
lumber supply.
Since 1899 poplar, which for years
was used in connection with spruce to
the exclusion of all other paper woods,
has increased in total quantity less than
hemlock, pine, balsam, and cotton
wood are used in much smaller
amounts.
New York alone consumes each year
over million and quarter cords of
wood in the manufacture of pulp, or
more than twice as much as Maine,
which ranks next. Wisconsin, New
Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Mich
igan follow in the order given. Sixty
per cent. of the wood used in New
York was imported from elsewhere,
aud even so the supply appears to be
waning, since the total consumption
for the State shows small decrease
since 1906, whereas the other States
named have all increased their con-
sumption. Other States important in
the production of pulp are: Massach-
usetts, Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon, Yer
mont, Virginia and West Virginia.
The average cost of pulp delivered
at the mill was 1921. The total value
of the wood consumed in 1905 was $780,
100000. The chief item determining
the price of paper is the cost of pulp.
An example of the increased price of
paper is found in the case of publisher
OF a daily in the Middle West, who re-
cently pald Sl,2OO Tor carload OF
paper. The same quantity and grade
of paper cost year ago but $500.
The chemical processes of paper
making, which better preserve the
wood fiber, are gaining over the mech
anical process. In 1899, 65 per cent. of
the wood was reduced by the mechan-
ical process; in 1906; less than so per
cent
All importations of wood for pulp
are from Canada, and comprised, in
1906, 739, 900 cords, nearly all of which
was spruce. Four and a half million
dollars worth Of pulp was imported in
1906, slight falling off from 1905.
Circular 120 of the Forest Service
contains discussion of the consump-
tion of pulpwood in 1906. based on
statistics gathered by the Burean of
the Census and the Forest Service.
The pamphlet can be had upon appli-
cation to the Forester, United States
Department of Agriculture, Washing
ton, ID. @.