The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1908-02-01
LUMBER BUSINESS
WASHINGTON STATE LAST YEAR
SHIPPED MORE THAN a Bill
LION FEET.
Business Decreased slightly From IN
Precedented High Level Of 1906, But
Exceeded All Other Years- caIifor-
MIA Sends Out 774,ooo,ooo Feet and
Oregon $4,000, 900 Feet.

business of Washington, Oregon and
British Columbia for 1907, as shown by
figures just compiled by the Pacific
Lumber Trade Journal, was, with the
exception of that of 1906, the greatest
and most satisfactory in the history
of the lumber industry in the North
west. While the actual figures show
a decrease of 57,453.444 feet in the
shipments from 1906, the total for the
year of 1,51O,29O,122 feet represents
an increase of more than 100000, 900
feet for the normal year Immediately
preceding the San Francisco disaster,
which created an abnormal demand
and swelled the totals for 1906. The
mill reports show that the increase of
1907 over 1905 is made up largely by
mills that catered to the rail trade
prior to the time Eastern markets
were handicapped by car shortages
and rate troubles, and that 4 per cent
of the rail mills located on tidewater
undertook to enter the cargo business.
The heaviest losses for the year
were in the California trade, while on
the other hand there were considera-
BILE gains in the foreign trade. The
Australian trade increased 5,212,975
feet. There was gain in Chile, Peru
and Mexico of more than 45,000,000
feet. Shipments to England also in
creased 100000 feet. These gains,
however, were partially Offset by loss
es in China, Japan, South Africa, Eu-
rope and in some sections of South
America. The total gain for the for
eign trade was II ,509, 800 feet.
Washington Fares Best.
It is shown that the mills of Wash
lington suffered the least by the fall
ing off of trade as compared with the
previous year, Notwithstanding the
fact that they suffered domestic
trade loss of 49,12O,934 feet. The for
eign business of the Washington mills,
however, shows gain Of 1865, 800
feet, which leaves the. net loss for all
business but 7,752,114 feet Oregon
mills show a net domestic loss of U.s.
044,442 feet, and foreign loss of H.
875,366 feet, making a total decrease
of 36,919,8OS feet from the 1906 fig
ures. British Columbia shipped g.
1884, feet, as compared with 1894
100 feet in 1906, decrease of 12,7S1,-
444 feet.
While lumber shows a decrease,
both lath and shingles show an in
crease of very satisfactory proper
tons, especially as regards shingles,
in which there was water movement
equivalent to 1924 carloads. The in
crease in lath amounted to but $685.
491 pieces, while the increase in shin
giles amounted to 1889, 1882 pieces,
the increase for 1907 alone being g.
191 ,032 in excess Of the total single
shipments by water for the year of
1906.
Oregon manufactured less than 100,-
5000 shingles. No shipments by
water are reported.
Washington shipments make up l.
Os2, S49,O 22 feet of the 1,510,290, 122
feet comprising the combined ship
ments for the year. California ship
ments amounted to 774,141,145 feet, a
decrease of MOTT, 1886 feet. The mis-
cellaneous domestic trade amounted to
81, 987, 341 feet, as compared with 68,-
OBJ, 040 feet, decrease of 12,043,699
feet, but the foreign business increased
from 221,351,716 feet to 262, 100, 536