The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1908-09-11
INCREASE IN LUMBER CUT.
Census Bureau Figures Disclose
Some Very Interesting Facts.

u ZIG III niue cut III lJV
by the bureau of the census and the
forest service showed the largest to-
tai ever reported in the United
States, exceeding by over seven per
cent the cut reported for 1906, I'M
til then the record year This does
not necessarily sho wa larger cut
than in 1906, for the returns OBJ
tanned last year were more COM
plete than ever before. The figures
themselves disclose some interest
ing facts.
In 1907, 2S,S5O mills made re-
turns, and their production was
over 40 billion feet of lumber. This
is believed to include 95 per cent
OF the actual cut. In 1906, 22,398
mills reported about 81 IL billion
feet Since according to these fig
ures nearly 20 per cent more mills
reported last year than the year be-
fore, while the increase in produc-
ton was only little over seven per
cent, 1t might be thought that the
amount actually manufactured must
have been greater in the earlier
year. This, however, would be a too
nasty inference, for it is almost
wholly among mills of small indi-
vidual output that the gain in the
number of establishments reporting
has been made.
A classification of the returns by
states and regions throws addition
al light on the situation. Individual
changes, as for example the remark
able rise of Texas from eighth to
third place among the lumber pro-
ducing states, are doubtless account
ed for primarily by the greater ac-
curacy of the 1907 figures; but in
the majority of cases the advances
and declines can be traced to spe-
cific influences r
Before the year closed the gener-
al business depression was severely
felt in the lumber industry 1t was
not, however, the most important
cause of falling off in the produc-
ton of the year where a falling off
occurred. For decline in production
took place only in certain regions.
The south is the region of greatest
4 activity in lumber production, and
yellow pine the most important
wood, forming 33 per cent of the
entire cut of the country. The cut
of yellow pine reported shows an
.nci case of 13 per cent over that of
1906. In the early part of the year
many of the southern mills cut so
heavily that, in spite of the curtail-
ed output which followed the bust
ness disturbance later, the total was
greater than ever before. But in both
the lake states and the northwest a
smaller cut was reported than for
1906, though the number Of mills
reporting increased.
In the lake states the falling of
evidenced the wanting supply OF
white pine. Michigan. which for
many years led all the states in
lumber production, and then gave
way to Wisconsin, sank in 1907 from
fourth to seventh place, while Wis
Minnesota as ate as 1905 held
fourth place. LAST year it went from
scventh 10 ninth 1t was not until
tue latter sos that the south dis
placed this group of states as the
most important source of lumber
supply. Since southern pine is
abundant in all the Atlantic coast
states from the Carolinas to Texas,
the region as whole will doubtless
maintain Its leading position for
some years, in spite of the fact that
at the present rate the bulk of the
/ timber will be gone in another de-
cade; but in totals of production
by individual states the leadership
has since 1905 been held by Wash
| ington.
The figures Of production show
that during 1907 Washington fell
of very decidedly ON its huge cut
tf 1905, while its sister state, Ore
gon, is credited with a slight in
crease in its total. In the early part
OF the year Washington suffered
from car shortage, and at the end
the combined effects of business dis
!
had brought the industry almost to
paralysis. Oregon kept up its cut
because OF its larger proportion of
coastwise and foreign trade These
two states together produced more
lumber than any other two states in
the union.
tits = striking fact.that though
lumber prices have BEEN steadily
going up during the last half CEN
fury. the per capita consumption of
lumber has also been going up. In
1850, according to the best figures
obtainabie. the average consump-
ton to each person in the country
was $50 feet, in 1900, $50 feet, and
In 1907, $50 feet. This illustrates
what has been found true the world
over-that with Industrial progress
the demand for wood becomes great
er and greater.
Are Your Kldneys Well?