Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-09-10
INCREASE IN LAST
YEARS LUMBER

Figures of lumber cut in 1907
compiled by the Bureau of the Census
and the Forest Service showed the
largest total ever reported in the
United States, exceeding by over
seven per cent the cut reported for
1906, until then the record year. This
does not necessarily show a larger
actual cut than in 1906, for the
returns obtained last year were more
complete than ever before. The
figures themselves disclose some inter-
esting facts.
In 1907, 28,S50 mills made returns,
and their production was over 40
billion feet of lumber. This is be-
lieyed to include 90 per cent OF the
actual cut In 1906, 22,39S mills re-
ported about 37t billion feet. Since
according to these figures nearly %
per cent more mills reported last year
than the year before, while the in
crease in production was only a little
over seven per cent, it might be
UuC dIuOuuU dCUudliy
manufactured must have been greater
in the earlier year. This, however.
would be too hasty inference, for it is
almost wholly among mills of small
individual output that the gain in
the number of establishments report
ing has been made.
A classification of the returns
by states and regions throws additional
lights on the situation, Individual
changes, as for example the remark
able rise of Texas from eighth to third
place among the lumber-producing
states, are doubtless accounted for
primarily by the greater accuracy of
the 1907 figures; but in the majority
of cases the advances and declines can
be traced to specific influences.
Before the year closed the general
business depression was severely felt
in the lumber industry. It was not,
however. the most Important cause of
falling off in the production 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 activity in lumber
production, and yellow pine the most
important wood, forming 81 per cent of
the entire cut of the country. The
cut of yellow pine reported shows an
increase of Ii 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 cur
tailed output which followed the
business disturbance later, the total
was greater than ever before. But in
both the Lake States and the North
west a smaller cut was reported than
for 1906, though the number of mills
reporting increased
h In the Lake States the falling off
evidenced the waning supply Of white
pine. Michigan, which for many
years led all the States in lumber
production, and then gave way to Wis
consin, sank in 1907 from fourth to
seventh place, while Wisconsin went
from third to fifth. Minnesota as late
as 1905 held fourth place, Last year it
went from seventh to ninth. 1t was
not until the latter COS that the south
displaced 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 a 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 decade; but in
totals of production by individual
states the leadership has since 1905
been held by Washington.
The figures of production show that
during 1907 Washington fell off very
decidedly from its huge cut of 1906,
while its sister, state Oregon, is
credited with slight increase in it's
total. In the early part of the year