The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-07-03
THE LUMBER CUT.
Receivers from the Panic and Is
Again on Deck
INTERESTING FACTS

Where MoSt of the Lumber Comes
From and Who Will Be Bene-
fitted by Tax Put on it by the
Tariff.
During the year 1908, 31,231 saw
mills in the United States manufac-
tured ss,2Ss,36s,oOO feet of lumber
according to a preliminary report
lust issued by the bureau OF the cen
sus. These mills also cut l2,106,-
600 shingles and 2,9S6,6S4,00o lath.
Lumber manufacturing, like every
other industry, felt the effects OF the
business depression which began N
October, 1907. Consequently the
production in 1908 was below that
for the previous year. In 1907 the
cut of 2S,S5O saw mills was 4O,2o6,-
$4,000 feet, tine highest production
ever recorded. Notwithstanding,
therefore, that in 1908 reports were
received from eight per cent more
mills than in 1907, the decrease II
lumber cut reported by them was
slightly over seventeen per cent.
Washington, as for several years
past, still ranks first among the
States in lumber production, its cut
in 1908 being 15,92S,000 feet
a decrease of 22S per cent over the
cut of 1907. Nearly all the lumber
manufactured in Washington is
Duglas FIR, the market for which was
seriously affected by the panic.
Louisiana second, with 2,722,421,-
600 feet, decrease of 250, 100000
feet or S.4 per cent over the cut IN
1907. Louisiana is first in the pre-
duction of both yellow pine and cy-
press.
Cypress is a particularly useful
and valuable wood, and apparently,
the manufacturers of it did not suffer
as severely from dull times as did
the manufacturers of yellow pine and
Douglas fir. Mississippi was the
third state in lumber production in
1908, with total of $4,000 feet
"a decrease of eleven per cent from
the cut in 1907. Arkansas ranked
fourth, with 1,653,991, 900 feet--a
decrease of nearly venteen per cent
over the previous years output. and
Wisconsin fifth, with 1,613,315,O0o
feet against 2,003,279,0 900 feet in
1907.
In Texas, where the lumber indus
try is confined almost exclusively TO
yellow pine. the falling off was very
heavy. The total cut of the State in
1908 was 1924, 4,O0S,OO0 feet a de-
crease Of 31.6 per cent over the cut
in 1907.
Eight other States manufactured
more than one billion feet each Of
lumber last year. In the order of i'm
portance, they were: Michigan, Ore
gon, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Vir-
ginia, Alabama, North Carolina and
West Virginia. California and
maine, other States which reported
more than one billion feet each in
1907. went just below that figure in
1908. The totals for a few States
were greater in 1908 than in 1901,
but this was chiefly due to the larger
number of reports secured in those
States in 1908. In Georgia, for in
stance, particularly close canvass
increased the number Of mills report
ed nearly one-third, while the result
ing increase in reports of total pro-
duction was only six per cent. In
Massachusetts. 6l0 mills reported a
cut of 3S4,526,000 feet in 1908 as
compared with cut of 364, 231 900
feet by SIS mills in 1907. In feet
in 1908; while in 1907. 230 mills
cut 1s7,239,oO0 feet A particularly
large gain Yin nGlls reported was
made in Oklahoma. In 1907, l2s
mills in that State cut 40,O13,0OO
feet. while in 1908, PA mills cut
5S,756.000 feet.
While there are many very large
saw mills in the United States. the
small mills far outnumber the large
ones, and it is particularly interesting
to note how many of these small
mills there are in the States which
are not now Of first rank in lumber
production. The statistics for New
York were collected by the Forest.
Fish and Game Commission OF that
State and show there are 2.29
mills. In Pennsylvania 2,224 mills
reported to the census, and in Flr-
ginia, 1897 mills In North Car
olina reports came from LAO mills.
and in Kentucky from 1880 mills.
The number of mills reporting from
Tennessee was only forty less than
from Kentucky In West Virginia.
Missouri, Ohio and Indiana between
1000 and LOO mills each were en-
gagged in cutting lumber last year.
The average output per mill was $50
900 feet in New York, and $3.50, 900
feet in Louisiana, these two States
presenting nearly the extremes of
production by small and large mills.
Yellow pine. Douglas fir. white
pine. oak. hemlock and spruce, in the
order named, were the woods cut
into lumber in the largest quantity.
Yellow pine has ranked first since
it surpassed white pine in the later