The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-12-16

LUMBER SUPPLY Is SHORT
When the Supply Falls Short Seven
Billion Feet there is Some Room
for Alarm.
Washington, Dec. IA decrease
of over 7,00o,oO0,0 600 feet, or 17.5
per cent in the production of lumber
for 1908 will be shown in a census
bulletin which has just been issued.
The state of Washington, which has
ranked first in lumber production
for several years, still held this place
for the year, though the cut OF the
state of Louisiana is almost as large.
In recent years the production in
Michigan has been decreasing stead
lily, falling in 1907 below the 2,OO0.-
100000 mark for the first time in,
nearly forty years. Since 1880, how
ever, Michigan has probably cut
nearly 100.000,0 900. 1000 feet of lum-
Der. a production which has not been
approached by any other state.
In the opinion of the experts of
the n bureau, the reduction in
the output of lumber is a result of
the business depression. The quantity
of lumber produced in 1908 was less
than for any other year shown in the
statistics of the bureau, except that
of 1905. IN this case, however, the
recorded cut, as given in the bulle-.
tin of the forest product, which was
prepared by the forest service and
only covered the output of the larger
mills and Is known to be materially
less than the real production of the
year
There has been a gradual increase
in the price of lumber at the mill
from 1900 to 1907 with a reduction
for the year 1908. The average val
ue of lumber per thousand feet was
$11.14 in 1900, $12.76 in 1904, $14.-
60 in 1905, 1864 in 1906, 1855 in
1907 and 1857 in 1908.
Ohio Valley in Lead.
The Ohio valley is not regarded
generally as a great lumber produc-
ing district, yet it leads in the output
of hard wood. Hardwood is a small
proportion of the quantity produced
In tho n0yrnfrxy hut {%o xn1,~ 100
thousand feet always plays an impor-
tant part in estimating the total valu-
alton of forest products. Oak is still
the chief hardwood. The production
of oak lumber has been steadily fall
ing off for a number of years but it
still maintains its place as the chief
of the hardwoods. In 1908 it was
less by 947,249,000 feet, or 25 per
cent, than the cut of 1907. Kentucky
leads West Virginia slightly in the
production for the year, the output
of Kentucky being a little over 1907
600 more feet than that of West Vir-
ginia. Ohio is sixth while Indiana is
eighth in the amount produced.
1t is especially noteworthy, says
the bulletin that Michigan in 1908.
a state which for SO many years was
far in the lead in white pine produc-
ton, was surpassed by three New
England states. which were common
ly supposed to have been cut out long
ago. The New England states have,
of course. little original timber left,
but the second growth Of the white
pine has been so great that the re-
lative importance of these states in
white pine production increases as
the virgin supply in the Lake states
nears exhaustion. The total output
in the Lake states in 1908 was l.
7SO,403,o 900 feet or only 31.1 per
cent Of the cut In 1900, but little
more than 80 per cent Of the cut in
these states in 1890 when the highest
point in the white pine lumber pro-
duction in this section was reached
Gallant.
Beautiful Widow-Do you know.
am forty years old today. Gallant
Bachelor-Madam. you are just TWEEN.
ty. l never believe more than half of
what 1 hear.
Reckless Driving. I
HWhat is the matter with your wife?
I see she's got her hand II Z sling
Reckless driving"
sHOrsp?''