The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-06-16

salary from $1,000 to $1,620. Candi-
dates will not be assembled, but the
papers are to be in the hands of the
commission by June 80
Another similarly conducted exami-
nation, papers to be in by June q,
| is to secure civil engineers, surveyors
and transitmen for the engineer de-
partment of the war department for
| surveys in connection with the intra-
coastal waterways from Boston to
Key West. The salaries of the engi-
neers will range from $125 to SITS a
month; of surveyors and transitmen
from 500 to $l25 month. The jobs
will, however, last but from six
months to a year Applications can
be made for the necessary papers at
ST. Paul.
The following interesting report on
the increasing use Of red gum as q
cabinet wood has been made by the
forestry service:
The lumber industry Of the country
has been provided with much valuable
information BY the Investigations which
have been made through the scientific
study Of many species Of trees, against
the use Of which there has been
prejudice for one reason or another,
and from an economic standpoint this
is one Of the most important phases
OF the forest work Of the government.
The latest discoveries of valuable
qualities in former neglected species
resulted after an investigation of the
red gum, at times commercially called
satin walnut which finds it's home
in the hardwood bottom lands and
drier sWamps of the south, in mixture
with ash, cottonwood, and oak. This
tree is one of the commonest timber
trees Of the south, reaching it's best
development in the deep, rich soil of
the bottoms, where it often attains a
height of $50 feet and a diameter of
five feet Were red gum imported from
a distance and obtainabe only at a
high price, it probably would be used
extensively in the manufacture of fur
niture, cabinet work, and interior fin
lshing, but being a native wood and
low in price, it has been Disseminated
against. Gradually this objection is
being done away with, and the demand
for red gum has increased very rapidly
in the past few years.
The best grades of red gum, clear
heart, find a market almost exclusive
ly in the export trade though a small
amount IL used in the United States
for inside finishing. Practically rs per
cent of the clear heart gum lumber
cut in this country is exported for use
in England, France and Germany for
the manufacture Of furniture, inside
trimmings, newell posts,~a and stair rail-
ings. The commOner grades of red
gum are used in the United States for
cheap furniture, desks, the better
grades of boxes, and q number OF
novelties. The poorest grade goes into
boxes, barrels, and other articles for
which short, narrow boards can be
used. The inner portion of the hearts
of the trees, which are of little value
for boards on account of shakes and
other defects, are usually sawed into
two by four to two by twelve, and
sometimes six by six and six by eight
inch building timbers, These timbers
have small values in the large markets,
but near the mills the local trade ex-
LISTS the supply
red gum is one of the most important
woods in the country, ranking second
to elm, both as a stave and heading
wood. Up to the year 1900, elm and a
little cottonwood We're used for this
purpose, but with the advance in price
Of these woods a substitute had to be /
found, and red gum. owing to it's
cheapness, was experimental with and
found quite satisfactory
The chief objection to red gum is
it's strong tendency to warp and twist |
This can be entirely overcome by !
proper handling. Were the lumber of /
high price this difficulty would have 4
been considered and overcome long I
ago, and the wood used but on ac- |
count of its abundance and cheapness, |
very few operators have turned their /
attention to solving the problem.
The preparation of red gum lumber
for any purpose should begin when
the tree is felled. To guard against |
staining and Warping it is handled in |
much the same way as other woods.
but with the important difference t.at
the piles are narrower, SO that the air
may circulate freely and thus prevent |
fermentation of the sap, and that the |
cross-sticks must be placed close to-
gether. 1t has also been found well
to place heavy weights on the cars
of red gum when they are sent to
the kiln Every manufacturer of high
grade furniture and trim knows that
to secure the best possible results the
material must be redried when 1T
h. ia Ia