Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-08
Is Peer Of All Other
Decorative Hardwoods.
Hundreds Of Tons Of Logs
Imported Annually.
Markets Of the World Drawn Upon
Heavily to Supply Demand.

For refined expression in the manu-
facture OF furniture and all other
forms OF Interior decoration, mahog
any is undoubtedly the peer of the
hardwOods. No wood is SO universally
used today for this purpose in every
city and country of the world; no
v God is so freely and successfully i'm
itated
Americas architects and men of the
furniture and Misunderstanding indus
tries draw heavily upon the markets Of
the world in the struggle to supply an
ever increasing demand for genuine
mahogany. Hundreds of tons of logs
annually are imported into this coun
try and worked into beautiful forms to
grace fine homes or dignity the inter
ior of public buildings, large hotels or
railway cars.
a few years ago mahogany was re-
garded as very precious wood, and
was employed only in the interior OF
the finest houses and in the manufac-
ture of the most expensive furniture.
During the past few years, however.
there has been a wonderful develop
ment i'll mahogany Importation and
use.
The total quantity of mahogany i'm
ported last year was nearly forty-two
million board feet. OF this large
amount North America supplied Csc
per cent. and Europe Is per cent.
Though Europe supplied only little
more than One-fourth as much ma
hogany as there was imported from
North America its average value per
thousand feet was more than twice as
much, due to finer quality. The re-
mainder of the imports came from At
RIGA, South America, and Asia.
Mexico furnished 49, per cent. of
tho mahogany coming from North
America, Nicaragua followed with 1oo
per cent, British Honduras with 155
per cent. Cuba with per cent. and
Honduras with IA per cent. Other
Central American countries furnished
the small remaining pecentagc.
Immediately following the war with
SPAIN lunlbermen of the United States
exploited the largest and most acces-
sible of the Cuban mahogany forests.
For q few years the forests of Cuba
contributed more largely to the supply
in this country than at the present
time. largely owing to the rapidity
with which this valuable timber was
logged and shipped. An engineer en-
Dloyed by American authorities during
the recent intervention in Cuba claims
that nearly all of the available supply
of mahogany OF that island has been
exhausted and that what now remains
IN any considerable quantities is far
remote from transportation facilities.
The number Of buyers of mahogany
III this Country's hardwood market is
now exceeded only by those of oak,
maple, poplar, Eastwood, ash, birch,
chestnut and cypress The principal
reason for the popularity of mahogany
is that the importers of the logs and
the manufacturers of lumber have new
er advanced its price beyond a modest
profit, and it is relatively so low that
it now makes little difference in price
whether an office building or home is
finished in mahogany or quartcrsaWn
white oak.
Another reason for its popularity is
because it improves in tone with age
After much experimentation car build
ers finish practically all of their cars
in mahogany, as it Withstands salts
factorly the severe usage and also
holds its finish. The chief centers of
mahogany importation and manufac-
ture are Boston. New York, Louisville,
New Orleans, Chicago, and Indianapo-
lis.
The mahogany is the wood of the
tree of SWietenia, of the natural fam-
~ of Cedrelaceac, named by Joaquin in
honor of ]. Van Swieten. The tree is
one of the most majestic and bcauti-
ful. with large spreading head and pin
nate shining leaves. The trunk is Of
ten forty feet in length and six feet in
diameter and is divided into many
massive arms.
In the London Timber and Trade
journal there appeared recently an in
tercstlng historical reference to the
mahogany trade in England. Accord
ing to this writer mahogany wood was
first imported by England in 1724 al
though in 1897 Sir Walter Raleigh dem
onstrated the great value of this wood
which was used in repairing his ships
at Trinidad. From 1924 until the dis
covery of the mahogany forests of AT
RIGA by Stanley. England and Con
tlhental Europe were heavy purchasers
OF mahogany from the West Indies.
Honduras and Mexico. A great part of
the mahogany used in this country in
carly years came from Europe, it hav-
ing lrst reached there from the West
indies, Mexico and Honduras.