Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1911-12-07
PRELIMINARY STATEMENT BY
CENSUS BUREAU OF THE
US government.
over 40 Million M Feet of Lumber
Produced in 1910, Which Is Less
Than in 1sos-Washington Is Lead
ing State in Western
States All Show Increase.

A preliminary statement of the out
put of lumber, lath and shingles in the
United States during the calendar years
1910, 1909, 1908 and 1907 is just issued
by Census Director L. Dana Durand. 1t
was prepared under the direction of
William M. Steuart, chief statistician
for manufacturers, by Jasper E. WHEEL
chel, expert special agent. The data
were collected in cooperation with the
forest service of the department of
agriculture, and form one of series of
annual reports regarding the lumber
and timber manufactures.
The reported production of lumber in
the United States during 1910 was 40
O1s,2s2 M feet board measure, as
against 44,509,761 NJ feet in 1909, 49,
1863 M feet in 1908, and 4O,256,154
NJ feet in 1907
These figures of production are not
entirely comparable by reason of differ
ences in the completeness of the can
vass of the mills in different years. The
number of mills covered by the reports
In each year has been as follows: 1910.
31,934; 1909, 4s,112; 1908, 1891; 1907,
2S,S50. The great excess in the number
of mills canvassed in 1909, as compared
with the other years, was due to the
fact that this was the regular quin-
quennial census year and the entire
country was canvassed by special
agents, whereas the other eanvasses
have been conducted by mail. The
effect of canvassing a much larger num-
Der of mills, however, is by no means
to add a corresponding amount to the
reported production. The great ma
Jority of the large mills are included
for each year, and the additional mills
reported for 1909 were largely small
mills, the aggregate production of
which is only comparatively small
traction of the total. 1t is probable
that had the canvass of 1909 been no
more complete than the canvass of 1910
the production of 1909 would still have
been at least as great as in 1910
While, therefore, the conclusion can not
De drawn from the above figures of
production that the actual output in
1910 was less than in 1909. neverthe
less it is quite likely that such is the
case
Inc number of mills included in the
statistics for 1910 is also not strictly
comparable with the number for 1905
and 1907, although the canvass of all
three of these years was made by cor.
respondence. The figures for 1910 do
not include the cut of any mills saw.
ing less than so NJ feet during the
year, while the figures for such mills
SO 1ar as they were reported, were tab.
uiated In the earlier years. The exclu-
sion OF these very small mills, however
mas comparatively little effect upon the
reported output.
washington Leads in Lumber Produc-
tion.
washington, which had been the
leading state in lumber production
since 1905, not only stood first in 1910.
but showed the largest actual increase
In output over 1909. Mississippi. on
.ne other hand, while still one of the
heaviest lumber producers, reported the
largest actual decrease from 1909. AL
though the total reported production
III islo was less than that in 1909 by
only lo1 per cent, all of the states
showed decreased cut in the later
year except Washington, Louisiana,
oregon California, Idaho, Montana
arizona and Wyoming, all of which,
with the exception of Louisiana, it will
be noted, are on or near the Pacific
coast