Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1914-11-27
LUMBERMEN
TALK TRADE
Secretary Of West Coast AS
sociation Reports on Con-
diion of the Industry
LARGE REDUCTION IN CUT
Protest. Entered Against Gov.
ernment Report on Creo-
soting Douglas Fir

TACOMA, Nov. 26.-One hundred
and ninety-five lumber mills in Wash
ine;on and Oregon are running with
an average output of Al per cent OF
their capacity, showing that there eX-
lists at present Curtailment of SO
per cent. in the operations of this
industry in the Northwest. These
figures were submitted at the month
ly ECeting of the West Coast Lum-
bermens association held in the
Commercial Club Tuesday afternoon,
by Thorpe Babcock of the organi-
zation. OF this number 35 mills have
notified the association that they
would probably close down in from
35 to 40 days, thus cutting down the
aggregate output of cut lumber A.
OS0,000 feet day. Comparative sta
tistics in the same report showed
that so far during the year 114,1S7,-
9S5 feet of lumber have been cut.
while cnly 1O7,647,OS7 feet have
been shipped. This date last year
147,S2S,2O2 feet had been cut, and
13S,947,274 feet of lumber shipped,
while in 1912 the mills cut 61,2O1,.
O31 feet and shipped 154.5O7,O64 feet.
Attendance Not Large
Because the meeting had been
changed from Friday to Tuesday on
account of the Thanksgiving holiday
the attendance was comparatively
small, only % lumbermen gathering
at the Commercial Club at p. m.
The first discussion brought out the
point that the governors commission
selected to draft first aid bill was
not gathering the opinion of those
who will have to foot the bill. C. A.
Pratt, c. E. Patton, Ralph Burnside,
B. R. Lewis and Neil Cooney were
appointed to act as a committee to
set forth the problems of the lumber.
men to the commission
A vigorous protest was voiced
against the recent report of the gov.
ernment on the creosoting properties
of Douglas fir as compared with vel.
low pine. The report is said to
abound in misleading findings which
show that the tests were either care
lessly or ignorantly made. The pene-
tration phase of creosoting Douglas
fir was shown to be enormously stat.
ed in the report because improper
processes were used. Speakers yes
terday stated that creosote will Of.
ten penetrate clear through a paw.
ing block by the simple bath pro-
cess, while the report conveys the
impression that the oil fails to enter
the wood thoroughly. The govern.
ment report stated further that the
fir was weakened materially while
the fact of the case is that this all
depends upon the way the fir is hand.
led. A resolution was made to bring
the matter before the government of.
ficials for other trials. They assert
that the future lumber trade of the
Northwest depends materially upon
the evolution of the creosoting pro-
cess, and that unless the govern.
ment's findings are corrected this
section of the country will suffer a
great economic loss.
Get Good News.
That the New Zealand importers of
American lumber are anxious to CO.
operate with the United States man.
ufacturers in obtaining reduction
in the rates on shipments to the in
terror in New Zealand over the gov.
ernment owned roads which charge
so per cent. higher for American than
for New Zealand lumber, came in the
way Of glad tidings to the lumber.
men in a letter from George M. Corn
wall of Portland, publisher OF the
Timberman. That the United States
government take steps to have the
differential removed and the congress.
ional delegation from Oregon and
Washington lay the matter before
congress, was suggestion by Mr..
Cornwall