The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1914-11-06

Owing to the fact that cypress timber is to
be found only in certain limited sections of the
United States, those portions of the country pos
sessing quantities of this highly desirable pro-
duct are the scene of numbering operations which
are correspondingly remunerative with the scar
city of cypress lumber to supply the demands of
the markets of the world.
Florida has long been known as one of the
best sources of supply in the cypress timber mar
ket and some of the most extensive business en-
terprises in the state are found upon this basis.
Among the various concerns engaged In the
manufacture of cypress lumber in florida, the
Wilson Cypress Company of Palatka stands head
and shoulders above the rest, surprising any OF
the others in the matter OF capacity OF output and
in general scope of operations.
The enterprise was established in 1891 under
the name of the Tilghman-Wilson Company and
as such carried on its operations for period OF
three years, in 1894 becoming the Wilson Cypress
Company which name and management nave
been retained during the intervening years.
Many thousand acres of cypress timber lands
are controlled by the concern and notwithstanding
the fact that for over twenty years extensive
lumber operations have been carried on, there
still remains sufficient standing timber on the
lands controlled by the company, to furnish sup
ply for dozen or more years in the future
About 200 men are employed in the sWamps
getting out the rough logs for transportation TO
the plant itself. The present scene OF logging
operations is located about nine miles from "a
latka adjacent to the st. Johns river the waters
of which are utilized IN bringing the rough Cinl-
Der to the main plant. 49,
The overhead skidder system is used IN the
swamps in getting out the logs together WIN
private tram road leading to the shore OF tne rlV
err Arriving at the river, the huge logs are
formed into RATS and booms ana toWeu 10 Inc
mills to be transformed into marketable products
The sawmill to which the logs go for the ilrSt
oneration is equipped throughout with modern
machinery of the most approved cohStruGtiolt
several new and particularly ethcleht hiacllH T
having been recently added. Some IDEA Oh tlle
magnitude of the operations OF the wilson cypress
COMPANY may be gained from the TACT that an
average of 10000 feet of sawed lumber is turned
ont every working day Of 10 hours.
In addition to this output, 10000 shingles
and 10000 lath are also manufactured IN the way
of bv-products of the main operations. -,
A thoroughly equipped planning mill IS opef-
o+ad in connection with the plant and cypress lun
Der for all purposes is turned out with the gre"'-
est efficiency and rapldty. .,
Cvpress lumber must be thoroughly Cuieu
before it can be placed on the market ana !tliaheu
for anv of the various purposes to when IL may
be put. -, :; ,,,oir+oined nv
An immense storage yard IS maintained n! ny
tho Wilson Cypress Company in which'many milf
ions of feet of finished lumber are always ulidel-
going the curing process ms storage yalu h'' 90
total capacity of about twenty million IeeI u
lumber and is located along the river 'front.' MAJ
mo if easv for seagoing vessels to come up IHe
stream and take on cargoes for the hlarheVS W
other parts of the country. g ,,,,oho.
A glance at the enormous amount Oh lul5ioea
ned in orderly shape in the storage yard sue t
to convince even the most casual observer VI ''s
immense amount of money represented there, "A
cypress lumber manufacturing ent e ordinarv
have financial resources OF more IMAM VI
Dtrength in order to continue operations, for SIX
m Scets" or must eapse after the rough tim
her is transformed into marketable lumber Detot.
the finished product can be delivered to purcn'S-
erS. . :. . ,,,o++or which can
E neIoned in an enterprise like the Wilson
oI pe Snn,nanv and careful attention has been
cypress 0T mnpn this phase of the proposition
Sandppes scattered hTfuE f bo os s sHF1 T
yaru anu Sar,o onnaratus of a similar nature is
rlouS inG and fire brigade of employees instruct
e pd as to- the use of the of combating con-