Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-10-16

substitutsen for Wood inefsas)ng. |
twenty-five years ago lumber was
regarded ~ almost - much Of . necee-
sity q wheat, while to-day It ie steadily
being replaced By various substitutes,
says report By Che Forest Service on |
"The Substitution Of Other Materials for
Wood" Just of the press. Disregarding |
the temporary effect Of the war, with Ito
sudden demand for lumber and it great
enhancement Of prices Of many substi-
tute materials, the report points out the
tendency In the long run. Zach year
more steel, concrete, brick, or tile 10 be-
Ing used In places where lumber was
formerly employed. This 10 partiularly
true in cities where enactment OF build
ing codes and the development Of new
forms Of construction have created de-
mapd for more durable building material.
Shingles have given way largely to COM
position and tile roofing, wooden side.
walks have been almost wholly replaced
by cement, while tho modern skyscraper
with its steel framework, and stone,
brick, or tile walls occupies the site OF
some former frame structure. Railroad
crossties and mine props ara about the
only forms Of wood which are not
affected.
How hard this substitution has hit the
lumber business ID shown by the Govern.
ment estimate that the total replacement
Of lumber In al forms of use is $780,
600, 900 board feet, or 81 per cent OF the
lumber consumption Of the United States
In 1915. The rate Of substitution seems
to be increasing and IL now in excess OF
500, 000, 900 board feet year. Approx.
mately 10 per cent of the lumber cut
goes into forms of use whose demands
appear to be decreasing. Twenty per
cent more goes into strongly competitive
fields. In the remaining ten per cent OF
wood uses, there seems to be much
better opportunity for larger oonsump-
ton.
Increasing substitution has not, how
ever, lowered lumber prices to tho con-
sumner, the report points out. On the
contrary they have steadily advanced,
while the cost of many substitutes has
decreased. Exhaustion Of the stands of
local timber and discovery Of new
sources for the manufacture of other
building materials are given AZ some OF
the reasons Tor these changes. More
than 70 per cent Of the replacement OF
wood, however, Is made In spite of high
or initial cost of the substitute.
The effect of the growing use Of other
materials has been to accentuate COM
petition and decrease profits In the lum-
Der business. As Q result Of this and
other reasons, alternate periods of curtail-
ment and over-production have made the
lumber market unstable. This In turn
has resulted to the disadvantage not only
of the persons whose money is invested
in timber and sswmills, but to the many
hundred thousands who are dependent
upon the lumber industry for their liv.
ing.
Lumbermen have felt, 1t is said, the
effect of the replacement OF their product
BY other materials, but have not real
lied the extent to which Ii had taken
place. They have failed to adopt aggres-
sive selling methods and have been nm
able to supply the consumer with reliable
information regarding lumber, because
they did not have 1t. A complicated
system of grades il In use which is not
Ineligible to the average consumer and
10 even the subject of considerable dis
pute among lumbermen.
Manufacturers of other building mate
rial have spent large sums of money to
obtain reliable information about their
products. They have had to advertise
extensively to make "place In the sun"
for themselves. Substitutes for lumber
are guaranteed to meet specifications
which are easily understood by the con-
sumner. These facts, the report states,
have combined to make the substitutes
increasingly popular.
For lumbermen to hold their markets
against competing materials, 1t will be
necessary for them to learn moro about
the fundamental properties of wood, the
author of the report says. They can do
this either by scientific research for
themselves or BY cooperating with agen-
cies already established. Better manu-
featuring and selling methods, and the
development of by-produots should en-.
able them to make profit In spite OF
the Limitations on the prices OF lumber
which may be imposed BY competing
substitutes.
Even with the increasing substitution
for wood, the report points out, there
will be need for all the wood In the
United States, and more. The total con.
sumption of the country for many years
has been far in excess of the growth.
Already 10 many regions timber shortage
and high prices have followed the ex-
haustion Of the local supply. From the
public standpoint there is real need for
growing forests vastly larger than are
now planned for.