Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1917-10-19
SUBSTITUTION FOR
LUMBER INCREASING

OF a necessity as wheat, while TO-
day it is steadily being replaced
by various substitutes, says "A re-
port by the Forest Service on
"The Substitution of Other Ma
terials for Wood" just off the
press. Disregarding the tenn
porary effect of the war, with it's
sudden demand for lumber and
it's great enhancement of prices
of many substitute materials,
the report points out the ten
dency in the long run. Each
year more steel, concrete, brick.
or tile is being used in places
where lumber was formerly en-
ployed This is particularly true
in cities where enactment OF
building codes and the develop.
ment of new forms of construc-
ton have created demand for
more durable building material.
Shingles have given way large
ly to composition and tile roof
ings, wooden sidewalks have
been almost wholly replaced by
cement, while the modern SKY
scraper with its steel framework,
and stone, brick, or tile walls
occupies the site of some form
er frame structure. Railroad
cross ties and mine props are
about the only forms of wood
which are not affected.
How hard this substitution
has hit the lumber business is
shown by the Government es-
innate that the total replace
ment of lumber in all forms of
use is S,090,000,000 board feet,
or Il per cent of the lumber con-
sumption of the United States
in 1915. The rate of substitu-
ton seems to be increasing and
is now in excess of 100000, 900
board feet year. Approximate
ly 70 per cent of the lumber goes
into forms of use whose de-
mand 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 a
larger consumption.
Increasing substitution has
not, however, lowered lumber
prices to the consumer, the re-
port points out. On the con-
trary they have steadily advanc-
ed, while the cost of many sub
stitutes has decreased. Ex-
haustion of the stands of loca
timber and discovery of new
sources for the manufacture Of
other building materials are Civ.
en- as some Of the reasons fol
these changes. More than II
: per cent of the replacement o.
wood, however, Is made in spite
; of higher initial cost of the sub
stitute,
The effect of the growing us,
of other materials has been t.
accentuate competition and de
crease profits in the lumbe,
business. AS a result of this anC
other reasons, alternate periods
: OF curtailment and over-pro
duction have made the lumbe
market unstable. This in turn
has resulted to the disadvantag,
not only of the persons who's,
money is invested in timber ant
sawmills, but to the many hun
dred thousands who are depen
dent upon the lumber industr,
for their living.
l Lumbermen have felt, 1t /
said, the effect of the replace
7 ment of their product by othe
y materials, but have not realize,
the extent to which il had takel
place. They have failed to adop
aggressive selling methods an
; have been unable to supply tn
n consumer with reliable informa
y ton regarding lumber, becaus
q they did not have it. A compli
y Gated system of grades is /
- use which Is not inteliigible t
U the average consumer and
= even the subject of considerabl
y dispute among lumbermen.
Manufactures of other build
ing material have spent larg
sums of money to obtain relia
d BILE information about thei
products. They have had to au
vertise extensively to make
place in the sun" for them
selves. Substitutes for lumbe
are guaranteed to meet specifi
:, cations which are easily under
. stood by the consumer. Thes
! facts, the report states, hav
combined to make the substi
= tutes increasingly popular.
For lumbermen to hold thei
markets against competing ma
terials, ii will be necessary fo
them to learn more about tn