The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-10-15
WOOD BEING REPLACED.
Many Substitutes Are Being Steadily
Used Instead.

Used Instead.
Twenty five years ago lumber was re-
garded as almost as much of a necessity
as wheat, while day IT is steadily
being replaced by various substitutes,
says a report by the Forest service on
"The Substitution of Other Materials for
Wood just off the press. Disregarding
| the temporary effect of the war, with its
sudden demand for lumber and its great
enhancement of prices OF many substi-
tute materials, the report points out the
tendency in the long run. Each year
more steel, concrete, brick or tile is be-
ing used in places where lumber was for
merly employed. This is particularly
true in cities where enactment of build
ing codes and the development OF new
forms of construction have created a de.
mand for more durable building material
Shingles have given way largely to com
position and tile roofings wooden side.
walks have been almost wholly replaced
by cement while the modern skyscraper
with its steel framework and stone. brick
or tile walls occupies the site of some
former 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 gov
eminent estimate that the total replace
ment Of lumber in all forms of use is
3 100000 600 board feet, or 81 per cent |
of the lumber consumption of the United |
States in 1915. The rate Of substitution |
70 a ia Il. III is -,
cess OF 100000 board feet year |
Approximately 10 per cent of the um-
Der cut goes into forms of use whose
demands appear to be decreasing Tween.
ty per cent more goes into strongly com
petitiye fields. In the remaining ten
per cent of wood uses, there seems to
be much better opportunity for larg-
er consumption.
Increasing substitution has not, how
ever, lowered lumber prices to the 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
ocal timber and discovery of new sources
Tor the manufacture of other building
material are given as some Of the reasons
VI Nittet NAdilEtHs ~sIpIt IMAM - PEI tttI
# the replacement of wood. however,
5 made in spite of higher initial cost of
he substitute
The effect of the growing use of other
has been TO accentuate compe-
ition and decrease profits in the lumber
business. As a result of this and other
eason, alternate periods of curtailment
nd production have made the lum-
er market unstable This in turn has !
esulted to the disadvantage not only of
he persons whose money is invested
4 timber and sawmills, but 10 the many !
undred thousands who are dependent
pom the lumber industry for their liv.
~
Lumbermen have felt, it is said, the !.
feet of the replacement of their prod
uct by other materials, but have. not :
ealized the extent to which il had tax. u
n place, They have failed TO adopt :
ggressive selling methods and have been q
nable to supply the consumer with re- 7
able information regarding lumber, be-
luse they did not have it. A complicated =
ystem of grades is in use which is not Z
Ineligible to the average consumer and
even the subject of considerable dis .
ute among mmbermen. I
Manufacturers of other building ma ~
rial have spent large sums of money :
} obtain reliable information about p
leir products. They have had to ad- y
,rtise extremely to make place in the ~ :,
IN" for themselves. Substitutes for lum- ~
n are guaranteed to meet specifications
hich are easily understood by the con. =
rmer. These facts, the report states, :
I'VE combined to make the substitutes
creasingly popular. a.
For lumbermen to hold their markets y. -
,ainst competing materials, il will be ~
'cessary for them to learn more about
e fundamental properties of wood,
c author OF the report says. They can
this either by scientific research for WI
emselyes or by cooperating with agen- m
IS already established. Better manu-
curing and selling methods, and the IN
of by-products should en- ~
lie them TO make a profit in spite of =
e limitations on the prices of lumber
lich may be imposed by competing sub 4
tutes.
Even with the increasing substitution |
+ wood, the report points out, there |
Il be need for all the wood in the Unit /
States, and more The total consump-
N Of the country for many years has |
en- far in excess of he growth Al
,dy in many regions timber shortage
. high prices have followed the ex-
ustion of the local supply. From the
bic standpoint there Is a real need
growing forests vastly larger than
now planned for.
proud ard Nauuhfv