Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-19

,ecpyrisht. 1917 by Frank C. Carpenter)
49,. 80, HE lumber industry OF the United
States is being modified for the
ILL needs of the army and navy
q This means the bringing to Uncle
Sans aid of a force of 100000 workers
and the utilization of capital amounting
to billions 1t means the having at call
more than ~ 900 sawrnills and the ability
to command something like 2o.ooo.eoo, 900
leet of lumber which now lies at the
mills or in the yards and other distriout-
Eng centers throughout the country
=, During my travels through the south
-Yound everywhere an extraordinary ac-
-tiyity in the lumber industry. The scream
of the saws at the mills and in the woods
WED with the shrek of the locomotives.
and was told that 500 plants are now
srunning day and night in the southern
nine region. New shipyards have been
established at almost every port. and a
total OF something like 00,000.o0O OF
new capital has gone into steel and wood
shipbuiIding establishments AT New
.0rieans has been established govern
yneft war order organization known as
the southern pine emergency bureau, ana
there are similar organizations in every
lunlber-producing center
-ere.
roIn fact the numbering and woodworking
Industries of the United States are close
Iy associated with the authorities at
Washington, and are doing all they can
tu-supply the governments needs The
various lumber associations have had
their committeeman in close consultation
with the Army and Navy departments
They have worked out specifications and
prices for all the material needed. ana
government orders are being given the
.iEht of way. This has been done in such
away that millions OF dollars will be
saved to the government through the
lumber industry. and it will contribute
Largely TO the defense of the nation
Few people realize how big factor
tie lumber industry is in the present
situation and how wide are its ramih-
cations in connection with the army
and navy. During the past week l
Eaxe talked with some of the CHIEF
lumber authorities who have been fg-
liEfug upon the government spectfca-
tions, and from the forestry bureau I
have gotten some figures as to our
lumber supply Among the men | have
interviewed is r. S. Kellogg. the sec
rotary of the National Lumber Manu-
Tacturers' Association. who is perhaps
es.wel1 posted as to the exact situation
regarding the government any man
IN the country Much Of the inforIna-
zion in this letter comes from him.
In round numbers the government
will need about 1000 600. 900 feet of
lumber, board measure. for the army
ana navy THIS year Nt Ig GTrS mean
nothing to the man on the street. but
they will be better appreciated when
E-teN you that il takes about 10000
fest of lumber TO build the average
five or six room cottage. and that, on
this basis. this big lumber order would
be sufficient TO build homes for a city
of a million inhabitants 1t would
house more people than there are In
any city of the United States, except
ing New York. Chicago and Philadel-
phia- II the lumber were loaded on
New Orleans to New York and half
way on from New York to Boston.
-:
land now let us see where the lumber
SE4sI go. More than one-fourth of it will
ne required for the mobilization camps
Of our new army of 100000 men. 1t
viii be put Into long one and two story
buildings. forming the best arranged
md most up-to-date barracks that have
ever been known. These buildings are
now rising like Aiaddin's palace; which
was built in a night. Take for in
stance the officers training camp at
Hort Sheridap; That camp required
lumb Der. or enough to make a floor for
a-feld over twenty-five acres. or a
boardwalk a foot wide reaching from
SeT York to Boston The contract was
awarded 10 a construction company in
Chicago on Saturday. evening, April IS,
and, by noon on Sunday the order for
the material was sent out. That same
afternoon five auto truckloads of lum-
her We're shipped to build quarters for
the working force engaged on the job.
and at o'clock Sunday evening fifty
empty cars were the tracks of the
humber company. The whole of that
lumber was loaded the following day.
and that Notwithstanding more than
one-third of il had TO be run through
the planning mill before il was shipped.
The stuff was on the ground by Tues
day morning. and within ten working
days from the start the great barracks,
mess buildings and other structures
.&ffe completed. with their tables.
toilets, shower baths and everything
needed.
The same kind of work is going on in
the building of the great barracks for
fha army of "a million men. These are
= being erected at the mobilization sites
: throughout the country. Every camp
has been furnished with specifications
FOR the kind and grade OF lumber best