The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-07-26
SPEED OUTPUT OF
 SPRUCE LUMBER To Increase Production from Northwest To 30 Billion
 Feet Monthly. 16,000 MEN NOW
 IN THE INDUSTRY Force Will Be Doubled by Government In Effort to Furnish Airplanes

ANGW OIhI July 1o-OPIuCc, WHICH is the most desirable timber for the construction of airplanes, is recogniz- war, and arrangements have been made for greatly increasing the pro- dTction in Oregon and Washington, regarded as the two principal states from which spruce lumber Is obtain ed. From 10 to 30 billion feet of spruce a month is the aim of the Spruce Division of the United States | army, which has headquarters at Portland, Ore, the centre of the great spruce area of the Pacific Northwest. The production of spruce in those states has recently been speeded up i to a remarkable degree.
 There are now from 1000 to 16,- 900 men engaged in the forests of Oregon and Washington, in the cut up mills, and in the traffic department i preparing the raw stock and semi finished spruce products for the great airplane manufacturers of the coun- try, and for shipment to our Allies. The number will very shortly be in- creased to 30,000. Vast equipment has been assembled to handle this great work. Mills have been built, scores of donkey engines have been placed where needed, steel cable is being employed in such quantities that other lines of industrial activity have diffi- culty in obtaining sufficient quantities for their requirements. After the spruce has gone through various pre- liminary operations it must be dried, and for this branch of the work two- score large dry kilns have been erect ed, and it is now proposed to increase the number of kilns to PA units.
 Although the production of spruce in the Pacific Northwest has recently been increased TOO per cent prepara- tions have been made for an increase of 300 to 400 per cent. over the pres ent enormous output. It is said that Great Britain and France alone can consume in airplane construction practically all of the spruce produced in the Pacific Northwest today, hence the plans for increasing the produc- ton, as the demands of the United States as well as those of our allies 2 must be met.
 Methods almost revolutionary ir character were adopted in spruce pro- ductton, when the United States en- tered the war, on account of the sud den demand for spruce lumber. Some features of the scheme of production were experimental, and while meet ing the emergency for the time being later were abandone entirely or were recast better to meet requirements The system of irving" was adopted in the Pacific Northwest and at frs met with much criticism because i was claimed that there was too mucl 4 waste. It now appears that whilt 8 there is an apparent waste there i no actual waste for the reason tha unused slabs from the irving camp will be gathered up and turned to use & full account. But irving is said t have served a great purpose, it pro M duced more quickly the desired quan 2 tity of spruce for our airplane pro duction; it resulted in the saving o space on freight cars, and 1t produc ed in rough form just that quantity o spruce which must be utilized in air plane construction.
 Airplanes can be made of pine hemlock and fir, but according to tn
 
 E will measure up to spruce. A Libert motor, it is said, will drive a two seated Devhaviland airplane 147 mile an hour if it is made up of spruc while if the machine is built of tn other materials mentioned the spec will be reduced in proportion to th extra weight. Spruce, therefore,
 regarded as essential. In addition that quality of lightness, strengtl and resillency 1t will not fractu when struck by bullet.
 The known stands of spruce timbt is Oregon and Washington are est mated at 11,000, 1000 feet. Gre
 care is exercised in the selection "a spruce for airplanes, the selecti7 $ system being adopted. Compar E lively little of the stands are readi E accessible to transportation, and was found necessary not only to bui # wagon roads, but actually to ent
 upon such an extensive system
 railroad construction. The lar
 stands of spruce where the percenta M of quality runs high average abo
 30. miles from railroad lines, so fl railroads into the spruce belts are
 operation or being constructed, and
 is expected that by next winter u tremendous effort will supplement t @ present operations to such an exte
 that the supply of spruce will me
 than exceed the requirements of t United States and her allies.
 In April 10 per cent. of the spru production in the Pacific Nerthwt
 was sent to American factories, a
 90 per cent, to Europe, In May
 per cent. went to American factor # and 70 per cent. to Europe, Ho
 ever, from now on American factor
 requirements will mount, and t
 quantity going to Europe cannot reduced, so it means that the pl
 duction of spruce has got to be creased.
 While spruce is bringing a big pr
 in the Pacific Northwest, it is es E mated that the cost of airplanes
 affected but slightly on account of |
 high price paid for the lumber, I
 fore the government took charge
 the production spruce was selling
 $250 a thousand feet, and it is st
 that not half of it was fit to go il
 airplanes. Now the best is being
 tained, and with practically no
 crease in cost. Under government