Bogalusa enterprise and American. (Bogalusa, La.) 1918-19??, 1919-07-03
Lumber Prices
Are On the Rise

The special committee of the Leg
islature of Illinois, appointed to in
vestigate the cost of building mate
rial, has recently made the following
report of its findings concerning the
cost and prices of lumber.
Lumber, because of its high
price, became the subject of inquiry
by this commission, but there is more
than mere high price which brings
lumber before US as subject for
most careful consideration.
"The destruction of forests as
consequence and a necessity of the
late world war, together with a pol
icy of past years resulting in need
less waste, presents very serious
question to the entire world.
This commission attempts to an
alyze the price of lumber, not alone
from the standpoint of cost as repre-
scented by several constituent parts,
but from the standpoint of its rela-
tive value.
Lumber VS. Other Commodities
''In 1913 one thousand feet off
lumber purchased 23.4 bushels of
wheat as against 12.4 bushels in
1917. In 1913 one thousand feet of
lumber purchased 35 bushels of corn
as against 1873 bushels in 1917. One
thousand feet of lumber purchased
200 pounds of hogs in 1913 as
against $50 pounds in 1917. One
thousand feet of lumber purchased
201 pounds of bacon in 1913 as
against 100 pounds in 1917. One
thousand feet of lumber purchased
10 barrels Of apples in 1918 as
against 81 barrels in 1917. One
thousand feet OF lumber purchased
100 pounds of cotton in 1913 as
against 1873 pounds in 1917. One
thousand feet of lumber purchased
1913 yards of cotton sheeting in 1913
as against ZIG yards in 1917 One
thousand feet of lumber purchased
1894 pounds of steel rails in 1913
as against 1928 pounds in 1917.
"In considering the question of
lumber values, this commission has
seen fit to look upon stumpage values
as one thing, ard lumber values as
another. Stumpage values are de-
termined by the demand on the part
of lumber manufacturers for timber
to be converted into lumber to meet
the demand for lumber. Under nor
NAL conditions timber or stumpage
values respond TO increased demand
for lumber, but because of peculiar
economic conditions relating there
to, to-wit: A constantly diminishing
supply of raw material, such values
do not respond to falling markets on
lumber.
"Under present abnormal condi-
tions brought about by the war and
its consequent effect upon all other
industries, as we'll as upon capital,
no great demand has existed in the
country for timber, and in conse-
quence timber or stumpage values
have not increased in the same pro-
portion as have other commodities;
but with the world as a market fol-
lowing settled conditions in the sew
eral countries, which have been at
war, stumpage or timber values in
this country viii, in the opinion OF
the commission. increase materially,
not alone because of the great de-
mand for lumber, but because of the
fast diminishing supply.
Higher Prices Predicted
"The lumber situation is interna-
ton in it's scope. There is a worldyl
wide demand, but only limited field
of production. With over twepy
million acres of timber destroyedby
artillery fire or burned for strategic
purposes during the world war; with
Russian sawmills dismantled, strip
ped of all machinery, which re Boil
sheviks sold to the Germans, ma gen
eral industrial chaos throuP Russia,
Canada and the United gates VIII
he called unon to supply COST OF. the |
timber needed for the reconstruction
period. With the demah far great
er than ever before. Jas the opin- |
ion of witnesses calleI and 1t IS the |
opinion of this commflon, that lum- |
Der prices will go y rather than