The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-03-25

continued From rage one
building construction would be pro-
hibitive and in some cases almost i'm
possible
Therefore, we have something to
think about this evening which 1t is
in line OF Importance with the indus
try so well described by Mr. Whitaker
at the last meeting.
There are three headings under
which l would be pleased to discuss
this subject In their order they are
as follows: The supply; the demand,
the cost and sales price.
While the company I represent
carries in its two yards in Richmond
lumber from many sections OF the
United States, which include, for IL
lustration, the States. California.
Michigan, Wisconsin. Tennessee.
Louisiana, Florida and the Carolinas,
and also carry on hand woods from
the Philippines, Central America and
Africa. l feel that you would be
more interested in the wood that
grows closer home and my talk will
be largely confined to our southern
product, yellow pine.
II may interest you to know that
the NJ. NJ. Co. now have on hand at
their yards in West Richmond and at
their yards at South Richmond. ten
million feet of lumber. This Is kept
on a perpetual inventory, which en-
ables us to keep tab on everything we
have.
Taking up the first heading I will
say that no better authority could be
quoted than Col. Henry S. Graves,
Chief of the U. s. Forest Service. In
n statement recently made by Col.
Graves, he pointed out that the origi-
N loo IF in "a
be exhausted in ten years and that at
, least 5000 mills will go out Of exist
ence within five years.
Chief Forester Graves pointed out
the southern situation in advocating
the compulsory practive OF forestry on
! private timber lands. coupled with a
. liberal policy of public cooperation,
and ASSISTANCE. Quotipg verbatim the
remainder n Cot Graves statement,
read as follows:
"Our country is progressively de-
are far-reaching. The exhaustion Of
the forest is followed by the closing
of industries. the steady increase of
waste lands, the abandonment of
farms that depended for their mar
ket on the lumber communities, and
! the impoverishment of many regions
mo section of the country can af-
an unproductive waste. with the loss
! of taxation value and of industries OF
population that would be supported If
these Sands were productive. No sec
ton can afford to be dependent for its
supplies of wood products on another
section from 1000 to 5000 miles
away.
THE public should provide a sane
system OF taxation, It should cooper
e. IT, VnS. AYen
ton Of lumber, land classification.
colonization. problems OF labor, tech
nical matters involved In construc-
tive program Of forestry"
Our own observations has been In
| line with Col. Graves statement, and
we can see the rapid consumption OF
! lumber in our own section. 1t Is true
that second growth of small pines
| will. If allowed to stand, will develop
F, to cutting size in from fifteen to
| twenty years, but the largest and
strongest timbers must be obtained
| from trees which have lived to a ripe
old age.
We are Informed that the same
conditions apply to other sections, of
| .opr country, except in some parts Of
i the west where there stiIl remains
large tracts Of timber. The excessive
| freight rates from that section makes
prohibitive the use of this lumber in
the east for ordinary building pur-
poses, 80 we will not spend the time
to discuss it.
seem that we should consider care
fully any continued postponemcnt of
construction work. requiring tho use
OF our southern timbers.
Demand: Fifty to eighty per cent
OF lumber cut by mills In Atlantic