New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1920-09-24


the industries westward, where they
found magnificent virgin hardwood
stands and expanded rapidly. In the
last ID or 20 years they have been
forced to reach out both north and
south for timber, as the forests along
the Ohio river were exhausted. At
present their sources of supply are
very largely the more remote and in
accessible pnrts of the Appalachian
mountains and the lower Mississippi
valley. When these forests are cut
out no other extensive virgin hard
wood forests will be left for the indus
tries TO draw on
Furniture Industry Speculative.
A demand for furniture in excess of
the normal capacity of the factories.
low stocks Of hardwood lumber, great
ly decreased production and the diff
Guilty and uncertainty of obtaining adj
equate supplies of material have all
injected a very large speculative ele-
ment into the furniture industry.
Veneer is widely used by furniture
makers, manufacturers of musical in
~struments, the automobile industry
and b~Oymakers. The veneer maker re-
quires high-grade logs. usually 10
inches or more at the small end, which
come for the most part from virgin
stands of timber. Red gum, white u
from the South. and maple, birch and
Eastwood from the North are most
generally used. The general depletion
of hardwoods has made the industry
dependent largely upon the lower Mis-
sissippi valley, our only reserve of yir-
gin hardwoods of any extent. Adverse
weather conditions here have caused
n falling off in log supplies. Wholesale
prices have gone up 300 to 400 per
cent and users have bid frantically
against each other. The consumer.
says the report, pays the full bill, and
more.
No substitute has been found for
the high-grade hickory and ash re-
quircd by handle makers and the vehi-
Gle and agricultural implement indus
tries. The supplies came principally
from the South, where the most ac-
cessible supplies have already been
cut. SO scarce has the supply become
that large firms are literally combing
the territory 10 secure material. II Is
said that five years more will see the
end of the supply of the Northern up
land ash, which is preferred 10 the
swamp-grown variety OF the .ower Mis-
slssippi valley.
New Anti-Aircraft Gun.
Anti-aircraft guns manufactured by
the army ordnance department during
the al were designed, for the
most aprt. in 1917 during the
early stages of the war. The prin-
cipal Improvements recommended by
those consulted in regard to the
features desired ia such artillery are
n shorter time OF flight of the projec-
tile, II means of setting up the mount
in n horizontal plane aud absolute sta
bility when firing.
In the light of those recommendl.
tons the ordnance department Is
building two calibers Of anti-alrcrnft
guns and mounts therefor.
One of them is n three-inch gun that
will give to the projectile a muzzle
velocity of 2,GOO ieet a second, and
will have IN elevation from zero 10
50 degrees and u traverse Of $50 de-
grees.
By an ingenious design Of pedestal
mount, 1t can he set up Oh Il fixed EN-
placement or on a vehicle of the trail
or or self-propelled type. The pedes-
tai Is provided with "A self-contained
adjustment for leveling the %traverslng
parts so that, when the mount Is used
on a vehicle. IL may be- easily put In
operative condition.
A self-propelled vehicle also Is being
designed for the gun and mount. Ii
can travel on rubber-tired wheels on
ordinary roads or be converted into
caterpillar traction for travel over
rough roads and open country.
What Heavier Gun is Like.
The other gun is a I.T-lnch piece,
designed To give n muzzle velocity of
2,GO0 feet per pound. 1t is carried OF
Il mount similar to that for the three
inch gun. Loading at all elevations
will be done by a hammer which is
operated by compressed air. The
weight Of n round of ammunition and
the high elevation make the loading
system necessary Tor rapid fire. A
self.propellcd convertible wheeled and
caterpillar vehicle also is being manu-
featured for this gun.
The signal corps installed at Camp
o., during the target com
petitions there, an exhibit of some OF
Its apparatus and equipment, includ-
ing radio telephone outfits. One of
the most useful features of the In
stallation is a long-wave in%terceptlng
radio receiver. which Is used TO In
press messages passing over
telegraph wires, and the messages r
on a bulletin board at the camp.
Thus those In attendance at the camp
are given the latest news before 1t is
published In the newspapers TO which
il is sen
Development Of improved armor
~projectiles for the army Is
progressing satisfactorily. The gov
is now producing 14-inch
.Drojectiles that penetrate 14-inch
lrmorplate at 20 degrees from per
.Dendlcular (normal). Several projec-
tilaS have becn fired. and additional
of further supplies will be held
10 give an impact against the plate at
. degrees from normal.
in Place - Ammunition.
One Of the largest British engineer
ne firms has transformed its immense
ammunition works into a locomotive