Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-30

The utilization of short-length lum.
Der In the construction of small houses
and farm buildings Is urged by the
construction subcommittee of the ma.
tiona1 committee on wood utilization
as q feature Of the Hoover waste
elimination program. Tens OF millions
OF dollars can be saved annually, 1t is
declared, and billions of feet of soft
wood lumber can be conserved.
The national committee Is composed
of over 100 members. representing
manufacturers, distributors and con.
sumers of lumber and wood products,
with Secretary Hoover as chairman.
I'm building and construction, as in
nearly every branch of lumber-con-
Stunning industries. there Is a definite
lise for lumber of short lengths says
the Secretary In presenting the sub.
committees report. AT present short
lengths are seldom purchased rs such,
hut are cut from long lengths at the
point of consumption. leaving a. large
quantity OF short Length lumber unuti.
lized at the mills. This constitutes a
serious waste of valuable raw ma
terial, the prevention of which is of
equal interest to manufacturers, dis.
tributors and consumers.
THE welfare of the Nation is to a
alton of our forests. The use of short
lengths wherever practicable will
lessen the drain on our timber re-
sources, effect a. saving In the cost of
lumber to the consumer and bring us
ore step closer to commercial refor.
estation through more efficient utiliza-
ton of the raw material.
The report points out that the
United States and Canada are the only
countries In which short-length lun-
Der IL not readily marketed for build
ing and construction purposes. and 1t
also states hundreds Of thousands of
small homes and farm structures are
being built In this country every year,
and wherever In their construction
long lengths Of lumber are used when
short lengths would serve the purpose
just as well, the result Is waste.
When Economy Was Not Important.
Years ago, when conservation of for.
est products was not important. or at
least did not appear to be so, the Gus.
torn OF demanding long lengths OF
lumber originated. But those times
have passed, says the report, and with
them must no the extravaga.nt habits
and apparently unlimited supply ere,
Ated. for this wasteful practice Is put
ting q drain on our forests that I'M,
less stopped inevitably means higher
prices for all lumber and increased
building costs.
Short lengths are those of less than
g. feet. Thirty-eight billion feet of soft
wood lumber were produced In the
United States in 1925, and 1t Is stated
that this output could haze been in
creased one.hfth without the Telling
OF an additional tree or the Investment
OF an additional dollar In mill equip
ment if lumber in lengths Of less than
8 feet had been In wider demand.
One factor representing a substan-
tial saving to the consumer is based
upon the general practice OF mills
throughout the United States to quote
short lengths Is to IS per cent below
the price asked for standard lengths
Of equal grade. Washington builders
say they have not been encouraged in
the use of short lengths. because the
price made them Is on the average
only % per 900 board feet below that
for standard lengths.
On that basis, they claim, there can
be no appreciable saving, If, indeed,
any whatever, to the builder or the
consumer, because of the additional
cost of handling the short lengths.
There Is no economy, they say. In
using, for example, short.length joists
when to do so necessitates an extra
beam and additional pillars. Further.
more, they contend that the greater
utilization of short lengths depends in
a large degree upon educating car
penters up to the idea. The average
carpenter of today who finds place
where short length is needed or can
be used goes Immediately and saws 1t
off long length. He can't be both
cred to look for a short length, or he
forgets to hunt out the short lengths
that may have. been provided. Only
an ever-vieilant foreman can see to II
that the men under him do not waste
lumber needlessly In this way.
/ These builders are In the main
agreed, however, that a material saw
ing of lumber can be effected when
frame construction Is fabricated as is
steel construction--that Is to say,
when every piece of lumber that goes
| into the building has been cut at the
mill to AT Its individual place and mum.
bered, 30 the assembling at the place
OF construction can be done In the
minimum length of time and with a
minimum amount of labor
Mills Work From the Plans.
Under such a system there would
he at least one and perhaps several
| fabricating mills In every town and
city. The contractor who In to erect
! a structure with any considerable
| amount OF lumber In II would take the
| architects plans to such mill and
| place an order to have the lumber re-
= niiirAd 1andAr the MANS Fabricated