The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-01-22
WOOD NOW USED FOR
MANUFACTURE OF AT
LEAST 1000 ITEMS
Prophesy That Wood Will Be
Poured Instead of Sawed
in Near Future
CONSERVATION NECESSARY
Lumber Industry in U. S. Ranks
Eighth in Value of Prod
ucts Turned Out
BY Frederic J. HaSkin

BY Frederic j. Haskin
Washington, D. c., Jan. 22-New
methods of using cellulose, that fun
damental structural part of plants and
trees, is revolutionizing wood utiliza-
ton, and it is said that the "Cellulose
Age is at hand. According to those
who know, wood utilization is already
taking a place in the chemical as well
as in the mechanical field, and this
change will be accelerated because the
product of forests is an inexhaustlble
resource.
The prophesy is made that wood
will be poured instead of sawed,
women's daintiest lingerie, substitutes
for steel, and ever sugar will be made
from tin fact. they r made from
it now-and young forests will be cut
in swathes by ~gargantuan harvesters
which are more nearly real than they
are imaginary.
Boards of the future will be poured
and moulded instead Of cut and
nailed. Wood will be reduced to cellu-
lose, poured into a hopper, and COM
pleted door frames will emerge from
the mould. It will be blown through
holes and come out in infinitesimal
threads to be spun into rayon. In
fact, one of these long looks into the
future. which brings up weird, mod
ernistic visions. pictures the plastics-
materials based on cellulose-fighting
a life and death battle with that
synonym for strength steel - for
amazing strength a be blended in
these new products. It emissions tree
crops harvested by Enthusiastically gil
gantic machines which operate like
the harvesters and reapers in the
wheat fields today.
It goes without saying that science
will turn to the one natural resource
which a be always at its service to
supply industry. Other natural re-
sources, such as coal, ore, and other
minerals may eventually become de-
pleted, an improbable but not impoS-
sible happening, but wood always a
be restored and its future uses need
have no limitation other than ingenu-
ity.
1t Is pointed out that with the
march Of science and invention, indus
try bids fair to be an intellectually
growing market for wood products
and that the uses of wood are being
multiplied far more rapidly than the
production of trees is being increased.
Myriad Uses For Wood
There are even now 1000 uses for
wood. The lumber and secondary
woodworking industries Of the United
States are third in the list of Is in
dustrial groups in number of wage
earners, fourth in amount of wages
paid. and eighth in value Of products.
They represent $4,000 900 900 Of cap
ital, So, 500 ,OOO, 900 in value of annual
products. and 1000 900 in number of
employees.
Moreover, when lumber prices were
at their highest the lumber on the
woodlot alone. has been worth $780,
900 900 to the farmer who used and
sold large quantities, consuming about
40 per cent of the total output Of the
country annually. His bill for forest
products in one year has amounted
to more than $165 600, 900 and this
amount does not include what he has
used from his own formerly neglect
ed woodlot which supplies him with
fuel, fence posts, and other timber.
One large daily newspaper now uses
in n year the spruce growth of a
century on $500 acres of forest. Pulp
wood used in the manufacture of
paper amounted to $780, 900 cords in
a single year. Railroad ties, furni-
ture, joists and millwork, and other
lumber used in construction, use vast
quantities of wood. The wood box
and crate industries also drain the
forests.
The wooden lead pencils used In
this country in one year number one
billion. Telegraph and telephone lines
are maintained with the help of five
million trees which are converted
every year from growing things to
inanimate poles. Mines consume $50
million cubic feet Of wood. and the
cooperage industry uses $50 million
cubic feet annually. Other industries
that use vast quantities of forest prod
ucts include the building, railroad,
automobile, furniture, veneer, and
planning mill. AS much as 46 billion
feet OF lumber has been produced in
n year and the amount now varies
between 80 and 40 billion.
When unemployment became pro-
nounced, forests in the United States
supplied some relief for that condi-
ton. Massachusetts, forests en-
ployed men who had been without a
means of livelihood for months and
work for unframed men was found.
Moreover, it vas distributed in var
ious parts Of the state so that more
than III section was benefited.
One Of the southern states has
proposed to undertake a large refor-