FORESTRY PROBLEM OP MICHIGAN. 43 



production in that region reached the highest point in 1874. The total 

 is set at 1,500,000,000 feet. 



In the Saginaw valley statistics were kept which give the cut of lumber 

 from 1851 as aggi'egating 23,110,000,000. Besides the product in shingles, 

 lath, pickets and other unreported uses, together with the estimate of 

 the amount of timber cut and used locally, prior to 1851, gives a total 

 of 30,000 million feet. 



A considerable factor in the timber product of the Saginaw valley, 

 was the square oak timber and stave trade, which in the ten vears from 

 1869 to 1879, was over 17,000.000 cubic feet, equal to 210,000,000 feet, 

 board measure. This product alone was sold for about |3,500,000 on 

 board the vessel at Saginaw ; and the stave trade, estimated from 1860 to 

 1879, at an average of the prices then obtained, was nearly $3,000,000 ; 

 so that from these two sources alone, the product of that region fetched in 

 money, nearly six million and a half of dollars. 



This business was ended by 1880. 



The lumber production of the Huron shore, from Saginaw bay to Al- 

 pena, is estimated at 12,000 million feet; the Cheboygan district about 

 3.500 million feet; Grand Rapids and its neighborhood about 3,500 million 

 feet ; Grand Haven and the Lake Michigan shore have sent to the Chi- 

 cago market about 50,000 million feet; the total reported output of the 

 Muskegon valley, from 1873 to 1896, was 518 million feet, log measure. 

 Allowing for the cut previous to 1873, the unreported cut of small up 

 country mills, and the reported lumber freight of the principal railroads, 

 Mr. Hotchkiss makes d total estimate of 25,000 million of feet. 



The White river (Whitehall and Montague) are credited with 2,000 

 million; Ludington with a production of 3,125 million; the Manistee river 

 and region product is estimated at 8.204 million feet. 



In 1892 a committee of leading men of Manistee, in a memorial to 

 Congress asking for improvement of their harbor, estimated that there 

 was then 4.200 million feet of standing timber tributary to the Manistee 

 river. The timber tracts referred to were about the only extensive body 

 of timber supply then remaining on the Lower Peninsula. 



The Green Bay, or Menominee, region production is put at 20,000 mil- 

 lion, which is divided between the Wisconsin lauds, 3-7. and the Michigan 

 forests, 4-7, the Michigan portion being 11,428 millions. 



The Manistique river on the L^pper Peninsula has made a gTOSs pro- 

 duction of 4,000 million feet; Marquette as a center has manufactured 

 and shipped 1,000 million; Ontonagon county 4,000 million; Houghton 

 county 3,000 million; Baraga county 6,000 million. 



The railroads have hauled logs from the head waters of the several 

 river systems, where floating was impracticable, and their tonnage of logs 

 must be taken into the account. 



The F. & P. M. reports to 1896 4.920 millions. 



The Jackson. L. & Saginaw (M. C. ) 4.500 millions. 



Bet. Bay City (M. C.) about 1.000 millions. 



The D., L. & N. (now P. M.) 2.818 millions. 



The G. R. & I. (Pa.) 6,000 millions. 



Of this latter, about one-half is credited to Cadillac and the mills in its 

 neighborhood. 



The C. & W. M. (now P. M.) 2,600 millions. 



