The Tmiber Supply of North America. i6i 



If the above estimate^be at all approximate to the correct figures, 

 fifty years will exhaust all the forest on the east side of the Rocky 

 Mountains. 



Michigan has 1,571, Minnesota 926 saw-mills. Westward beyond 

 the Missouri there is nothing but a treeless plain entirely dependent 

 on the ]N"orth West States for its timber supply. 



Taking a comprehensive view over the whole country, I find that 

 all the Eastern States excepting Maine, New York, and Pennsylvania, 

 are practically denuded of their timber. The three states excepted 

 have as yet a surplus, but at the present rate of consumption cannot 

 last longer than fifteen years. 



The sum total of manufactured timber in America amounts to 

 12,756,000,000 feet annually, and by adding all timber manufactured 

 and used in private consumption, exclusive of firewood, will pipe up 

 <a total of 20,000,000,000 feet. Allowing 600 feet of inch boarding to 

 the ton weight, 20 billions will give 30,000,000 tons ; enough to 

 freight every ship, boat, and cobble of the whole world, the aggregate 

 tonnage of which is set down at 18,000,000. 



The total number of saw-mills sawing timber is 26,000. There are 

 63,938 establishments, producing articles made of wood, giving 

 employment to 543,400 hands. By taking the first and second 

 industries, based on the use of timber, the value of raw material used 

 will exceed £150,000,000. 



The reader will form a good idea of the enormous consumption of 

 timber in this great Republic from the following items. There are 

 85,000 miles of railway, consuming yearly 2,000,000 tons of sleepers, 

 a yearly supply of 25,000, tons of telegraph poles, and 125,000 miles 

 of railway fences to keejj in repair. Prom 30,000 to 40,000 acres 

 are annually cut down to burn brick, and 5,000 tons of the very best 

 pine timber are yearly manufactured into matches. Of white birch 

 XlOOjOOO worth is annually cut up into shoemakers' pegs, and about 



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