14 



HARDWOOD RECORD 



Oclobrr 25, 191S. 



'iintry and il» i ,;"nc to imineniic dislancos; but 



those who know it bent iind nro nrqunintod with it« quiet bcuuly, con- 

 aider it one of the fioeat iitrvAnis to he found nnywhore. Tlic pnrt of it 

 prescntt>d in tho picture looks as if the hand of man had novor been 

 there, unless a close i ii is nindc. In that case a few 



stranded ta«lo(pi may I ; lyinR close boncnth the shore. 



That (fives n hint of iUiolhor chapter in tho river's history, a 

 chapter which has now drawn near its close. This was once a lum- 

 berman's river, as nearly all Michigan streams were, but it is no 

 longer in that claB.<i. The landlookcr, the lumberjack, and the boom 

 and splash dam builders have gone, never to return. Tho forests 

 which once sent dotvn their logs by tens of thousands on tho spring 

 floods have nearly all passed away, and farms now occupy the favorite 

 tracts in tho former wilderness. The few logs which yet go down 

 are mere stragglers bringing up the rear of a great industry which 

 made that region famous years ago. The calkbooted log rider who 

 waa onco a master of ceremonies has gone from the scenes of his 

 former activities. 



This stream has long enjoyed the reputation of being the most 

 beautiful stream in Michigan. That is laying claim to a great deal, 

 for Michigan has many rivers of rare beauty. The sportsman and tho 

 fislicrman find it interesting. The game laws have extended their pro- 

 tection over it, and though it flows through .1 densely populated 

 region, in some parts of its course at least, there are still good angling 

 in its waters and shooting on its shores; but the f;iriiiers, for tho 

 sako of orchards and berry patches, watch with jealous care the 

 huntsman and angler who follow the sylvan banks of the Pcro Mar- 

 quette. 



Tho Nimrods and Izaak Waltons, with fowling pieces and fishing 

 poles, must ever be on the lookout for the "no trespassing" notices, 

 and must guide their steps accordingly, or take chances on running 

 against obstacles in the shape of farmers at the edges of their fields 

 ready to enforce the edict, "hitherto shalt thou come but no farther." 

 It is not so open and free as it once was when tho white pine's 

 needles whistled in the wind and the woodsman's ax had not cut 

 the covering that separated ground and sky. 



Northern Manufacturers Have Reason to Be 

 Encouraged 



WUILE REPORTS WERE NOT YET IN at the time this issue 

 went to press covering hardwood operations in Wisconsin and 

 the majority of the mills in upper Michigan, the statistics offered at 

 the meeting of lower Michigan manufacturers at Detroit last Thurs- 

 day show a condition that is well within the control of the Michigan 

 operators, and which is giving continually increasing evidence tliat 

 that element of the hardwood manufacturing trade is going to reap 

 the reward of its sane, consistent policy of tlie last year. 



The Michigan Hardwood Manufacturers' Association compiled 

 statistics of the estimated cut and actual shipments for a certain 

 period, but on account of the unusual state of affairs as prevailing 

 during the past twelve months, the report was made more frequently 

 than ordinarily. Thus the figures as compiled up to the first of 

 October show the actual cut to that date for the first nine months 

 of this year. Naturally reports prior to that date were for estimated 

 cut, but a close comparison of the two develops tho fact that the 

 cut for 1915 at Michigan mills in the lower peninsula will aggregate 

 only 360,000,000 feet, which offers a very favorable comparison with 

 the cut of 470,000,000 feet of hardwoods in the same territory by 

 the same mills during 1914. 



The October first report shows that there is on hand but 194,000,000 

 feet of No. 2 and better hardwoods as compared to 211,000,000 feet 

 in 1914, and that since the first of July the stock at the mills has 

 decreased by 34,000,000 feet, which means that the Michigan manu- 

 facturers sold and shipped just 34,000,000 feet of hardwoods over 

 the amount produced. Of this quantity 23,000,000 feet is maple, and 

 of the 23,000,000 feet 19,000,000 is No. 2 and better. 



Owing mainly to the indisposition on the part of the railroads to 

 purchase any quantities of ties. No. 3 hardwoods have shown a slow 

 and cheap market up to a recent date. About two weeks ago the 

 market for No. 3 hardwoods began to stiffen with a large call for 



ties from Michigan railroads and steadily increasing box orders, with 

 the result that during thin period the market for No. 3 hardwoods 

 has risen one dollar a thousand. 



Tho most instructive lesson from those figures is the proof which 

 they give that it is not necessary to combine to maintain sane action 

 among himlx'r manufacturers. The only thing neccHxary is to edu- 

 cate manufacturers to the necessity of their taking individual action 

 for tho good of their own industries. The reduction in cut is tlie 

 direct result of previous reports of the market conditions committee 

 of the Michigan Hardwood Manufacturers' Association, which merely 

 established the actual condition of affairs and allowed the manu- 

 facturers to make their own deductions as to a wiN<> policy for tho 

 future. 



Tested by Storm 



A " 



r\ su 



MKilITY BLACK EYE was adniinisterod to one branch of the 

 Iffltitute propaganda in tho .South during the recent atoroi 

 which swept with almost unprecedented violence across three or four 

 states. In some localities the wind exceeded a velocity of one hun- 

 dred miles an hour, and towns and cities lay directly in its path 

 and caught tlio full force of its attack. Southern Mississippi, the 

 whole coast of Louisiana, and all of Texas bordering on the Gulf of 

 Mexico, felt the impact of the storm of wind and rain. 



The first Ics.son learned from the visitation was that the wooden 

 shingle stood the test and that most substitutes like slate, iron, paper, 

 felt, and tho whole lino of patented and unpatented roofing prepara- 

 tions, were found wanting. It is true that the test was unusually 

 severe, but the real value of roofs is proved by the severities which 

 they are able to stand. The old-fashioned wooden shingle, fastened 

 on with the old-fashioned nail, held its place while roofs of far more 

 expensive material were whipped off by the hurricane. The largest 

 damage reported from the storm-swept districts was due to rain which 

 poured into unroofed houses. There was no way to protect furniture, 

 libraries, and other contents from the heavy rain. Damage was 

 greatest in tho largo towns where building ordinances forbid the 

 use of wooden shingles. In the suburbs and in the country the roofs 

 of wood held fast. 



The object lesson was a severe one but it has not been in vain. 

 It demonstrated in a manner easily understood, that the agitation and 

 legislation against shingles have been ill-advised and have done a 

 great injustice to tho best roofing material within reach of the ordi- 

 nary builder. People had taken for granted that tho outcry against 

 shingles was based on reason; but the storm brought out facts in 

 their true light, and the advocates of roofing substitutes will have 

 many hard questions to answer when they again push their products. 



Tho attack against shingles in cities has been based on fire danger; 

 but tlio failure of substitutes to stand the storm in New Orleans has, 

 according to the press of that city, caused more loss in three days 

 than has ever been caused by fire. The old-time school debating 

 societies used to discuss the question whether fire or water causes 

 greater loss. As far as New Orleans is concerned, the decision has 

 been rendered in favor of water, through the aid and instrumentality 

 of substitute roofing materials. 



So far as fire danger increased by the use of wooden shingles is 

 concerned, measures have been devised whereby that can be largely 

 overcome. Wood may be made fireproof. Treatment by paints and 

 chemicals is now within reach of those who wish to take advantage 

 of it; and still cheaper processes are being tried out and are doubt- 

 less soon to be perfected. The fire argument as urged against shingles 

 is losing most of its force since science has largely succeeded in mas- 

 tering that danger. 



In the southern districts visited by the late storm the leading 

 shingle wood is cypress. That excellent wood has roofed southern 

 homes ever since the red man 's wigwam gave place to the white 

 man's abode. It has covered the hovel and the mansion house of the 

 wealthiest plantation; and the cypress shingle has never failed to do 

 its duty and to afford the protection demanded of it. It has been 

 called the ' ' wood everlasting, ' ' and the name is not undeserved. The 

 latest test which it stood in the teeth of a hundred-mile hurricane 

 has amply sustained its past reputation, and has proved again that 



