352 FOREST PRODUCTS 



Gradually the center of the shingle industry moved to the Pacific North- 

 west, where the western red cedar, which grows so abundantly in that 

 region, was found to be an ideal shingle wood. In the East, shingle mills 

 are usually located in connection with sawmills, the shingles often being 

 made of defective or misshapen portions of the butt logs of white pine, 

 yellow pine, spruce, cypress, etc. 



Shingle machines were introduced on a commercial basis about 1880. 

 Several years before that time western red cedar shingles were shipped 

 around South America to the Atlantic seaboard. The shaved shingle 

 industry had already assumed large proportions in the Puget Sound and 

 Columbia River sections. With the opening of the Northern Pacific 

 Railroad in 1883 came a great impetus in the manufacture of sawed 

 shingles and their distribution not only in the Northwest, but throughout 

 the prairie states. About the year 1892 and the year following came a 

 rapid increase in production and several hundred million shingles were 

 shipped to the Far Eastern markets. About 200 shingle mills were then 

 in operation in western Washington. At the present time, western red 

 cedar shingles are sent to every state in the Union and compete suc- 

 cessfully with shingles made from all other species. There are approx- 

 imately 350 shingle mills in Washington at the present time, most of 

 which are operated as separate industries. There are probably fewer 

 shingle mills to-day in the Pacific Northwest than a few years ago, but 

 there is a much larger annual output, however, due to the larger capacity 

 of the individual mill. Some of the larger shingle mills now have a 

 daily capacity of from 100,000 to 250,000 shingles or more per day of ten 

 hours. Some of the British Columbia mills exceed any of the Washing- 

 ton mills in daily capacity. 



QUALIFICATIONS OF SHINGLE WOODS 



The qualifications that are demanded in a wood used for shingles are 

 as follows: 



1. Durability. Shingles must withstand varying conditions of 

 moisture, the effects of weathering and the rapid changes of temperature. 

 Non-durable woods are practically unused for shingle purposes. 



2. Light weight. This factor is very important in transportation. 

 In order to compete successfully, the wood must be light in weight in 

 order to bear the heavy transportation charges incident to the shipping 

 of shingles to great distances. Shingles are always thoroughly seasoned 

 before shipment by rail. 



