464 LUMBER RESOURCES OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



well timbered, and that region around the headwaters of the rivers, but 

 the best of this has been lumbered off, much of it going by canals to 

 Albany. Another tract in Elk County, covered the divide between the 

 Sinnamahoning and the Clarion. This timber was sometimes of great 

 dimensions, and sometimes dividing near the root, doubtless from some 

 accident by reason of snows, or from loss of terminal bud from insects 

 or other cause, so that the two trunks grew from one root. A single tree 

 is described from this region that made 13,100 feet of lumber. Another 

 range of white pine lay west of the Delaware, northward from Lacka- 

 waxen, and between the Lackawaxen and Panpack Creek, in Wayne and 

 the northern part of Luzerne, Wyoming, and Sullivan, along the region 

 drained by the North Branch of the Susquehanna, but this has been 

 mostly cleared off. The principal pine district now worked is on the 

 West Branch and its tributaries, the production from whence, from 

 1851 to 1870, inclusive, is estimated to have been about six billion of 

 feet. This vast amount represents an area of about 2,100 square miles. 



The rafting business upon the Susquehanna began about 1807, when 

 two brothers named Phelps conducted the first raft of spars down from 

 Owego, N. Y., and sold for 25 cents per cubic foot. The business has 

 continued till the present day, but is declining in importance every 

 year. The best days of rafting in this river were from 1833 to 1840, 

 when the amount was several times greater than at present. 



From 2,0()0 to 2,500 rafts of hewn timber are started every year from 

 the headwaters, and 1,000 to 1,200 and sometimes 1,500 reach tide- 

 waters. They will average 6,000 cubic feet toi-the raft. There are also 

 a few spar rafts. The principal distributing point is at Port Deposit, 

 in Maryland, on the east side, and not far from the mouth of the river. 

 The largest part goes to Philadelphia, and the next largest to New York, 

 the rafts being towed through the canals. Baltimore and other markets 

 receive the rest. 



In former days a great number of board-rafts came down with the 

 spring floods. They contained about 54,000 feet, board measure, but now 

 with increased facilities 05,000, 70,000, and even 80,000 feet can be 

 floated on one raft. About 20,000,000 feet of boards, manufactured in 

 mills above, are brought down every year in rafts and boats, and dis- 

 tributed at Port Deposit, and from seven to nine millions at other points. 

 But few shingles are brought down, but about 2,000,000 Michigan 

 shingles are brought annually to Port Deposit for distribution with tim- 

 ber and lumber, to various markets. Formerly large amounts of staves 

 and heading were brought down upon rafts, but now the amounts are 

 much reduced, and they are brought in boats. 



In the spring of 1873 an ice dam was formed near Port Deposit, 

 which did a vast amount of damage to the property of the place, and to 

 the lumber business of that season, the effects of which are still felt. 



It may not be unprofitable to notice how prices have changed at Port 

 Deposit since an early period of the lumber trade. 



From 1833 to 1835 the average price of common pine lumber was $7 

 to $8 per thousand feet, the highest being about $10.50. Now boat- 

 lumber averages about $22. The best grades, then $18 to $20, are now 

 $35 to $42. 



Square pine timber, then worth 5 to 8 cents or sometimes 10 to 12 

 cents the cubic foot, now sells at 16 cents, and in 1873 it was 20 to 25 

 cents. White-oak hewn timber, then 12 to 14 cents, is now 20 to 22 ; 

 and in its highest rates of 1871-'72, it was 30 to 35 cents. 



The West Branch Canal was finished October 15, 1835, and opened 



