LUMBER CUT OF UNITED STATES, 1870-1920. 13 



For several years lumbering operations on the Pacific Coast have 

 been increasing. 



In 1920, with the exception of New York, the only States which 

 increased their production were those of the Pacific group and part 

 of those in the Kocky Mountains. The growing ascendancy of the 

 West is plainly evident, as shown by Figure 6. The production 

 curves of the Southern States are falling rapidly, but those of the 

 Rocky Mountains and the Pacific coast are ascending upon a steeper 

 slant, and for the first time they exceed the production of the south- 

 ern pine group. Whether there will be a period of increased cut of 

 southern timber before the southern graph descends still further is 

 a question upon which no confident prediction can be made. 



As a further indication of the regional shift the number of Class 5 * 

 mills on the Pacific coast increased by 18 per cent in 1920, while the 

 South and the Lake States each apparently lost about one-eighth of 

 their Class 5 mills. There is a degree of uncertainty in this evidence 

 because 1920 was a year of such reduced production in the East that 

 some of the southern mills included in this count may merely have 

 fallen into a lower production class. On the other hand, some of the 

 western mills of Class 4 may have increased their cut to Class 5 dimen- 

 sions. There is less doubt, however, when we examine the mill figures 

 on another basis, including Class 3, 4, and 5 mills in the comparison, 

 which means all mills cutting over a milhon feet per annum. Of such 

 mills "the Pacific coast showed a gain of 169, or 26.7 per cent, in 1920 

 as compared with 1919, while the number of similar mills in the 

 southern pine and North Carolina pine groups of States, combined, 

 decreased by 490, or 19.7 per cent. In general it appears that many 

 southern mills are nearing the end of their cut and either going out 

 of business or moving to the West. 



The recapitulation under Table 4 shows that all of the lumbering 

 regions except the Pacific and Rocky Mountains are past their maxi- 

 mum production. Although the South probably will retain a strong 

 position in the lumber production of the country for a number of 

 years, there is every indication that its ascendency in the lumber 

 world has passed the zenith and that henceforth we must look more 

 and more to the West as the main center of supply. 



Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10 show that in 1920 most of the species 

 exhibiting an increased cut are western species. During 1919 and 

 1920 western lumber greatly extended its hold upon the eastern mar- 

 ket. The greatly reduced cut of the Lake States and the inability of 

 the storm-bound South to deliver diminished the competing power of 

 those regions. The greatly increased prices for the first time enabled 

 the timber of the Pacific slope to compete on even terms with the 

 product of the eastern forests. Within a year or 18 months Douglas 

 fir became the principal species throughout the greater part of the 

 Middle West. It captured Minneapolis, a stronghold of white pine. 

 It was found in Chicago in greater volume than any other species. 

 In Kansas City it formed more than 50 per cent of the lumber stocks. 

 In spite of strikes, storms, and embargoes, the western invasion 

 plowed east to the very citadels of eastern production. 



* Class 5 mills are those of the largest size, cutting 10,000,000 feet or more annually. For explanation 

 of mill classes see headings of Table 3. 



