Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/633

1869.] Oar Pine Resources. 509 season of 1866, there remained, on the various docks upon the Saginaw river, upwards of 44,000,000 feet. Notwithstanding the fact, that much less snow fell, than usual, during the following winter, and that the facilities afforded the lumber men were, in conse- quence, much abridged, a large amount of logs was lumbered, as may be seen by reference to the statement already given. In or about the year 1836, the first lumber was shipped from the Saginaw district, — only two cargoes during the season. By 1857, (21 3'ears,) the annual pro- duct, had reached 125,000,000 feet. In 1867, (10 years more) it was fully four times that amount, or 500,000,000 feet, being worth, at a low valuation, $7,- 500.000. Of Pine lumber there were cut on the river and tributaries : In 1863 133,500,000 feet In 1864 215,000,000 " In 1865 250,639,340 " In 1866 349,767,884 " In 1867 423,963,190 " Thus it appears, that the amount cut on the Saginaw has increased '220 per cent, in five years, or an average of 44 per cent, per annum. At the same ratio, this district will cut about two billions of feet, ten j-ears hence. We might look further, and (taking it for granted, that the supply would not give out before that time) contemplate the product, by the beginning of the next century. If any reader is suffi- ciently interested to make the calcula- tion for himself, he can easily do so ; he will then find himself encountered by such a battalion of numerals, as will puzzle him to give oral expression to. We believe, however, that ten years are enough to prove our position ; and that no thinking man can fail to recog- nize, in these figures, the fact, that we are rapidly using up our supply of Pine, without any proportionate replenish- ment. It maybe objected, that these are but the statistics of a single district. In answer to such suggestions, we append a table of the estimated production of the entire State for 1867 : Feet. Saginaw 423,963,190 Bay Shore 84,995,772 Genesee County 68,000,000 Detroit 39,026,460 Tuscola County 5,800,000 Port Huron 30,000,000 Huron 33,850,500 Marine City 5,215,000 Lapeer County.. 16,500,000 Gratiot County 11,500,000 Sanilac County 8,750,000 Muskegon. 205,278,000 White Piver 80,000,000 Ministee 110,400,000 Grand Traverse 24,000,000 Pere Marquette 46,000,000 Western Slope 185,000,000 1,378,278,922 Which, at an average of $15 per thou- sand feet, is worth $20,674,183.83. The total amount of Laths manufac- tured is 284,646,200 pieces ; Shingles 368,420,000. Here, then, we see over thirteen hun- dred millions of feet of lumber, as the production of one State, for a single year ; being, if we exclude Sundays, up- wards of four million, one hundred and fifty thousand per day, or, allowing ten hours as a day's work, over four hundred and fifteen thousand feet per hour. Now, there v are 91 townships tying tributary to the Saginaw river, which contain Pine timber, and these 91 em- brace pretty much all the lumber that can be produced in the greatest Pine portions of the State. Ninety-one town- ships are divided into 3,276 sections, or 26,208 lots. Experience proves that you cannot calculate more than 200,000 feet on a lot, and this will allow for all growths of timber, without any deduc- tions made for fire, or other causes. This