Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 July 1901 — TRIUMPH OF THE BUZZSAW. [ARTICLE]

TRIUMPH OF THE BUZZSAW.

American Forests Reduced by This Implement to the U»e of Man. The original forests of America were the most extensive and accessible of the world. Although they have been considerably diminished by 300 years of cutting, it Is estimated that onethird of the area of the United States Is at present covered with timber. On this area there is supposed to be 2,300,000,000,000 feet of merchantable timber, or sixty years’ supply at the present rate of consumption. The implement by meaus of which this generation has reduced enormous forests to timber is the buzzsaw. There were 21,011 sawmills enumerated iu 1890, being widely distributed wherever forests are found, because of the difficulty of transporting logs in pioneer regions. The lumberlug operations which were first Inaugurated on a large scale in Maine were later transferred to New York and Pennsylvania, but the full development of the industry was not reached until the timber supplies of Michigan and Wisconsin were marketable. The first steam sawmill was started iu the Saginaw valley. Michigan, in 1834. All operations were, however, meager for many years following, and until the tide of emigration, which was checked from flowing into the Northwest during the Civil War, was resumed after 1865. In the latter part of the ’6os lumberings began in Michigan and Wisconsin, and passed to its golden age In the '7os. Chicago then became the greatest lumber renter of the world, receiving in a single year as much as 2.000,000,000 feet. These achievements can no longer be equaled in the Northern pineries. Meanwhile the South lias been opened, and is now entering upon its most brilliant period of exploitation. The same may be said of the Pacific Douglas spruce and red wood industry. Leslie’s Weekly.