Tremendous Production Southern Pine Mills Disappear In Last Year

It is a well known fact that during the past eighteen months western woods have been going into what is generally referred to as "The Southwestern Lumber Territory" -namely Texas and Oklahoma and adjacent territory-in quantities never before known, and that the flow of western lumber into that territory has been rapidly increasing up to this time.

Many conflicting reports have been issued during the past year concerning the production of Southern Pine in the South, how long it will last, replacement of present mill production, etc., and many entirely misleading pieces of information have gone into print that would tend to muddle the mind of the student as to the real facts.

The fact is that western lumber has been flowing into Texas and Oklahoma as well as Kansas in remarkably increasing volume for the simple season that a huge production of Southern Pine that enjoyed short rates into those territories, have cut their last logs and retired from business for good.

And it is likewise a fact that so far there has been utterly no replacement whatsoever of this reduced production. In the far eastern part of the South, which was the original Southern Pine territory, during late years many mills of the smallest possible type have gone in, cutting small patches of timber wherever found.

But in the territory adjacent to Texas there has been absolutely no activity of that sort. The following is the best possible proof of the above statements. It is a list of mills secured by THE GULF COAST LUMBERMAN, of Houston, Texas, of mills located only in the three states of Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas, which have cut their last log and gone out of business permanently .since the first of the year L924. The list shows the name and location of the mills, and their daily capacity. It shows that in the short period of time mentioned mills cutting a total of 2,505,000 feet EVERY DAY, have gone out of business.

This is a list only of BIG mills as will be seen. fn answer to the question-"f{2vs not a lot of small mills started in that same territory during that time?"-the answer is -"1\l[61s small mills have gone out of business in that territory during that time than have started during that time." Just facts. The few small mills that have started will not cover the loss in production of the small mills that have gone. But the list of small mills that are gone is not included in the figures given. These are only large, well equipped milling plants.

Every one of these mills enjoyed short lumber rates into the Southwestern Territory, and every one of them shipped as much lumber as possible into that territory, naturally. Texas and Oklahoma have always been the Mecca of the Southwestern mills, because Texas buys better lumber than the northern competitive markets, and pays a better price for it, and every mill that can ship into Texas does so in preference to meeting every sort of competition in the northern and eastern markets.

So it is that this entire huge quantity of lumber has been removed from Southwestern competition. And therefore the deficit has been filled in with woods from the west.

More lumber has been shipped into Texas from Arizona and New Mexico during the past year, than in any ten previous years.

Likewise more California Pine, and Douglas Fir. Texas is replacing Southern Pine shiplap and boards of common grades, with common White Pine, and doing it with much success. It is chiefly used for sheeting, and the carpenter likes its lightness, its easiness to saw, nail, tack, dress, and work, so that its popularity is growing. There hasn't been a week in the past year when California Pine has not gone into some Texas or Ollahoma town where it was never seen before.

Also its use for finish, moulding, and factory stock into this same territory has increased mightily

Texas continues to consume more California Pine doors than any other state-more even than California, and this volume is likewise growing.

Douglas Fir is sweeping into Texas and Oklahoma. It

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