Old Mackinaw; Or, The Fortress of the Lakes and its SurroundingsStrickland, W. P. (William Peter)
History
Old Mackinaw; Or, The Fortress of the Lakes and its Surroundings
Strickland, W. P. (William Peter)
Great Lakes (North America); Mackinac Island (Mich. : Island) -- History; Michigan -- History
The amount made in 1859, did not vary materially from that shipped. In
the district embracing the River St. Clair, Port Huron and the Lake
Shore, 6,000,000 feet more were wintered over last year than this. On
the west coast it was different generally, so that the variation in
the aggregate cannot be much either way. The capacity of the mills in
the pine lumber region is 900,000,000 feet, or possibly a little more.
As regards the amount of shingles made, even dealers are much in the
dark. To add 50 per cent. to the Custom House returns would certainly
be within bounds for the eastern coast. This would give 120,000,000
as the amount. For the west coast, if we take the amount received at
Chicago, say 165,000,000, with an additional twenty-five per cent. for
that received at Milwaukee, and then estimate that two-thirds of the
whole amount were from the west coast of Michigan, which is doubtless
true, we have 137,500,000 as the amount shipped by the coast, making
267,500,000 for the whole State.
The improved demand for staves has greatly stimulated the production,
and in localities where the production of pine lumber is decreasing,
that of staves is taking its place. At Saginaw 2,500,000 were got out
last year, and this year there will be full as much, or more. The
greatest activity prevails, and dressing by machinery has been
started. At Lakeport, Burchville, Lexington, Port Sanilac, Forester,
Point aux Barque, and Foresterville, 850,000 were got out last year;
from Port Huron and St. Clair 750,000. The amount turned out in the
whole State could not have been short of 20,000,000.
An immense amount of lath were turned out. A mill that can turn out
three millions of lumber, generally makes one million of lath. On this
basis about 133,000,000 must have been turned out. The supply
generally exceeds the demand.
The lumber on the east coast is worth at the mills $9 per M.; that on
the west coast $7. At the average of $8, the amount made last year
would be worth $3,200,000. The value of shingles at $2 per M., was
$515,000, and the lath at $1 per M., are worth $133,000.
We are enabled to present a nearly complete list of names of owners,
with the amount of capital respectively, which will be of some
interest, both at home and abroad. So far as the east coast is
concerned, the figures are in the main entirely reliable, being upon
the authority of one of the best men in the State who knows whereof he
advises. Those for the west coast, thought not perhaps so strictly
correct as the others, will as a general thing be found within bounds.
We hope the statistics will prove an incentive to lumbermen to be more
particular hereafter in furnishing information:
BLACK RIVER.
Name. Capital.
J. & J. Bayard $15,000
Sweetser & Bayard 7,000
Comstock mill 7,000
Davis' mill 8,000
R. Wadham's mills 10,000
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account