The Unsung Strength of Washington Fir
Local engineers are pushing for a government-funded laboratory to scientifically prove what loggers already know: that Washington timber is superior to Eastern pine.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
John Lamb, a civil engineer with extensive experience in Eastern railroad work, has received a letter from the Department of Agriculture regarding the testing of Washington timber. The department acknowledges the superior qualities of Pacific coast wood but admits that, due to limited appropriations, they have been unable to establish a test laboratory in the region. Lamb argues this is a critical missed opportunity. Having worked in the timber-depleted regions of Michigan and Minnesota twelve years ago, Lamb is certain that Washington fir will outperform Eastern and Southern pines in bridge and building construction. He suggests that the state delegation in Congress must act immediately to secure funding for these tests, especially to highlight the product for potential investors at the upcoming World's Fair.
“There is no doubt in my mind that a comparison of Washington fir, as to strength, with Eastern and Southern pines, will show a decided advantage in favor of the former.”
This story captures a pivot point where timber shifted from a raw commodity to a branded, tested industrial product. The call to prove Washington's 'superior quality' to Eastern investors echoes the regional anxiety about being taken seriously by national markets.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.