The Unmeasured Wealth of Washington's Timber
A comprehensive statistical report from 1893 reveals the staggering scale of timber resources across the state and the birth of a major industry.
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.
The Puget Sound Lumberman has completed an exhaustive study on the timber resources of Washington. The state contains over four hundred billion feet of standing timber, with Pierce County leading in lumber production and King County as the banner shingle county. In 1892, 746 mills and factories produced $19,000,000 worth of lumber, employing 12,000 men. The report suggests that while some claim there is enough timber to supply the world for 100 years, the reality is likely closer to 40 years at current consumption rates. The industry is rapidly shifting its focus to the Pacific Northwest as Eastern supplies dwindle.
“Stumpage will never be as cheap in the Pacific Northwest as it is today.”
This 1893 report captures the precise moment the Pacific Northwest became the nation's primary timber source. It highlights the tension between the 'growth machine' mentality—viewing trees as infinite wealth—and the realization that industrial extraction has limits.
From readers
No comments yet. If you know something about this story — a correction, a family memory, a source — it belongs here.