The Placer herald., 1863-11-14
THE TIMBER INTERESTS OF THE
NEVADAS.

NEVADAS.
The rapid dimunition OF heavy timber
along the coast of California, will soon force
those engaged in the lumber trade to look to
other sources for material to supply the
demand; and while that portion Of our pcpu,
lation who are within convenient distance
of tho seaboard need entertain no appr-.
tensions OF a scarcity, inasmuch as lumber
from the northern coast and Oregon may be
furnished tor many years to come, at com.
paratively nominal figures, those remote from
the facilities afforded by navigation will
necessarily direct their attention to the ex
tensive forests on the western slopes Of the
Sierra Nevadas for supply. No part of
the world can boast of better quality of
timber than that embraced in III area Of forty
miles in width and more than four hundred
miles in length, along the eastern boundary
Of our own State. All the lumber hereto
fore used by miners has, as yet, scarcely
produced any perceptble diminuton of the
quantity along the western range of that
immense track of timber land
Within the past year, more than during
the past ten, have enterprising men directed
their attention to the u innate Importance of
the lumber trade of the mountains, and have
located claims with the special purpose in
view of erecting planning mills and all re-
qulslte machinery for manufacturing lumber
into many articles of use which are at pres
ent imported. We do not see why doors
and sashes lumber for building and flooring,
cannot be manufactured much cheaper in
the mountains from timber cut on the spot
than it can be at points from fifty to two
hundred miles distant, where the extra bulk
and weight of rough lumber mus. add
materially to the cost Of transportation
The cost of propeling machinery must,
likewise, be much cheaper, where any amount
of fuel can be had for the cutting, and also
where there are any amount of convenient
sites for erecting mills by the side of lasting
streams of water, large enough to drive
mill of any capacity and dimensions. With
motive power costing nothing, the original
price of the timber costing only the price
OF surveying and recording their claims the
quality of the wood not excelled in the
world, and its extent almost unlimited, it is
but reasonable to expect that vast amount
of revenue and wealth W Il accrue to several
Of the inland counties and to the State at
large, from the extensive trade that soon
must spring up in these forests. When it
is taken into consideration that a very large
proportion of Nevada Territory is almost
entirely destitute of timber, and that these
forests are the only accessible points where,
eventually, sufficient supply of lumber can
be procured, the forethough4and energy of
those now claiming the forests becomes at
once apparent. These men are preparing
for the opening of transmontane highways
and see before them bright prospect, not
only in the demand for lumber on the east,
ern side of the mountains, but perceive that
the mining counties on the western skirts
OF the mountain range AS well as the in.
habitants Of the plains, will have use for and
buy the freight brought westward by re.
turning teams engaged in the transportation
, of merchandise eastward. Had there been
any demand for merchandise heretofore so
, far into the interior as the timber country,
great quantities of lumber would have been
supplied to parties who have necessarily had
to use the material brought from the Red
!, woods and from Oregon, by schooners, into
this city; bu; AS soon AS commercial inter-
,, course is inaugurated between this section
and Mono and other eastern mining districts,
the 'prairie schooners" will bring back much
Of the lumber used fn the valleys We be.
lieve that sugar pine lumber can be purchas
ed now, at the lumber yards in Columbia
and Sonora, for twenty-five dollars per thou
sand feet, and the very best quality at thirty
dollars; and if the statement we observed
some time ago in a San Francisco paper is
correct, quoting the price Of sugar pine at
sixty dollars per thousand, a profitable bust
ness could even now be done bv freighting it
from Murphy's or either of the towns in
!, Tuolumne county above named. An addi-
,, tional incentive would be given to all other
!, phases of commerce by increasing the lum1
Der trade between the lower counties and
mountains, as the forwarders of merchandise
would receive greater encouragement in
their business and be enabled to reduce
the rates of freight by having their teams
loaded both ways.
Instead of considering it speculative
surmse, we may believe it fixed reality
that as soon as railroad communication is
opened between Alameda Santa Clara, and
San Francisco counties and this city, we will
look with more earnestness to the develop
ment of our resources, and among the many
which surrounds us, that Of the manufacture
of lumber will not be the least considerable.
Next to the mining interests Of Caaveras
and Tuolumne counties, we look upon their
ultimate lumber trade as that from which
the greatest amount of revenue is to be de-
rived Stockton Independent.
DEPUTY SECRETARY OF SrATE.-E. w.
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