The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-05
AMONG THE BIG TREES
Timber Resources Of Chehalis
and Pacific Counties.
THE LUMBER OUTPUT OF 1890.
Product OF the Mills of Aberdeen, Ho-
GUAM, Cosmopolis and South Bend
Statistics or Great Industry.

OF the timber belts of Washington none
are more important or accessible than that
southwest of Puget sound tributary to the
Chehaiis valley, the Gray's harbor basin
and Wlllapa harhor, or Shoalwater bay.
From Olympia, the southern end of the
Sound, across the divide from whence the
streams dow into Gray's harbor, the dis
lance is easily covered by an hours ride.
The forests extend from Sound to ocean,
but the heaviest and best timber is found
after the low divide is crossed. Their char
acteristics are in many respects similar to
those OF other timbered portions of the
western part of the state, with the excep-
ton that the predominating growth is
spruce and that the underbrush is thicker,
IT that were possible. So dense is this I'M
dergrowth that it is an almost hopeless
task to attempt passage through it with
out liberal use of the ak. With the
leafy tops of the towering trees and the
heavy underground below the rays OF the
sun are scarce. The light of day never
reaches the ground and the roots of the
forest giants and everglades are bathed in n
perpetual moisture. which is the secret of
Their immense and rapid growth. Here
the theories of botanists are completely
one would suggest for an ornamental tree,
unless dizzy altitude is desired, and the
wood ranks as high commercially as that
OF the iir. A S00-foot spruce tree, with the
lowest branches 100 feet above ones head,
can be seen so often that it ceases to create
wonder. After tho fir and spruce, hem
lock and cedar predominant in this region.
And here again, the botanists' theories are
hn &c md
in profusion on the lower lands instead of
on the high attitudes it is declared to
prefer.
Originally there was no prairie land in
the Gray's harbor basin, except here and
there patch" of halfa section or so; it
was all timbered. Now there's many a
good farm along the rivery bottoms, and
the pillow is fast following the AK A care
iul estimate has placed the present area of
timber lands tributary to Gray's harbor at
1,S00 square miles. 1t Is poor section of
timber land that won't yield 20,oo0, 900 feet
OF understandable timber, and many one
will double that. Taking $4,000 600 feet as
a ialr average TO the section, and there is
probably the enormous amount of 5ioo0,-
600, 900 feet of lumber now standing that
Will lind its way to market through Gray's
harbor. There is also still larger scope
OF country than this that is permeated and
tapped by the upper Chehalis and
Newoukum rivers containing vast forests
of virgin red and yellow iir and cedar that
can reach the Gray's Harbor mills cheaper
by floating down these streams than any
other merchant mills in these localities.
But the nearer supply is so vast that little
heed has been given to them.
South of Gray's harbor there is nearly as
large an area of timber land as above
noted, much of which is accessible from
Willapa harbor and Shoalwater bay, while
the remainder goes to the Columbia. Its
character is similar to that described.
Until recently there has been but one mill
on Willapa harbor, and there is yet bat
the one shipping its products to other
markets. Along the Columbia, though,
are several large mills.
THE LUMBER CUT.
Below is given an accurate statement of
the lumber cut of this section of all mills
shipping to other markets There are also
many smaller mills doing constant and
profitable business for the local demand.
but it is impossible to secure a report of
the lumber sawed by them.
VESTS MILL, ABERDEEN.