The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-02-19
Big TIMBER DEAL.
Sale of Pine Lands in Northern
California.
Twenty-Three Thousand Acres Ac-
CURED by New Lumber
ing Company.

[San Francisco Chronicle, February Sth.1
The most important timber land deal
that has ever been registered in this State
is now approaching conclusion. Miles IL
Brewster, the big lumbermen of Green
Bay, Wis, and Tatum IL Bowen, who are
the principal owners of the stock of the
Red Cross Lumber Company, will enter
into possession of $4,000 acres of pine
timber land in Siskiyou and Shasta Coun-
ties in few days, and will begin grading
next week on forty miles of standard
gauge railroad from the line of the Califor-
MIA and Oregon to their wooded princi-
pality. Most of the land is being pur-
chased from the Southern Pacific Com
pany through Land Agent Mills.
The land lies in sections, scattered like
the black squares on a checker-board,
over virgin district which is the largest
and richest pine timber belt in the State.
1t is in Southeastern SiskiyOu and North
eastern Shasta. The region comprises
SOC, 600 acres Of lumber, in which an OPEN
ing will now be made by way of develop
ment, if such term may be used for the
denuding Of forest lands. 1t is all east of
the California and Oregon Railroad, and
also east of the Squaw Mountain range.
Most of the land lies on a comparatively
level plateau. II is impossible to market
any of the timber in this city at fair prices
at present, as it would cost 50 thousand
feet to transport it to the railroad, to say
nothing of the freight charges after that.
Miles u Brewster and Tatum d Bowen
have been quietly at work for three years
gaining possession Of timber land in this
region by buying it from original claim
ants, who gained possession under the
IISnal Government rnlpG They found
nearly all the land not owned by the rail-
road there to be In the possession of these
small claimants. each of whom had Sc
cured loo acres. 1t was found necessary
to use the greatest secresy in making
these purchases, for, had the object Of
them become known, the claimants
would have advanced their prices. AS it
was, the land was bought at an average
price of SIS an acre, ana it was gradually
absorbed until 5000 acres had come into
possession of the capitalists.
After making these extensive pur-
chases they began negotiations with the
Southern Pacific Company, bonding H.
600 acres, which they have now virtually
purchased, and have begun negotiations
for the purchase of 1900 acres more.
there being no doubt of the sale, as the
capitalists are satisfied with their bar
gain, having agreed to pay the going
price of $15 an acre for the land. There
are lew details 10 DC considered, out all
of the land is virtually sold to them and
will soon pass into their possession, they
forming a company for the purpose of at
lacking the forest in way that will bring
much of the lumber into the market
within the present year.
AS all the land has been or is to be
bought at an average rate of SIS an acre,
the total %, 900 acres purchased from the
railroad company will cost the lumber
company S345, 900, which, added to the
$4,000 already expended for the lands of
private individuals, will make total of
S435, 900. To build and equip the railroad
will cost an additional SS00.000, so that
the total investment will be 81 ,235. 600
As matter of fact the railroad will cost
the company very little in the outlay of
ready money, for the increase in the
value of its timber land as a result of its
construction will be such that it can sell
5000 or 5000 acres, if it desires, at a price
that will make the road nearly paw for
itself. In any event there need be little
ready money spent for the road, as the
company already has offers of loans. its
credit being much greater than would be
the case were the land barren of trees and
lit only for agriculture. The road, on
which grading is to commence not later
than the 9th inst, will start from Lower
Soda Springs, in Shasta County, on the
California and Oregon, and will follow
Soda Creek, passing over the Squaw
Mountain range, and running by Eige-
lows and Bartle's northeasterly up into
Siskiyou County. For the first five
miles the line will be rather difficult of
construction, but after the Squaw Mount