The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-01-08
Highest Of all in Leavenng Power-Latest u Govt Reno
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ABSOLUTELY PURE
The Value Of Washington's Timber.

To ascertain with any degree of GER
talnty the value of the natural re-
sources OF country is an extremely
difficult task, and even the best and
most conservative and painstaking
authorities, are conceded to be but
rough approximations to the whole
truth. But they serve as basis upon
which to estimate the real or relative
resources of country, and just so far
they are valuable.
The United States census bureau is
perhaps the most conservative author
ity on earth, in this respect, and never
hazards guess on any subject. In
IS90, In attempting to accumulate
data upon which to base an estimate
OF the average amount, and the value
OF standing timber in the Pacific
Northwest, it took the facts regarding
the matter from the lumber manufac-
turers, limiting its estimates to the
timber owned by such manufacturers
alone. The totals resulting from this
investigation are as follows: For Idaho;
acreage, 2,735; quantity of timber board
measure, 21 ,667 900 feet; value, $685.
5o4. For Oregon; acreage, 49,111;
quantity of mercantable timber. as
above, S,776, $4,000 feet; value, $5,-
4O7, 2l2. For Washington; acreage,
54,37l quantity board measure, 25,-
252, 1927, 600 feet; value $19,474,O3S.
In the computation the average
estimated value per thousand feet for
standing timber is 81 cents in Oregon
90 cents in Washington, and Sl09 in
Idaho.
The foregoing results are, course,
but faint shadows of the whole truth,
as the limits are wonderfully restricted
and the estimate most conservative.
The Oregonian, which is reliable and
painstaking, through possibly some
!; what partial to Oregon, has enlarged
upon these estimates, and from the
best information attainable by it,
arrives at the following results
Acreage of forest land in Oregon 2O,-
| 576,120; in Washington, 23,4S6, $50;
in Idaho, 1O,7S9,OOO. Taking the
government estimates of 35,242 feet
of merchantable timber per acre in
Oregon 28,172, feet per acre in Wash
ington and 1921 feet per acre in Idaho
the timber supply of the states named
would be about as follows: Oergon,
724, ,143, ,621 ,040 feet; Washington, 661-
665 5,903, 800 feet; Idaho, 85 ,459 $50, 600
feet using the government estimate of
value per thousand feet, the total
values for these three stales would be
as follows Oregon $44S, 1863, ,O45; Idaho
$93, Isl ,O39; Washington, ,$6OS, ,732, $50.
This, it should be borne in mind, is
but conservative estimate OF the
value Of the timber as it stands in the
forest. and represents but tithe OF
the value of the manufactured timber.
Taking $40 per M as the average
amount received-brought into the
state for Washingtons lumber
alone, the aggregate amount is $6,O87,-
$685. 800. And this represents the pro-
ceeds of but single industry, and
but small fraction of the proceeds of
that industry in the event of the
building of the Nicaragua canal-an
enterprise the completion of which
would expend our lumber market ten
| fold, and render it inestimably more
stable and less tablet to fluctuations
than it ever has been.
Who that is familiar with the enor-
NOUS increase in values OF timbered
lands in Michigan and Wisconsin,
during the last thirty years, can for a
moment doubt that similar good
torture awaits the timber owners OF
Washington? During period OF a
little less than fifteen years, in Michl-
gan, the value Of tlmbered land rose
| from an average of about $l5, per
! acre to an average OF $15 per acre to
an average of about g225, per acre,
and it should be borne in mind that
the average yield per acre in that
country was less one-third of the
| average yield per acre in this.
Then with all the disadvantages OF q
remote market for the timber of this
country, who but constitutional
calamity howler can doubt that within
i twenty years the timbered land OF this
| state will sell for figures at least closly
approximating the highest prices paid
! for the timbered lands of Michigan?
Il Aberdeen Bulletin.