The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-07-01
EAST TEXAS TIMBER ian

Texas: ~
Jasper, Texas, June 81. lsse.---Dsa.
I have been careful reader Of IA. D.
ings and decisions since you hava-.
charge OF the land Office and | fea.
conceptions OF the pine lands Of
ana newton counties. their conditions
values are erroneous. No man. w,,h
a personal knowledge, can form an isas
| cations. N. sns
Like all Western men, you seem to M,
ina. the pine woods are all alike. :.
| Wili average up about the same. In \
you are badly mistaken. Take thu ~
| ern part of these counties, where NV
Is low and fiat, you will find tha az -
small and sappy, and badly cut mn n
ponds. marshes and baygalls, all az *
contain no timber, and often oue-haIt y
section Is thus. Then take the land AZ
OIL the town OF Jasper. on a line EAST n
wes. from the Neches TO Sabine rivers !.
the lands are billy, rough, rocky. tnc n
OF course. sand, aud 1t would cost ~
times as much to handle this timber 4
would In the country where level !
timber on these lands is dying out "A
age, OF disease of some kind. and I
snow you several school sections that "
years ago were priced at 81 per acra Il
nave not living tree on them. NJ
year the timber is deterioratine IN III.
Fires. storms and what the natives \.
worms" are rapidly destroying thess n
ests. 'Asse y
1t was sad mistake Of Commissio,,
Walsh IN taking these lands off OF n
market when they were for sale at Il
acre. They would have all been sold M
and the State and counties woud ~,
received great deal more In tayes y
this than they will ever get for the linn
and lands now. was talking to i,
man recently who had purchased seva,
sections under the dollar act, and no n
marked that taxes and interest had M,
these lands cost him up to date oyer
per acre, and the end is not yet. Taxa M
county: About one eighth of 1t is scho2
lands, on which we derive no taxes. n
timber has been sold off of a nuuhe, &,
sections ard the county did not get q
cent of tax. Take the lands lying Nj
tween the towns of Buna and Jasper. Il
distance of thirty-five miles. in which M
ritory lies the finest pinery in Texas NJ,
or twelve years ago | had occasion Ia ry3
the county line between Jasper and MI
ton and resurvey lot of railroad N
school sections My wagon followed III
"hicuoh tht OpCh WOuuS utdTly the e1u&i
distance without difficulty. I had occat.s;
to go over the same country this yearr2j
1t was barely possible for me to go throwssii
horseback on account of the falling timki5
These same lands will not cut within WE
feet per acre as much as they would a
my first trip. Fires, drouths, cyclou3
late cold springs, creating worms, deads
ings, are the apparent causes Any miS3
living in either of these counties will verta
the above. 1.
Again, you western people seem to THU
these pine lands are valuable for farujfa
purposes, while the fact Is they are nss
urally so poor that two of the bachbI
cats in the county could not raise a I'LL
on them. On the ridges in the middle ~
southern parts of the county, by penny
cattle and fertilizing, the land is made psxT
ductive. but can only be done on the rid&s
or lands that have natural drainage.
Again, you, or maybe it was the assk@
ant attorney general, say these lands WI
the timber on them were intended foriili
tual settlers. People hunting homes ~
always class who have no money tom
and want cheap places, and on credit Hg9
In the world do you expect actual sell
tiers to pay $1,000 cash for a section e
land, which would cost him $40 per AZ
to fence and clear, when he can 90 ~.
purchase the best kind of farm VI
buildings for So per acre. The above III
what 1t would cost at your figures, VI
$40 per acre. If an actual settler want
home, he will never buy 1t on the plrff.
lands at that price. Take the lands ncF
of the town of Jasper, tine soil is dTf
white sand, and all the fertilizers in TessSSS
would not make it produce COOLERS. a
You are again badly off the track in g.
gard to the stumpage of these lands. %
and examine the books of any mill n
Beaumont. They keep correct recordh,
the amount each section cuts, and you "
find that 1000 feet per acre is a large ave-
age, and these mills are getting the crepl
OF the piney of this county. You can fob
no idea OF the red heart. punky and rots
timber by riding through this timber VI,
less you have an expert to point II out ~
you. When you issued your order ~
you would sell no timber without Nd
land going with 1t you hit the keynote WI
the situation, and | am very sorry to "A
that you have reeeded from that positirxs
and are now selling stumpage. In so dol
you have made the same fatal mistttf
of your predecessors, and these count4f
are being deprived of their wealth andES
ceiving no taxes. AS consequence, w.
will, within twenty years, be left VIZ
hundreds of miles of non taxable and ns}(
saleable lands, while if land was sold W.
timber the counties as well as State W.
rive revenue. W
! believe, my dear sir, you are homes
doing what you consider best, but
should come down, take a look and ju1
for yourself, and II you will do so
take pleasure In carrying you all over ths
two counties, without one cent of cost
you or the State, as I feel satisfied II
will be convinced that the best you
do is to turn the whole pine woods lop
at the best price you can get, These
men who purchase this timber know
ton will cut They have expert men
that purpose. They know to cent w
1t costs to get this timber aud manufs
ture it into lumber. If they can not q
1t at a price wherein they can make SON
thing out of it., they Just simply pass
by. Many instances Of this kind have
cured In this county and can point
school sections left in this way that
never bring 81 per acre. The reason
apparent All land In several miles
been cut. The trans have been taken
/ costs several hundred dollars mlie
build tram roads, and It would not
% build to these sections even II the W
Ger was given gratis. My advice twM.
If course you will not take) Is to. II
lave the power, put every school section
timber land on the market; put 1t up 70
highest and get rid OF 1t while the timpeI
alive, and let the purchaser help us pig
goods fellows bear the burden OF tas