Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-05-16
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ty, or wherever grown, for that mat
ter, equal to spruce in value. Proba-
bly, larger growth of cedar exists in
Aroostook than any .other section, al
though it is well scattered over the
State"
This matter of ascertaning the
value of wild lands for the purposes of
taxation is much more difficult than
similar work in towns and cities" says
Hon. Mr.. Hayford, the chairman of
the board. In the latter places, the
assessors are supposed to place a
valuation on every parcel of property.
land and buildings, for the purpose Of
assessing the tax. We get a synopsis
Of the result Of the valuation, in that
way keeping pretty close with any de-
crease increase or change in the
VARIATION of the town"
but with the wild lands it is far
different" adds Mr.. Pottle. These
unincorpOrated townships are largely
|uninhabited. 1t is not easy, you can
imagine, 20 ascertain how much tim
her is in a township, or what is its
value. There are many things to be
considered. First and most impor-
tant, of course, being the amount of
timber. Close second to this in i'm
portance are the driving waters or
other facilities for getting the timber
to the mills or manufactures when
sold. In some counties are large
quantities Of timber-notably in the
Northwestern part of Aroostook,
where the expense of cutting and get
ting the lumber to the mill is so great,
that there is little margin left of the
timber as it stood on the stump. We
try and ascertain all these facts.
1.-The greatest difficulty is in finding &C
curate and reliable knowledge of those
having jurisdiction of all highways across
wildands and townships have an oppor
tunity to pick up considerable Informal
ton Of the lands in this way. Owners Of
great timber territories generally employ
a practical lumberman, who is supposed
to have some knowledge of these owner
ships. In addition, there are few men
who are employed by wild land owners
to survey and explore the townships
securing information necessary to settle
line disputes. The opinion of these men
is as reliable as anything we get regard
ing the quantities of timber standing on
the lands.
'These men, most unfortunately for US,
are growing fewer year by year. We
can count them on the fingers Of one
hand | think,-these men with accurate
knowledge of Names wildlands,
But the purchase of larger tracts Of
timberlands by paper manufacturers has
opened a door to considerable information
which we didn't before possess. When
| timberlands are offered for sale. and
these corporations contemplate purchas-
| ing, they send one of these previously
mentioned explorers to examine the
| township. estimate the amount of differ
| ent timber upon it, and the facilities for
transportation. From their reports, and
| the price paid, we ascertain an approx
innate valuation. We are thus able to
| form much more intelligent idea Of the
valuation Of the wild lands Of the State
than we could five years ago.
intellectually the establishing Of paper
mills in Maine has greatly increased the
value of the water power of the State.
Paper mills of course. require great water
lpOwer far beyond cotton or wooden mills
or indeed any other mandatory. AS d
|
err of Maine is already secured, although
in some cases not yet occupied, and the
water privileges of the State were never
worth so much as today"
| Forest fires threatens the greatest
danger to our timber lands say the as
SCISSORS This is particularly true in pc
RODS of drought, when a blaze destroys
for a great many years the portions il
devastates.
THE timber growth in Maine will out
last this generation by many long years, =
says Mr.. Pottle encouragingly. "'The
large cuts by lumbermen create alarm as
the people read of their size. But. there :
one point they overlook. They entirely
forget in their calculations that all this
time every little tree in the State is
steadily growing day and night,
Cutting off, / assure you, is done jul
diciousy in Maine. Some of the biggest
lumber companies never allow a small
tree to be ruthlessly cut down or mutt
lated. Mr.. Coe of Bangor who represent
ed an estate which in connection with
that of David Pingree of Massachusetts
Included over 60 townships, was extreme
ly careful in regard to the numbering op
eratl0nS carried on IN MS TIMBER pre-
lserves These holdings. by the way. are
mainly in Aroostook. Penobscot Somer
lset and Franklin counties. In Franklin
the shores of Mooselucmaguntic lake
you remember. are almost entirely owned
by the Coe heirs, who do not care to sci
to any considerable extent.
1.-The Berlin Mills, having really no ex
cuse for cutting small trees, as their bust
ness is almost entirely in sawn lumber
are managing their numbering operation,
carefully enough to suit the most anx
ious. This company, which has at Berli,
Mills, n. H., one of the finest mills d
the country, employs Austin Cary o
Brunswick constantly as its head forest
er
1.-The Coburn heirs-descendants of Alb
ner Coburn of Skowhegan-with an es
tate of two hundred thousand acres. ar
extremely prudent owners. s. w. Phil
brick of Skowhegan, the manager of tn,
Continued on page g.