Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1902-10-31
SOLD 1T FOR A SONG.
State Land Board Simply Gave Away
Valuable Timber.

valuable timber.
Boise, Ida, Oct. s.-tSpeciaD-Th
Democratic state platform adopted a
the Pocatello convention contains tn
following concerning the state Ian
board:
I'VE invite a careful examination b
every voter of the conduct of the bus
mess of the state land board durin,
the last six years and also during tn
first six years of our statehood and w
also respectfully invite a rigid com
parison of the conduct of all business
of such land board under Democratic
administration with that of the pre-
ceding Republican administrations"
! Under this invitation, no offens,
should be taken If we make the ex.
animation requested and give our find
ings to the public.
The duties of the state land board
consists of selecting and fling upon
the lands donated to us by the general
government and disposing of the same
as provided by law.
Our state constitution contains a
wise provision which limits the
amount of land that may be sold to
land which may be disposed of during
any one year, but. unfortunately,
there is no constitutional limit as to
the prices for which timber growing
on said land may be sold.
When we were admitted into the I'm
ion of states we received as a dona-
ton from the general government So
900 acres of land for the support of
university 100000 acres for a school
or schools of science, 100,000 acres for
normal schools. 5000 acres for the
insane asylum, $4,000 acres for the
penitentiary, and 10000 acres for 9TH
er purposes, making a total of 500 900
acres in all.
During the first two years of state
hood, while Governor Wiley was the
chairman of the state land board, the
selections made for the different in
situations were made largely in the
arid lands of south Idaho, but during
the four years that Governor McCon-
nell was chairman of the state land
board the selections We're almost ex-
made in the pine lands of the
north, we now having within our Dor
ders the only large tract of virgin
white pine land left in the United
States
During the first six years of the So
,alled Republican administration none
If the lands selected were sold and
none of the timber disposed Of AL
hough at one time a small portion of
he timber on selected lands was adj |
5ertised for sale. but owing to the |
ow appraisement 1t was withdrawn |
Ind no sale of the timber took place |
During the last six years, however |
arge tracts of timber have been sold |
,ut the sales did not embrace all the |
imber on the land, white pine and yell
ow pine in most instances being sold |
Ind the cedar, tamarac. telegraph and
telephone poles were thrown in. Thus
while the purchaser paid for a given
number of thousands of feet, they
'eceived practically as a gift as much
more
1t is not probable that the state
and board entered into collision with |
he representatives of the large timber |
indicates that have secured a foot |
Iold in this state. 1t being more char
table to believe that they were ignor- |
mt of the methods of arriving at the
'alue of the timber. For instance, one
ot of timber was sold to bankers in
ewiston for $3.50 per thousand stump
ge. while, only few days later. an
Their lot of equally as good, If not
uperior, timber sold for 81 per thous-
nd feet. Why this haste in disposing
( our heritage is hard to explain or
y what mathematical course Of rea-
oning the timber was appraised at the
rice for which 1t was sold The val
e of timber. can only be estimated by
rst ascertaining the price of the
produce lumber, from
yhich deduct the cost of cutting logs,
he cost Of swamping, hauling and
kidding, the cost of loading on cars
nd the freight on the logs from the
Runway to the mill, where 1t Is nee
ssary to convey the logs to the mill
n cars. But the greater portion of
he white pine timber In North Idaho
I'LL find an outlet down the rivers and
treams to the places of manufacture.
But, for the sake of argument, adj
hitting that 1t must be brought to the
1ill on cars, we will take the expense
accident to that method and see what
he cost of manufactured lumber will
e, taking the log from the stump
there the stumpage is paid. Cut
ing the logs, 81 per thousand;
hauling and skidding, $3.50
er thousand; loading on cars, so cents
err thousand: freight on cars, any dis
ance under so miles, 81, making a total
f 81 per thousand. Logs are bought
{ log measure, while lumber Is sold
t actual measure, the difference be-
1g approximately 33 1-3 per cent.
yhich is a gain to the owner of the
lill, the logs making that much more
lmber than is paid for them at the
lump. For instance a saw mill with
he capacity OF $4,000 feet. log meas
re, turns out $4,000 feet of lumber
MEASURE, or an excess sufficient to pay
he running expenses of the mill. Con-
equently, the price paid for stump
ge, the price paid for cutting and
auling to the mill. with the interest
nd commission constitute the cost of
he lumber. Now the market value of
lmber at Occur d'Alene City on the F.;
It'll ultimo was as follows:
oeur d'Alene Lumber Company, Ltd.
Manufacturers of
Lumber. Lath and Shingles.
Occur d'Alene, Ida, Sept. IL, 1902.
Dear Sir: We beg to quote you as
blows on white pine lumber. (. o. b.
ars here:
10: 1 common. e-inch fencing. $500 I