The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1908-10-01
"THERE,s MILLIONS IN IT"

THERE'S MILLIONS IN IT."
The logged-off land agitation in the
Northwest is one of the most signif-
cant industrial movements on the Pa
cific Coast today, says H. w. Pennock,
of Hamilton, in Mt. Vernon Argus. |
am fully persuaded that if out Of
this widespread consideration of the
logged-off land proposition there will
be discovered some economic method
for the economic clearing of logged-off
lands, that it will mark the inception
of the most subtantial and permanent
industrial movement ever experienced
in the Northwest, if not the nation.
Today there are three or four million
acres of untitled logged-off lands in
the state of Washington, the major
portion of which is rich alluvial bot.
tom and second bench lands. Could
you imagine what the utilization Of
this magnificent area of agricultural
land would mean as an industrial fac
tor to the state? 1t is conservatively
estimated that an acre of bottom land
will yield net profit of ten dollars.
Estimated on this modest basis the
net income to the producers of the
state would be $40,000000 annually.
If some cheap method of clearing
logged-off land could be devised, un-
doubtedly within decade million
or two acres of these lands would be
subdued to cultivation.
In Skagit county alone there are
at least 100000 acres of logged-off
lands that will continually be utilized
for agricultural and horticultural pur-
poses. Of this extended area there are
at least $4,000 acres of the richest
alluvial river bottom and second bench
lands. To realize what the utilization
of this large area of rich bottom lands
would mean to Skagit county you
should bear in mind that in round num-
bers there are only 45,605.14 acres of
improved land in the county today,
and the county ranks second among
the west side counties in the amount
of improved land. If you double the
agricultural resources of the county
you provide an income for double its
permanent industrial population; you
double the assessed valuation of agri-
culture; you double the income of the
county; you provide tangible assets
for the Improvement of roads, bridges
and other public utilities. The income
of the county today from all sources
Is 1887 ,000 of which amount, say $780,
900, is paid in taxes by the improved
farm lands Of the county. If the
acreage of improved land is doubled,
the income from that source would
also be doubled.
Right at this point | have a sug-
gestiOn to make. Do you not believe
that it would be wise and judicious
investment for the county to mater
tally aid the occupants of logged-off
lands in getting a foothold. Every
additional acre of improved land in
creases the income of the county. If
some plan could be mapped out for
the county to aid the settlers on
logged-off land to get start the in
vestment would prove to be a profit
able one to the county. If the county
could purchase dozen or more DON
key engines to be used for road i'm
provements that when not employed
for that purpose would be placed at
the disposal Of the occupants of
logged-off lands, plan of this char
acter might materially reduce the cost
to the owner of clearing his land. If
the county could by paying out $4,000
or $4,000 increase it's annual income
500, 900 or 100000, the investment in
my judgment would be wise and COM
mendable. This is only a suggestion,
however. | am satisfied that sooner
or later this perplexing problem will
be satisfactorily solved and followed
by an unprecedented era of industrial
development on the west side.